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IMPACT – MEDIUM
Several countries have relaxed or tightened visa rules for certain visitors recently, including the following:
Ireland. Venezuelan nationals are now required to obtain a visa before traveling to Ireland, and if planning to work in Ireland they must obtain an employment permit before applying for a visa. Ireland does not have a mission in Venezuela. The Irish Embassy in Mexico City has jurisdiction over applicants who live in Venezuela.
Ireland/UK. The two governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom have announced the “British Irish Visa Scheme,” which will allow nationals of China and India to travel for business or tourism to the two European countries on a single visa. The program is planned to begin this fall.
Italy. Restrictions have been eased for Chinese nationals seeking Italian business and tourist visas. Starting July 1, the Italian Embassy in Beijing and its consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou are issuing visas to Chinese visitors within 36 hours. In addition, Chinese nationals may now apply for Italian visas at the consulates that are closest to their places of residence instead of at the consulates that are closest to their household registration, which is often farther away. (This does not apply to foreign citizens, Chinese nationals living abroad or applicants for family reunion or work visas.)
Kazakhstan. As reported earlier, Kazakhstan announced plans to launch a one-year pilot project July 15 to provide visa-free travel for citizens of 10 countries: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Kenya. The Department of Immigration Services has issued a directive that all South African nationals obtain visas prior to visiting Kenya for tourism or business. All South African nationals wishing to travel to Kenya are advised to obtain a visa from the Kenyan High Commission in their country of residence.
Saudi Arabia. A new visa center for eight Schengen Area countries plus Canada opened in Jeddah on May 27. The center is operated jointly by VFS Global and al-Etimad Business Solutions Co. and provides visa processing services for Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network providers. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
Copyright © 2016 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? The Muslim month of Ramadan beginning at the end of June will reduce operating hours of many offices across the Middle East and parts of Asia and Africa.
What does the change mean? Government offices in some regions will operate at half schedules during the month, with Friday hours in particular being shorter than normal. Check with local offices for specific dates and hours of operation.
Background: The month of Ramadan is based on local moon sightings or predictions, so dates vary from country to country; but the lunar month is estimated to begin around June 29 and end around July 27.
BAL Analysis: Companies should allow more time for processing and plan for longer timelines during the month in countries that observe Ramadan. Also note that the Eid holiday immediately following Ramadan will completely close offices in Muslim countries for three to 10 days, depending on local holiday schedules.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
IMPACT – Medium
What is the change? The U.K. and Ireland will waive visas for Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
What does the change mean? Nationals of these three countries can travel visa-free to the U.K. and to Ireland for up to six months by obtaining an electronic visa waiver document online.
Background: The U.K. announced the visa waiver program for four Persian Gulf countries last month. The U.K. implemented the electronic visa waiver (EVW) on Jan. 1, 2014, for three of the countries – Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. The fourth country, Kuwait, is expected to be phased in later this year.
The EVW is an online document that must be completed at least 48 hours before travel. It is available for visits lasting up to six months. Those applying to work or study cannot avail themselves of the EVW, and must apply for a visa. Nationals of the above countries also qualify for the Irish Short-Stay Visa Waiver program as long as they present their EVW when entering Ireland.
BAL Analysis: The visa waiver will boost tourist and business travel from Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to the U.K. and Ireland by making it faster and cheaper and eliminating normal visa procedures.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in the United Kingdom. For additional information, please contact uk@bal.com.
Telephone, email and web scams targeting immigrants have spiked in the past year.
Immigration authorities in Europe, Asia, Australia and the U.S. have warned foreigners about fraudulent calls.
Last week, several universities in the U.K. reported that some international students received suspicious calls from individuals posing as immigration officers from the U.K. Home Office. In France, police are investigating ongoing telephone fraud in which callers demand that foreign nationals pay immigration fees to complete their paperwork.
Such occurrences are becoming more commonplace worldwide, and even savvy travelers should be vigilant. In October, BAL reported telephone scams targeting foreigners in Ireland and New Zealand. In the United States, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) recently warned about a scam luring foreign investors to buy securities to qualify for an investor visa. Earlier in the year, BAL reported that individuals posing as USCIS officers targeted foreign employees in the U.S. The callers asked for passport and alien numbers, claimed that their documents contained errors and demanded money to fix them. Callers can seem legitimate because they often possess pieces of personal identifying information about their victims, such as home address, birth date and application numbers. Immigration agencies are warning travelers and foreign residents that this information is easy to find online.
In some cases, telephone scammers have “spoofed” their calls so the number that appears on the recipient’s caller ID or mobile phone appear to come from a government agency. Earlier this year, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority alerted the public about suspicious calls appearing to originate from their hotline. In these calls, scammers asked for payment to fix supposed mistakes on travelers’ embarkation/debarkation cards. In another incident, Singapore’s labor ministry recently warned employers and workers not to use a fake copy-cat website.
Immigration officials have recently issued reminders, emphasizing that they do not call customers to collect payment for immigration fees over the phone and that people who receive calls like this should not give out personal details or pay any money.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact GlobalVisaGroup@bal.com.
IMPACT – Low
What is new? Immigration authorities in Ireland and New Zealand are warning foreign nationals about phone scams in which callers pose as immigration officials.
Background: The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) warned last month that some visa applicants had been contacted by callers purporting to be from the agency, seeking payment of 500 euros. The callers quoted the agency’s helpline number and other official publications. The INIS reminded customers that it does not contact applicants by phone for payment of application fees.
“Applicants are asked to be vigilant. Do not give details of your immigration application to telephone callers unless you are sure who they are. If someone demands payment of a fine, contact INIS and the [police],” the INIS warned on its website.
Also, New Zealand’s immigration agency posted a warning on Oct. 30 on its website about recent scam phone calls. The callers claim that the recipient has a problem with his or her visa or arrival card information and demand monetary payment. The agency noted that the callers can appear to be legitimate because they often have some details about the individual, such as name, date of birth or address, and in some cases the callers reference application numbers that are fake.
BAL analysis: Foreign workers should be aware of the fraudulent calls and should not give out personal information or details to callers unless their identity is certain.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Ireland. For additional information, please contact GlobalVisaGroup@bal.com.
In the past month, four regional trade blocs announced plans to move forward with the creation of unified visa regimes modeled on the success of Europe’s Schengen Zone. Although the plans are initially focused on tourism, the unified visas could allow business travelers to visit multiple countries on one business trip. A summary of recent events in each region follows:
Southeast Asia
The five countries of the Mekong River Delta began talks to create a unified tourist visa. The common visa would allow seamless travel between Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
East Africa
The leaders of five East African Community nations agreed to pursue a unified tourist visa at a summit in Kenya. The participating countries are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda.
Southern Africa
The 15 countries of the Southern African Development Community recommitted themselves to the plan for a unified visa. Member nations are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Persian Gulf
Several regional newspapers reported that the six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council may introduce a unified visa as early as 2014. Participating countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The plans are likely to encounter bureaucratic obstacles, and it may take years before the proposed unified visas are implemented. However, the trend may prove valuable for employers who have business interests in these regions.
For additional information on global immigration matters, please contact GlobalVisaGroup@bal.com.
The violence in Cairo this week has prompted at least five nations to close their embassies and other nations to issue travel warnings urging their citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Egypt. In addition, the Philippine government has ceased deployment of its nationals to work in Egypt, and the Malaysian government has prepared a plan to evacuate its 3,300 students in Egypt if necessary.
On Aug. 14, the Egyptian government declared a state of emergency for one month due to the violent and unstable political situation that has resulted in the death of more than 500 people and injured more than 3,700. During the state of emergency, a curfew is imposed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The following foreign missions in Cairo are among those currently closed:
BAL will provide updates on the situation as it affects immigration. For additional information on Egyptian immigration matters, please contact GlobalVisaGroup@bal.com.
Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan, will be marked by government office closures in many countries in the Middle East, Northern Africa and Asia this week. The length of holiday closures will vary by country, but most closures will take place between Aug. 7 and Aug. 11. As offices reopen after the holiday season, travelers are advised to expect temporary delays from the backlogs accumulated during Ramadan and the Eid celebrations.