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Leading business and immigration organizations have called on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to implement proposed changes to the H-1B lottery ahead of the upcoming H-1B cap season. In October, USCIS published a wide-ranging proposed regulation that would have broad consequences for the H-1B program, including shifting to a
The Canadian government announced that starting Jan. 11, 2024, public documents within the scope of the Apostille Convention will need only an apostille to be authenticated for further legal use. Key Points: • Canada officially acceded to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (also known
Philippine officials reiterated that registration on the eTravel system is mandatory and must be completed within 72 hours of intended travel. Key Points: • As BAL previously reported, the Philippine government is expanding its eTravel system, requiring more travelers to register when entering or leaving the country. • Inbound travelers must register on
A Federal Register notice about a State Department pilot program to revive domestic visa renewal for a limited number of nonimmigrant visa holders has cleared review at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Key Points: Details of the pilot program are still not publicly
The State Department updated current passport processing times, showing reduced wait times for both routine and expedited services. Key Points: As of Dec. 18, processing times are now six to eight weeks for routine applications and two to three weeks for expedited applications, according to the
The Thai cabinet extended a policy that allows Japanese tourists to enter Thailand for 30 days without a visa including for business visits. Key Points: The extended policy will be in effect from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2026. The current visa-free entry policy only applies to Japanese tourists. Immigration
Finnish authorities announced that applicants for citizenship or residence cards can now book appointments for early 2024. Key Points: Officials stated that the appointment service will also be updated starting Jan. 2, 2024. The time required for renewing a residence card, applying for citizenship or submitting
The Hungarian parliament approved a new immigration law concerning entry and stays for third-country nationals that will take effect Jan. 1, 2024. Key Points: The new legislation will update key provisions of existing law pertaining to residence permits for foreign nationals, as well as employment of migrant workers. Officials clarified the
The Australian government has released the latest migration strategy outlining key actions and new policy commitments to overhaul the current migration system. Key Points: Net overseas migration is expected to be at a record 510,000 for 2022-23, and the government hopes to reduce migration numbers to
The Department of Homeland Security posted a Federal Register notice detailing the extension of Temporary Protected Status reregistration periods from 60 days to 18 months for the designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan. Key Points: DHS previously
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Wednesday that it has received enough petitions to reach congressionally mandated H-1B caps. This means there will not be a third H-1B lottery this fiscal year. Key Points: The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 visas plus an
The Swiss Federal Council announced a new digital visa format will come into force Feb. 1, 2024, to align with a new EU platform. Key Points: The government will update visa policies and national law to comply with the European Union’s new digital Schengen visa. Under
Canadian officials announced that the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applications will be raised effective Jan. 1, 2024. Key Points: The current requirement for study permit applicants is $10,000 to cover tuition and the cost of living, which has been in place since the early
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed it will use the Dates for Filing chart to determine employment-based filing eligibility for adjustment of status in January. Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Preference Cases: Preference All Other Countries China India Mexico Philippines EB-1 Current Jan. 1, 2023 Jan. 1, 2021 Current
Chinese officials announced that embassies and consulates abroad will implement a temporary reduction of visa fees from Dec. 11, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2024. Key Points: The policy will make it more affordable for travelers from more than a dozen countries to obtain a visa to
Singaporean officials announced an agreement with China for a 30-day mutual visa exemption policy that will be implemented in early 2024. Key Points: China resumed a 15-day visa exemption policy for Singaporean nationals earlier this year, and the two countries have been working to reach an agreement on a reciprocal policy.
The Malaysian government has reminded employers registered on the Expatriate Services Division (ESD) online portal to submit their Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) quota projections for 2024. Key Points: Employers can now submit their 2024 EP and PVP quota projections through the ESD
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On today’s BAL Immigration Report, we look back at some of the most important business immigration stories of 2023. Proposed fee hikes Domestic visa renewal And forthcoming changes to the H-1B program Get this news and more in the new episode of