Under the new agreement, citizens of each country may stay in the other for a maximum of 30 consecutive days and no more than 90 days out of a total of 180 days, without a visa. Individuals wishing to stay for longer periods of time will need to apply for the corresponding visa class.

The visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and China applies solely to private, tourist, and business trips, including activities such as contract conclusion, negotiations, consulting services, and other business purposes. It also includes trips for medical treatment, international transportation, or transit. In addition to the visa-free entry and exit based on ordinary travel passports, Kazakhstani citizens will be able to leave China based on a Certificate of Return to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Immigration Insights

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.

The post KAZAKHSTAN – Visa-free Travel with China appeared first on Newland Chase.

A quota is not required for all types of work permits, but where it is needed, this will include first applications as well as renewals.

Newland Chase Insights

If a quota is not secured, this could cause issues for applications submitted in 2023, possibly leading to a refusal. It is strongly recommended that companies review their current foreign national work force and potential foreign national work force in Kazakhstan and submit a quota application in line with their upcoming needs.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.

The post KAZAKHSTAN: Deadline for 2023 Quota Applications appeared first on Newland Chase.

In preparation for travelers heading to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the authorities have announced that any foreigners traveling from 1 November 2022 to Qatar should procure a Hayya Card prior to entering the country, except Qatari Residence permit holders.

However, there is no clear information from the authorities as as to whether travelers on Qatar temporary work visas are required to secure a Hayya card. No other standard visit/travel/visa-free/visa-on- arrival permits will be issued during this period and Hayya will be considered as the entry permit.

Residents of United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will also need a Hayya card to enter Qatar starting from 1 November 2022. This requirement is applicable to all travelers intending to visit Qatar, irrespective of whether they are traveling to attend the FIFA World Cup, for leisure, or any other purpose.

Those with confirmed match tickets can apply for a Hayya card now. The traveler’s accommodation will also need to be validated during the process. To apply for a digital Hayya Card, and to book accommodation, please visit Qatar2022.qa or download the Hayya to Qatar 2022 app (available on iOS and Android).

Hayya Card is operated by the government of the State of Qatar. For any questions relating to the digital Hayya Card please contact info@hayya.qa or call 800.2022 (Qatar) or (+974) 4441.2022 (International). Please contact enquiries@book.qatar2022.qa, for enquiries regarding the accommodation options.

Qatar Travel Prior to 1 November 2022

Travelers who intend to travel to Qatar before 1 November 2022 may be permitted to entry the country based on the below categories of visas. If the traveler intends to attend FIFA World Cup 2022 matches, they will still need to secure a Hayya card to access the stadium.

Visa on Arrival – 90 days

Nationals of the countries listed in the table below can secure a visa on arrival for 180 days from the date of issuance and are entitled to stay in Qatar only for 90 days, during either a single trip or on multiple trips.

Visa on arrival – 30 days + extendable 30 days

Nationals of the countries listed in the table below can secure a visa on arrival for 30 days from the date of issuance and are entitled to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. The visa on arrival can be extended for a further 30 days in-country.

India and Pakistan

Citizens of India and Pakistan are eligible to apply for the 30-day visa waiver/visa on arrival for single or multiple-entry visits during the 30 days from the date of initial issuance. However, there are some additional rules in place.

• Travelers from India and Pakistan should have passport validity for a minimum of six months or more.
• Travelers must carry confirmed return tickets.
• Hotel quarantine booking for the number of days advised (currently one day which ends after proof of a negative test).
• Travelers must carry a valid credit card or a minimum cash amount of USD 1400 (may vary and recommended to check with the carrying airline prior to making travel plans).
• Hotel bookings for the duration of the stay must be booked in advance through the Discover Qatar website.
• Travelers from both countries should have a certificate confirming a negative PCR test completed during the 72 hours from the time of arrival.
• Travelers must be fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health and have completed a period of 14 days after the last dose.
• Those coming directly from Pakistan should also present a certificate of vaccination against polio.
• Passengers arriving in Qatar must download and activate the Ehteraz app upon arrival at Qatar’s entry ports.

Visa-Free Entry for GCC Nationals

GCC nationals do not need a visa to travel to Qatar. This applies to citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to Qatar, please contact us.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.

The post QATAR: Traveling to the FIFA World Cup 2022 appeared first on Newland Chase.

Applications must be submitted to the state employment authority in the region where the employment is planned, and must include workforce demand in a particular type of economic activity.

Obtaining a quota is not required for foreign nationals assigned to Kazakhstan under the intra-company transfer process or for work-permit exempt employees.

Each application is considered by the Commission for quota formation. The Commission may reject the employer’s application fully or partially, including if there are violations of the rules for work permit issuance and labour legislation.

Our Advice

Companies planning to obtain or renew work permits in quota-subject categories in 2021 should ensure they submit a quota application before the deadline.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to Kazakhstan, please contact us.

The post KAZAKHSTAN: July Deadline for 2021 Quota Applications appeared first on Newland Chase.

Those certified to have tested positive for tuberculosis will not be able to apply for a long-term stay.

Who Is Affected?

The requirement has been extended to nationals of Nigeria, South Africa, Belarus, Mozambique, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Angola, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan, Congo, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan and Peru.

It already applied to nationals of Nepal, East Timor, Laos, Russia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, India, Indonesia, China, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Pakistan and Philippines.

The certificate is required for long-term visas including the E-7 for local hire; the D-7 for intra-company transfer; the D-8 for inter-company transfer; the D-9 (Treaty Trader) visa for service contracts; and the F-3 visa for dependent family members of work visa holders.

The certificate is not required for the type A visa (government official); the C-1 visa (short-term news coverage); the C-3 visa (short-term visit general); the C-4 visa (short-term employment); and children age under six and pregnant women.

Consular Applications

For long-term visa applications at a South Korean diplomatic mission, nationals of the above countries, resident in any of those countries, must submit a certificate of health including a TB test result, valid for three months, issued by a hospital designated by the relevant Korean diplomatic mission within the last three months.

If nationals of high TB-burden countries are applying from non-TB-burden countries, they need to have a TB test after arriving in South Korea and before applying for their ARC.

Post Arrival Applications

For change of status or extension of stay applications post arrival in South Korea, nationals of high TB-burden countries must submit a certificate of confirmation issued by a Korean public health centre. Applicants should check with a public health center by phone before the visit as most of the public health centers are currently fully focused on COVID-19 tests and treatments.

Our Advice

Employers who may be affected are encouraged to contact a Newland Chase immigration specialist for case-specific advice.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to South Korea, please contact us.

The post SOUTH KOREA: Tuberculosis Test for Long-Term Visa or Residence appeared first on Newland Chase.

The Statement also makes changes to the scope and application process of the EU Settlement Scheme.

New Categories

• The Start-up category is an expanded version of the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category. It is for those starting a new business for the first time in the UK. Applicants will not need to be graduates and will not need to have secured any initial funding. Successful applicants will be granted 2 years’ leave (doubled from 1 year) and will be able to progress into the Innovator category to continue developing their businesses in the UK after that time.

• The Innovator category is intended for more experienced businesspeople. As well as an endorsement, applicants will need £50,000 to invest in their business from any legitimate source (reduced from £200,000 for most applicants in the current Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category). The funding requirement will be waived for those switching from the Start-up category who have made significant achievements against their business plans. The category may lead to settlement in the UK.

The new categories, effective 29 March 2019, do not form part of the Points-Based System and do not include points-scoring tables. However, as with most Points-Based System categories, the partners and children (under age 18) will be able to apply as dependants of Start-up and Innovator applicants. They will have the same requirement to show they have maintenance funds and will have the same ability to work without needing to have a sponsoring employer.

Both new categories will require endorsement of applicants by UK trusted bodies – such as business accelerators, seed competitions and government agencies, as well as higher education providers. These bodies will assess applicants’ business ideas for their innovation, viability and scalability.

An English language requirement is being set at upper intermediate (B2) level (up from intermediate (B1) under the previous categories) for both categories, to ensure that successful applicants have the good command of English they will need to interact with a variety of business organisations and potential customers.

Transitional Arrangements

• Endorsement letters for Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) applicants are valid for three months and may continue to be issued until 5 April 2019. These applications can therefore continue to be made until 5 July 2019.
• Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) migrants will be able to switch into the new Start-up route if they have not yet had their maximum two grants of leave under the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route. If their Start-up endorsement is from the same endorsing body as in their previous Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) application, their business ideas will not need to meet the new Start-up criteria in relation to innovation and scalability.
• Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) migrants (including those who switch into the Start- up category as above) will continue to be able to switch into the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category until 5 July 2021. Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) extension applications will remain open for these individuals until 5 July 2025, and settlement applications until 5 July 2027.
• Extension applications for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants will remain open until 5 April 2023, and settlement applications until 5 April 2025.

Tier 1 (Investor) Reforms

The main reforms to the Tier 1 (Investor) category, which take effect 29 March 2019, are described below:

• Applicants will have to provide evidence that they have held the funds that they will invest in the UK for two years, rather than 90 days as previously.
• Banks must confirm they have completed all due diligence checks on applicants opening accounts for the purpose of the investment.
• Investment in UK government bonds is being excluded, among other changes to the investment rules.

EU Settlement Scheme

This Statement of Changes provides for the full opening of the EU Settlement Scheme from 30 March 2019 for EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members to obtain the UK immigration status which they will require in order to remain in the UK permanently after the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

• In line with the citizens’ rights agreements reached with Switzerland and the non-EFTA EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), nationals of those countries and their family members will also be able to apply under the scheme.
• EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members will also be able to apply under the scheme from outside the UK.
• The scheme will be open to the family members of British citizens who were exercising their free movement rights under EU law before returning to the UK (‘Surinder Singh’ cases), and to the family members of certain dual British/EU citizens (‘Lounes’ cases);
• The scheme will also be open to others lawfully resident in the UK by virtue of a ‘derivative right’ to reside, based on wider EU law, including ‘Chen carers’, ‘Zambrano carers’ and others.
• There will be no application fee under the scheme (as announced in January 2019).
• In certain circumstances, an application under the scheme may be made on a paper application form rather than through the online application process.
• Applicants in the UK will be able to rely on a wider range of documents as proof of their identity and nationality: their valid national identity card as well as their valid passport for an EEA or Swiss citizen; and their valid passport or biometric residence permit as well as their valid biometric residence card, for a non-EEA/Swiss family member.
• There will be scope for applicants to submit their identity document by post to be checked and returned to them quickly, as an alternative to using the identity verification app or visiting one of the support locations.
• A non-EEA/Swiss citizen who is the family member of an EEA/Swiss citizen with status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme may apply for an entry clearance to join that EEA/Swiss citizen in the UK, or to accompany them here, whether for a short stay or to make an application under the scheme in the UK.

Other Changes

• The Statement of Changes also extends beyond July 2019 the Tier 2 (General) salary exemption for nurses, medical radiographers, paramedics and secondary school teachers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and Mandarin.
• The list of countries in Appendix H, which benefit from streamlined documentary requirements for Tier 4 applications, is being updated. Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Oman, Peru and Tunisia have met the criteria for inclusion. Argentina, the Maldives, and Trinidad and Tobago are being removed from the list.

Our Advice

Employers who may be affected are encouraged to contact their Newland Chase immigration specialist for case-specific advice.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to the UK, please contact us.

The post UNITED KINGDOM: Home Office Introduces New Start-up and Innovator Categories, Reforms Tier 1 (Investor) Category, Amends EU Settlement Scheme appeared first on Newland Chase.