The current social and political climate in Venezuela is having a significant impact on both citizens and immigrants interacting with immigration authorities. In this article we provide an update on the situation and its implications for those dealing with immigration processes.

Venezuela’s political environment is unstable.

The country is experiencing substantial instability following elections on July 28, 2024, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared re-elected as President. This outcome has sparked widespread protests across Venezuela. A significant portion of the electorate disputes the results, leading to ongoing demonstrations.

Several countries, including Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, have officially rejected the election results, resulting in the suspension of diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Consequently, Venezuelan embassies in these countries have ceased operations. This has a direct impact on services such as passport issuance, visas, legalizations, and travel documents, leaving many Venezuelan nationals abroad without access to essential consular services.

Local immigration authority disruptions.

In Venezuela, local immigration authorities like SAIME (Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería), MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and SAREN (Servicio Autónomo de Registros y Notarías) are not officially suspended but are mostly closed to the public. This closure severely hampers services related to immigration processes. Despite these closures, the platform for obtaining police records remains operational. However, national and international courier services are experiencing significant delays, further complicating the situation for those needing to send or receive important documents.

Impact on immigrants and citizens.

For citizens and immigrants, the current situation poses several challenges:

Access to services: With embassies and local authorities either closed or operating at minimal capacity, obtaining necessary documentation such as passports and visas is extremely difficult.

Delays and uncertainty: The delays in courier services add another layer of uncertainty, making it challenging for individuals to meet immigration requirements or deadlines.

Consular support: Venezuelan nationals abroad face the challenge of limited consular support, affecting their ability to renew documents or seek assistance for immigration-related issues.

Support and assistance is available.

Our representatives in Venezuela are doing their best to operate under the current circumstances. If you or your employees are affected by these disruptions, we are here to provide guidance and support through our network partners in Caracas and our global offices.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

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 Case for any case- or company-specific assessments.  

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In an effort to streamline work and student permit processes, the Swedish Migration Agency has introduced a pilot scheme to allow nationals from 23 countries to complete the passport verification requirement using an application on their mobile phone or computer instead of attending in person to a Swedish Embassy or Consulate. Eligible applicants include nationals from Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, Ukraine, and the USA.

It is anticipated that eligible applicants will receive an email from the Swedish Migration Agency within a few days of submission of the work or student permit application. The email will contain a link to the online service to complete the verification process online.

The introduction of the online verification will hopefully allow faster processing of applications and will be more cost effective to applicants. However, with many new online services, there may be some potential issues during the initial implementation phase.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an enquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

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.

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On March 31, 2024, Japan launched a new residence status called “Digital Nomad Visa”. This visa allows eligible foreign nationals to remain in Japan for up to six months in a 12-month period and work remotely for their overseas employer. Digital Nomad Visa holders are permitted to carry out the provision of paid services or selling of goods to overseas clients and are geared towards professions such as software developers, digital designers, virtual assistants, or sole proprietors of foreign companies.

How do applicants qualify for this visa?

• Applicants must be a national of a visa-exempt country and a country with a bilateral tax treaty with Japan. 
• Applicants must be employed by and remunerated by their employers overseas. 
• Applicants must have a minimum annual income of at least JPY 10 million (approx. USD 68,300) or more at the time of application 
• Applicants must hold an insurance policy that covers death, injury, and illness during their stay in Japan. Coverage of 10 million yen or more for the costs of treatment for injuries and illnesses must be in place.

A Digital Nomad Visa-holder can bring a legally married spouse and children with legal parentage to Japan, provided they also meet eligibility criteria. The Digital Nomad Visa will come under the “designated activities” visa category. Refer to the table below for the list of eligible nationalities.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

Nationalities Eligible for Japan’s Digital Nomad Visa

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. 

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Effective April 24, 2024, the Peruvian visa exemption for Mexican ordinary passport holders for tourist and business visits to Peru will be suspended. Mexican ordinary passport holders who wish to visit Peru for tourism or business purposes must apply for an appropriate visa at the nearest Peruvian diplomatic mission in their country of citizenship or ordinary residence before travel.

However, the following Mexican passport holders remain exempt from tourist and business visa requirements for up to 180 calendar days, either as a continuous visit or several consecutive visits during a one-year period, and are not required to apply for a visa before travel:

The holder of a visa for the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, or any member state of the Schengen area (see Note 1), with a minimum validity of six months.

The holder of permanent residence status as a foreigner for the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, any member state of the Schengen area, or any member state of the Pacific Alliance (see Note 2).

Newland Chase insights

The visa exemption suspension by the Peruvian government is in response to the Mexican government’s decision on April 6, 2024, to temporarily suspend the visa exemption enjoyed by Peruvian passport holders for travel to Mexico for tourism or business purposes with effect from April 20, 2024. The decision was taken due to an exponential increase in the number of irregular Peruvian migrants travelling through Mexico to reach the United States and Canada, which has created a humanitarian emergency. It is hoped that this measure will stop migrants from putting their lives, health and human rights at risk.

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.

Notes:

1. The member states of the Schengen area include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

2. The member states of the Pacific Alliance, include Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

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USCIS’ budget depends on its receipt of filing fees from immigration applications because a lack of funding from the federal government. As a result, USCIS contends the fee hikes are required to deal with a lack of fee raises since 2016 along with a temporary decrease in the filing of applications during the pandemic. The drops in filings caused a loss of 40% of USCIS expected income.

If the proposed rule becomes effective, USCIS predicts it will obtain an additional $5.2 billion per year during FY2022 and 2023. This sum does not include revenue from premium processing filing fees that will stay $2,500 per application. With these additional monies, USCIS states it would increase staff, cover increased contract costs, maintain, and refresh its technology, improve its customer service, and spend more on its asylum and refugee programs.

In the proposal, there are significant fee increases in employment-based applications which include:

• the H-1B lottery registration fee increased from $10 to $215, which is a 2050% hike;
• the form I-129 non-immigrant petition, which used to be the same fee for all case types increased significantly and is now a different fee depending on the application:
  • L-1 intracompany transfer filing fee raised from $460 to $1,385, which is 201% increase;
  • H-1B specialty occupation and H-1B1 specialty occupations for Chile and Singapore filing fee increased from $460 to $780, which is a 70% change;
  • O extraordinary ability filing fee increased from $460 to $1,055, which is a 129% growth;
  • E-1 treaty trader, E-2 treaty investor, E-3 specialty occupations for Australians, TN NAFTA (now USMCA) professionals, H-3 nonimmigrant trainee or special education exchange visitor, P athletes/artists/entertainers, Q cultural exchange, R religious workers filing fee increased from $460 to $1,015, which is a 121% raise;
  • H-2B temporary non-agricultural workers filing fee for unnamed beneficiaries increased from $460 to $580, which is a 26% bump;
  • H-2B temporary non-agricultural workers filing fee for named beneficiaries increased from $460 to $1,080, which is a 135% addition;
• the form I-140 immigration visa petition increased from $700 to $715, which is a 2% increment;
• the form I-526 & I-526E (Immigration Petition by Alien Entrepreneur/Regional Center Investor) fees increased from $3,675 to $11,160, which is a 204% inflation;
• the form I-829 (Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status) fee increased from $3,835 to $9,525, which is a 148% increase for those requiring biometrics; and
• the I-485 Adjustment of Status (green card application) filed with the I-765 Employment Authorization Document and I-131 Advance Parole (travel authorization) filing fee increasing from $1,225 to $2,820, which is a 130% change.

Other immigration filing fee increases include:

• the green card for a family member I-130 filing fee increased from $535 to $820, which is a 53% growth;
• the fiancé(e) I-129 application filing fee increased from $535 to $720, which is a 34% rise;
• the petition to remove conditions from green card status I-751 filing fee increased from $595 to $1,195, which is a 100% raise;
• the stand-alone Employment Authorization Document I-765 filing fee increased from $410 to $650 for paper filings, which is a 58% inflation;
• the request to change or extend nonimmigrant status (without biometrics) I-539 filing fee increased from $370 to $620 for paper filings, which is a 67% elevation;
• the I-90 application to replace permanent resident fee increased from $455 to $465, which is a 2% augmentation; and
• the application for naturalization N-400 increased from $640 to $760 for paper and online filings, which a 19% hike.

The proposed rule would encourage online filings by lowering the filing fee by $10 to $100 for some online applicants. This incentive would help USCIS’ at least decade old commitment to electronic filings. However, only a small percentage of cases allow online filings, and USCIS has long way to go to implement online filings across the board.

The proposed rule would also include the currently separate biometrics fees into the main filing fee. While this would provide an administrative relief for applicants, it also guarantees USCIS a receipt of funds for biometrics services it often waives applicants from completing. In other cases, the proposed rule would re-implement administrative and financial obligations on applicants by requiring additional filing fees for I-765 (employment authorization) and I-131 (travel authorization) applications accompanying an I-485 (adjustment of status/green card) application.

Finally, the proposed rule would also affect USCIS processing time of applications. If the proposed rule is implemented, USCIS would increase the time it has to process applications filed under the premium processing program from 15 calendar days to 15 business days.

Again, the proposed rule does not have an immediate impact on filing fees. USCIS is accepting public comments on its proposals through March 6, 2023.

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.

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Quarantine arrangements will remain but are scheduled to be replaced by 7-day self-monitoring from 13 October.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

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 TAIWAN: Full Resumption of Visa-Exempt Entry 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.

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First announced in early January, the change stemmed from recent significant increases to the number of Venezuelan nationals entering Mexico for a different purpose other than those authorized by migratory officials.

Note that the following Venezuelan citizens will remain visa exempt:

• Permanent Residents of Canada, Japan, any Pacific Alliance country (Chile, Colombia, and Peru), any Schengen Area country, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Holder of a valid visa from Canada, Japan, any Schengen Area country, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Newland Chase Insights

This change will increase travel timeframes and costs for Venezuelan business travelers and tourists. As such, employers and affected Venezuelan citizens alike should take note of the change and understand that these applicants will need to obtain a consular visa prior to their entry into Mexico. Processing time for visas will vary depending on the specific Mexican consular post adjudicating the application, but are typically several days to upwards of two weeks.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

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 Case for any case- or company-specific assessments.

The post MEXICO: Venezuelan Citizens Now Require Visa to Enter Country appeared first on Newland Chase.

What is a COVID-19 Passport or Travel Certificate System?

COVID-19 travel certificate systems involve digital or physical records of a person’s COVID-19 status. Though sometimes known as COVID-19 ‘passports’, these systems certify a traveler’s health records only and do not in themselves grant travel or entry permissions. The app or certificate may include information about vaccinations, PCR test results, or immunity through previous infection, among other details. The systems are intended to allow government authorities, transportation companies and other entities to assess whether an individual meets the COVID-19 travel requirements and whether they can be granted permission to enter the country or access services.

Many countries are grappling with the legal and ethical considerations of instituting a COVID-19 travel certificate system, as well as potential data privacy concerns. A patchwork of solutions exists to this complex situation.

A wide range of organizations are currently planning or developing versions of a COVID-19 travel certificate system; these include the EU, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and many private companies and national governments. While these systems have the potential to streamline travel across borders, none is universally accepted by government authorities or airlines, and there is no accepted international standard for such systems. The success of a particular system will depend on addressing these issues.

Let’s take a look at some of the systems in place across the world, and explore how companies can find their way through the maze of approaches and requirements.

Contact us to learn more about Newland Chase’s full spectrum of visa and immigration services.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate

On 14 June 2021 the legislative process for the Regulation on the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) was completed at an official signing ceremony attended by the presidents of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission. The aim of the EUDCC is to facilitate safe travel across Member States without quarantine requirements. The certificates are already being issued in several EU Member States, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain, as well as Iceland. They will become available in all EU Member States as of 1 July 2021, in both the EU and Schengen zone countries.

The EUDCC provides proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19. It is issued free of charge and available in digital and paper formats both in a national language and in English. It consists of a QR code and a digital signature.

Vaccination certificates will be issued to a vaccinated person for any COVID-19 vaccine. When waiving free movement restrictions, Member States will be obliged to accept vaccination certificates for any vaccines which have received EU marketing authorization and may choose to extend this to EU travelers who have received another vaccine. Member States may also decide whether they will accept a vaccination certificate after one vaccine dose or only after a full vaccination cycle has been completed.

Third-country nationals, such as US citizens, resident in an EU Member State are able to obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel to countries in the EU. Effective 19 July, Ireland will accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel from within the EU/EEA.

The award-winning Entry Guide provides the most up-to-date and accurate information on what is required to enter safely and securely the most frequented destinations in global travel.

Other COVID-19 Travel Certificate Systems

In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) has the COVID Pass app for travelers from England to prove their vaccinated status at border controls. To use the app, the individual must be registered with a General Practitioner in the UK and be over the age of 13. Scotland has a downloadable vaccine status letter, soon to be replaced with ‘COVID Status Certificates’.

In Africa, the African Union is piloting a Trusted Travel Pass for travel between African Union countries. In the APAC region, Bahrain has a digital COVID-19 vaccine passport app for fully vaccinated citizens, while Malaysia has a digital health passport which allows travel only in its travel bubble with Singapore. In the Americas, Panama has introduced a digital vaccination card, with similar downloadable vaccination passport apps being planned in Brazil and Chile.

In contrast, in the United States many states have already passed laws that forbid the use of vaccine passports within their state, including Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Texas, South Carolina and South Dakota. There are no plans to implement a national COVID-19 passport within the US at present, as some states have apps that allow citizens to show they are vaccinated to access services, such as the Excelsior Pass in New York State. These apps only work for an individual who has been vaccinated in that particular state, and there is no national database as yet.

In Israel, the Green Pass was issued by the Israeli Ministry of Health from February 2021 to show vaccination against or recovery from COVID-19 and allow access for citizens to businesses and institutions required to comply with Green Pass restrictions as the country eased out of lockdown. However, the Green Pass system has been discontinued as of 1 June 2021 as the majority of the population over 50 has been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19.

Considerations for Employers

Companies are encouraged to examine the potential benefits and issues surrounding COVID-19 travel certificate systems as they balance their business travel needs with the changing restrictions and requirements.

Newland Chase previously published a short article on this topic on 14 April 2021. The article highlights key points employees should consider on the subject of COVID-19 passports. Those points include:

• Who exactly in the organization may require proof of their COVID-19-related health status, and for which travel and immigration purposes?
• What access do people in the organization have to vaccines and healthcare (depending on, for example, their nationality, country of residence, their age, income and beliefs)?
• Does a particular system sufficiently address international data management laws and the privacy concerns of users?
• Which systems facilitate the organization’s specific international travel and immigration requirements?
• Which systems meet broadly recognised standards, yet are resilient and flexible enough to adapt to the ongoing development in scientific understanding of COVID-19 and rapid changes in government requirements?

As these systems continue to be developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are likely to encounter these and similar issues in planning their global immigration and business travel programs.

With the complex, fast-changing nature of post-pandemic international travel and its considerable impact on employers, it is critical to have a trusted advisor by your side. Newland Chase stands ready to support you and your business travel and immigration strategies. Contact your dedicated Newland Chase Client Services Manager today for more information. Don’t have a Client Services Manager? Contact us.

This publication is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. Readers are reminded that immigration laws are subject to change. We are not responsible for any loss arising from reliance on this publication. Please contact Newland Chase should you require any additional clarification or case-specific advice.

Newland Chase, a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBT, is the leading global provider of immigration and visa services for corporations and individuals with expert immigration and visa professionals, attorneys and qualified migration consultants located in over 70 offices in 25 countries.

With thirty years of experience, CIBT is the primary service provider to 75% of Fortune 500 companies. CIBT offers a comprehensive suite of services under two primary brands: Newland Chase, focused on global immigration strategy and advisory services for corporations worldwide and CIBTvisas, the market leader for business and other travel visa services for corporate and individual clients.

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