Effective October 11, 2022, the ban on short-term visas will be lifted for foreign travelers entering Japan, including for business travel. This relaxed measure will apply to foreign travelers from 68 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong. All travelers from countries not subject to the lift on the ban
Effective from September 7, 2022, Japan will waive the pre-departure PCR test requirement for triple-vaccinated travelers (currently all travelers entering Japan are required to show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure). Business executives will still need to apply for visas as all visa waivers remain suspended. Tourist and
In advance of hosting the FIFA World Cup in late 2022, Qatar has announced new restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals. Specifically, all foreign nationals seeking to enter Qatar as visitors will need to carry a “Hayya” Card as of November 1, 2022. Visitors must hold match tickets in order to qualify for the Hayya, which can be applied for online. Qatari citizens and foreign nationals holding a residence permit may continue to enter Qatar as usual. Qatar’s move to require foreign visitors to hold match tickets in order to enter the country has been anticipated since a draft decision of the Ministry of Interior earlier this year.
Continue Reading Qatar Restricts Visitor Entry During World Cup
The European Commission has announced the creation of an automated electronic visa waiver program, the European Travel Information Authorization System (ETIAS), to be launched in May 2023. The new visa waiver program is intended to facilitate travel across borders while better identifying security risks for the bloc. ETIAS is one of several recent updates to the European Union’s migration scheme, including the digitalization of Schengen visas.
Continue Reading EU Announces Long-Awaited Electronic Visa Waiver Program
The “Ukraine Crisis: Ten Key Questions” Q+A series focuses on the fast-evolving crisis in Ukraine with each episode concentrating on specific points of discussion. In this episode, Amy Jacks (Restructuring partner, London) asks Liz Stern (Global Head of Mobility and Managing Partner, Washington DC) ten key questions on mobility.
It provides you with a quick
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) will accept premium processing requests on a rolling basis for certain immigrant petitions (Form I-140) for multinational executives/managers and for members of professions with advanced degrees or exceptional ability seeking a national interest waiver. Immigrant petitions (Form I-140) are filed by employers sponsoring employees and individuals for US permanent residency (the US green card). This is the first implementation phase of the previously announced premium processing expansion.
Employers will be able to request premium processing (expedited adjudication based on a government filing fee) in a staggered approach for the newly-included categories, but note that this benefit applies only to cases filed on or before a specific date in 2021.
| Premium Processing May Be Requested Beginning On: | Case Type | Filed On or Before |
| June 1, 2022 | EB-1C Multinational Managers/Executives | January 1, 2021 |
| July 1, 2022 | EB-1C Multinational Managers/Executives | March 1, 2021 |
| July 1, 2022 | EB-2 National Interest Waivers | June 1, 2021 |
Continue Reading Long Awaited Expansion of Expedited Processing: EB-1 and EB-2 Employment Cases
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new rule which permits certain noncitizen applicants to continue working without disruption while their requests for employment authorization are pending adjudication. Qualified individuals must have a pending Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) and meet other criteria (timely filed, same employment category, received a Form I-797C notice) to continue working for up to 540 days from the expiration date stated on their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs or Forms I-766).
Continue Reading DHS Extends Work Permits for Approximately 18 Months, Immediately Affecting 87,000 Applicants
The conflict in Ukraine has caused civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure. Since the Ukraine-Russia military crisis escalated two months ago, over 5.2 million Ukrainians have left their homeland as they seek safety and protection in neighboring countries and abroad.
With no visible end in sight to the military operation, the United States government has announced a new, first-of-its-kind humanitarian parole program called “Uniting for Ukraine (U4U).”
Continue Reading Landmark US Humanitarian Parole Program: “Uniting For Ukraine”
Over the past two months, approximately 5 million Ukrainians have departed their homeland due to the escalating military conflict with Russia. Poland has received the majority of these individuals—taking in more than 2.8 million people according to the latest estimate from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Provisions to Welcome Ukrainians
To support the country’s humanitarian response, the Polish government adopted a series of amendments to the country’s immigration laws, including changes directly related to the influx of Ukrainians. The changes are expected to provide increased flexibility for Ukrainian nationals in terms of residence permits, work authorization and access to public benefits. In addition, the Polish government set up a dedicated website for Ukrainian citizens that provides detailed help on a range of issues—from how to obtain a national identification number (known as a PESEL), access support services such as legal aid and medical care, and obtain a three-year temporary residence permit to how to navigate traffic rules, participate in cultural activities, and change the language of the keyboard on a smartphone.
Continue Reading Poland Expands Support for Ukrainians
With the regular changes to the UK Right to Work (“RTW”) checks over the last year or so, employers may be forgiven for having lost track of what the latest requirements are.
As mentioned in our last blog on RTW checks (You’re Joking – Not Another One! Further Changes to the Right to Work