Latest News

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Additional Medical Requirement for Sri Lankan and Indonesia Nationals Applying for Employment and Residence Visas

February 6, 2012 - Effective February 12, 2012, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will require nationals of Sri Lanka and Indonesia seeking entry as either a student, employee, dependent, or member of a household staff to obtain a medical fitness cert...

UNITED STATES - Obama Administration Outlines Immigration Reform Proposals for Business Growth

February 1, 2012 - Yesterday, President Obama sent Congress a new Startup America Legislative Agenda to accelerate startup and small business growth following his State of the Union Address last week. The agenda lays out his legislative vision ...

AUSTRALIA - Work and Holiday Visas Available to Argentinean Nationals; Argentina and Brazil Added to e676 Qualifying Countries

February 1, 2012 - Starting February 29, Argentina will be the ninth country added to the list of countries eligible for the Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) Visa. According to a release from the assistant secretary in the Education and Tourism ...

ARGENTINA - Police Clearances Require Change in Process and Additional Passport Photos

January 31, 2012 - As a result of the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia going on strike, foreign nationals must now obtain their police clearance background checks through the Policia Federal Argentina (PFA). Though most of the requirement...

CZECH REPUBLIC - Non-EU National Registrations and Educational Document Nostrifications Begin

January 31, 2012 - Both retroactive and newly submitted labour office registrations (reported here last week) for non-EU work permit holders have begun in Prague. All additional labour offices are expected to begin implementing these new proced...

UNITED STATES - Memo Provides Critical Feedback to USCIS’ Current Review of L-1B Petitions

January 27, 2012 - The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has submitted a memo to USCIS providing critical feedback on the USCIS interpretation of the term “specialized knowledge,” and outlining the correct standards and evidentiary requ...

UNITED STATES - USCIS Releases Q&A Regarding Company Validation Information Tool Used in Adjudication of Employment-based Petitions

January 27, 2012 - U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) released a Q&A regarding the Validation Instrument for Business Enterprises (VIBE), which is used in adjudication of employment-based immigration petitions to confirm informat...

BRAZIL - First-Time Vitem V Holders May Avoid Months-Long Appointment with Federal Police Registration Delays by Registering at the São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport

January 25, 2012 - Lengthy scheduling delays with the Federal Police in São Paulo have prompted the Brazilian immigration authorities to allow first-time Vitem V Visa holders to complete their registration with the Federal Police at the São Paulo-Gua...

CZECH REPUBLIC - Work Permit Applications for Non-EU Nationals Now Require Legalized Diplomas with Nostrification

January 23, 2012 - Effective Monday, January 23, non-EU foreign nationals who will be on Czech payroll must submit their work applications with a legalized diploma that has undergone nostrification. The Ministry of Labour is still in discussion...

CZECH REPUBLIC - Non-EU National Registration Requirement Applies Retroactively

January 23, 2012 - Ministry of Labour officials confirmed today that the new requirement for non-EU nationals to register with the labour office is being implemented retroactively. In effect, this means that all foreign employees (both seconded...

KAZAKHSTAN - Nearly 50,000 Work Permits Allotted To Foreigners In 2012

January 23, 2012 - After evaluating requests submitted to the district labor offices from local companies, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan announced that 48,135 work permits will be available in 2012. This is in keepin...

PHILIPPINES - Annual Reports Due by End of February

January 23, 2012 - Permanent residents and foreign nationals who hold a 9(g) Visa are required to register at the Bureau of Immigration within the first 60 days of 2012. In order to meet this obligation, foreign nationals must present their ori...

BRAZIL - Temporary Visas Now Extendable for Additional Two Years

January 19, 2012 - A provision in Normative Resolution No. 96 now allows foreign nationals to extend their temporary visas after remaining in-country for two years. With this change, holders of a temporary visa under a labor agreement (based on...

UNITED STATES - DOL Administrative Review Board Awards Back Pay to H-1B Worker

January 13, 2012 - In a recent case, the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB) found that the time period it took for the employee to obtain a social security card, which the employee's employer required for their payroll system, wa...

NIGERIA - Nationwide Shutdown Affects Visa Processing

January 11, 2012 - A nationwide strike began on Monday in Nigeria. At this time, BAL’s network providers indicate that all business operations have ceased and as such, visa services will be minimal at best in order to protect the lives and prop...

CZECH REPUBLIC - Amendment Requires Non-EU Work Permit Holders to Register with Labour Office

January 11, 2012 - An amendment to Paragraph 87 of the new labour code now requires non-EU work permit holders to register with the labour office before beginning any in-country remunerated activities. Though citizens exempt from work permits (...

ISRAEL - Work Visa and Annual Employee Fees Increase

January 9, 2012 - Effective in 2012, work permit applications must be accompanied by a higher visa processing fee of NIS 1,170 (approximately US $303). Along with this increase, the annual fee employers are required to pay for foreign employees...

ROMANIA - Blue Card Introduced for Highly Qualified Workers

January 9, 2012 - With the issuance of 2012’s work permit quota, the Romanian government announced a new work permit category. Foreign nationals who are designated as “highly skilled” may qualify for the new Blue Card, which offers a faster imm...

LIECHTENSTEIN - Schengen Territory Now Includes Liechtenstein

January 9, 2012 - Liechtenstein officially became the 26th Schengen member state last month, allowing Schengen visa holders to enter the country without being subject to border checks. After evaluating Liechtenstein’s police cooperation, Scheng...

BRAZIL - Governments of Brazil and Japan Modify Visa Benefits for Citizens

January 9, 2012 - Citizens of Brazil and Japan will soon benefit from recently announced measures between the two respective countries. When traveling on business, Japan will now issue multiple-entry visas to Brazilian visitors that will be val...

TURKEY - Government Limits Length of Stay for Foreign Nationals

January 9, 2012 - Due to a regulation announced in the Official Gazette, effective next month, the amount of time allowed foreign nationals visiting Turkey for business or tourism will be limited to a total of 90 days within a 180-day period. E...

SRI LANKA - Electronic Visa Now Required for Business Travel

January 9, 2012 - Foreign nationals traveling to Sri Lanka on business must now first obtain an electronic visa through the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before entering the country. The new requirement came into effect on Jan. 1 for all na...

GLOBAL - Offices Closed for New Year’s

December 30, 2011 - Berry Appleman & Leiden’s offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2, in observance of the New Year holiday. All BAL offices will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 3. For additional information, please c...

AUSTRALIA - Increase in Australian Government Visa Application Charges

December 21, 2011 - The Australian Government is increasing some visa application charges (VAC) effective January 1, 2012. Refer to www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/vpt-fact-sheet.pdf for detailed information. Note that most charges are increasing by fiv...

UNITED STATES - USCIS Posts Sample L-1 RFE Template for Comment

December 19, 2011 - U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has posted an L-1 Request for Evidence (RFE) template on its website for review and comment. The RFE template was posted to allow stakeholders to provide input regarding th...