Effective 24 February 2018, the Colombian government has authorised certain nationals of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar and Serbia to enter Colombia without a visa.
Read more here:
visitor
HONG KONG – Visitor Status Now Permits Delivery of Speeches and Presentations
Effective immediately, foreign nationals entering Hong Kong as visitors are allowed to attend an event to give speeches and presentations without obtaining a separate employment permit, under certain conditions.
Read more here:
HONG KONG – Visitor Status Now Permits Delivery of Speeches and Presentations
This news alert was prepared using information provided by Hong Kong Visa Centre.
QATAR – 30-Day Visa on Arrival Can Only Be Extended Online
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that visitors who have entered Qatar on a 30-day tourist visa on arrival and who wish to extend their stay for another 30 days must do so via a new online portal, rather than through the Airport Passports Department.
Read more here:
QATAR – 30-Day Visa on Arrival Can Only Be Extended Online
This news alert was prepared using information provided by FutureGate Business Services.
BRAZIL – New Immigration Law Takes Effect
On 21 November 2017, Decree 9.199/2017 was published and the new Brazilian immigration law (13.445/2017) took effect.
It is important to note that the normative resolutions which provide guidelines for visa processing have not yet been published, and until they are published applications under the new law will not be available.
Read more here:
BRAZIL – New Immigration Law Takes Effect
This news alert was prepared using information provided by Mundivisas.
BRAZIL – Electronic Visas Soon Available for Australian Nationals
From 21 November 2017, Australian nationals will be able to apply for an electronic visa for Brazil, valid for tourism or business and issued within 72 hours, through a new online system.
The electronic visas will then be made available to Canadian nationals from 8 January 2018, to US nationals from 15 January 2018 and to Japanese nationals from 22 January 2018.
Read more here:
BRAZIL – Electronic Visas Soon Available for Australian Nationals
This news alert was prepared using information provided by Mundivisas.
MEXICO – Reminder: Failure to Report Change of Address May Lead to Financial Penalty
Employers of foreign nationals in Mexico are reminded that all foreign residents in Mexico must notify the Mexican National Immigration Institute (INM) of their personal address within 90 days of any change of address due to the recent earthquakes in Mexico, or for any other reason.
Failure to comply with this obligation may subject the foreign resident to the payment of a fine.
- Employers should ensure their employees notify the INM of any change of address within 90 days to avoid financial sanctions.
This news alert was prepared using information provided by Arellano Abogados.
MEXICO – Immigration Offices Closed [UPDATED]
*UPDATE* The suspension of activities at the National Immigration Institute (INM) has been extended for another week. The INM will reopen on Monday 2 October 2017.
Due to the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Morelos and Puebla on Tuesday 19 September 2017, the offices of the National Immigration Institute (INM) are closed and have suspended activities. INM offices are expected to reopen on Monday 25 September.
The INM has also extended application deadlines which applicants could not otherwise meet due to the closures.
Action Items
- Employers should plan for delays in the processing of residence applications at the INM, and disruptions to their employees’ travel plans to and within Mexico.
