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PEREGRINE NEWS
Immiguru
Last month we added seven new immigration processes to Immiguru, including two new countries
Oman and Sri Lanka:
We also welcomed new partners in Oman, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, Uruguay, China
and Colombia to our network.
Immiguru now contains over 1200 immigration processes to more than 95 destination countries,
which our 230+ partners help us to keep up-to-date to reflect changes to rules and procedures
around the world.
Immigo
In March we added a useful new way to filter reports by multiple consultants, as well as two new
notification trigger events Deposit Added and New Company Created.
Please call or email us if you ever need any help with this or anything else in Immigo we are always
pleased to hear from you.
More News and Events
We ran a very successful webinar on Tuesday 8 March on Oil and Gas and Immigration in Africa.
We also passed our annual ISO 27001 information security certification audit, underlining our
commitment to the security of our clients data and the reliability of our software and systems. Our
clients can rest assured that data is safe with Peregrine.
We are proud to have been shortlisted, in partnership with Luminary Global Immigration, in the
Most Innovative Use of Technology in Global Mobility Bespoke category at the Forum for
Expatriate Management (FEM) Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards (EMMAs).
Finally, a reminder that the Peregrine team will be out in force at the EuRA conference in Malta this
April, hosting EuRAs first ever Immigration Symposium on Tuesday 19 April.
Table of Contents
SWITZERLAND QUOTAS FOR EU/EFTA L PERMITS EXHAUSTED FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2016
KENYA NEW ONLINE IMMIGRATION APPLICATION SYSTEM LAUNCHED
COLOMBIA GOVERNMENT EXTENDS VISA-FREE ENTRY TO SOME NATIONALS OF CAMBODIA AND MYANMAR;
AND CHANGES ENTRY PERMIT CATEGORY FOR SCHENGEN NATIONALS
CHINA NEW ONLINE PRE-APPROVAL SYSTEM DELAYS WORK PERMIT PROCESSING IN BEIJING
INDIA E-TOURIST VISA EXTENDED TO 37 MORE NATIONALITIES; AND PIO-OCI MERGER SCHEME DEADLINE
EXTENDED
INDIA NEW MULTIPLE-ENTRY VISA FOR SOUTH ASIAN BUSINESS TRAVELLERS
CANADA GOVERNMENT ALLOWS LENIENCY PERIOD FOR ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION
UNITED KINGDOM NEW IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY FEES FOR 2016/2017
UNITED KINGDOM POINTS BASED CALCULATOR TO BE DISCONTINUED
UNITED KINGDOM CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION RULES FROM APRIL 2016
UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO TIER 2
THAILAND NEW MEASURES TO COUNTER VISA OVERSTAY
NIGERIA IMMEDIATE NATIONWIDE LONG TERM WORK PERMIT VERIFICATION EXERCISE ANNOUNCED
PERU EU SIGNS VISA WAIVER AGREEMENT
BRAZIL NEW VISA APPLICATION WEBSITE LAUNCHED
SOUTH KOREA TUBERCULOSIS TEST REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN LONG-TERM VISA APPLICANTS
GREECE CHANGES TO TRANSLATION SERVICES AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
GHANA VISA ON ARRIVAL PLANNED FOR NATIONALS OF AFRICAN UNION STATES
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Who is Affected?
New, incoming EU/EFTA nationals who are
assigned to Switzerland but remain on foreign
employment contracts will not be issued L
permits until 1 April 2016.
Background
The Swiss government decided to keep the
reduced amount of permit quota for the year
2016 (see our alert of 11 November 2015).
The quotas are allocated to the cantons on a
quarterly basis.
Action Items
Allow for possible delays with
sending EU/EFTA nationals to
Switzerland. Contact your supplier
for any new EU/EFTA national
assignments to Switzerland, as
pending applications will be
treated differently depending on
the canton.
Action Items
Expect some delays and
uncertainty as the new system is
implemented.
COLOMBIA Government
Extends Visa-Free Entry to
Some Nationals of
Cambodia and Myanmar;
And Changes Entry Permit
Category for Schengen
Nationals
Effective 2 February 2016, the Colombian
government has authorised certain nationals
of Colombia and Myanmar to enter Colombia
without a visa.
The Colombian government has also decided
to issue Schengen nationals with PIP-5 entry
and stay permits instead of the PIP-10
category introduced in November 2015.
Schengen Nationals
The PIP-10 entry permit, recently created for
nationals of Schengen Area states, has been
replaced by another category of entry permit:
PIP-5, which used to be the entry permit given
for those who travel for tourism to Colombia.
The PIP-5 for Schengen nationals will allow
the same activities (short visits including
tourism, business and journalism, sports,
artistic performances and intra-corporate
training) for an initial term of 90 days within
180 days and is also renewable.
The PIP-5 gives Schengen nationals exemption
from VAT for any tourist activities carried out
in Colombia.
Action Items
Anyone assisting a qualifying
national of Cambodia or Myanmar
to obtain work authorisation for
Colombia should consider taking
advantage of the post arrival
processes.
Expect Schengen Area nationals
arriving in Colombia to be issued a
PIP-5 Entry and Stay Permit.
Action Items
Allow an extra week for Employment
Licence and Work Permit application
processing in Beijing.
e-Tourist Visa
Who is Eligible?
The eTV is now available to a total of 150
nationalities, including nationals of the
following additional countries (unless they are
of Pakistani origin or holders of Diplomatic or
Official passports):
Albania, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cape Verde,
Comoros, Cote dIvoire, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia,
Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Iceland, Lesotho,
Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova,
Namibia, Romania, San Marino, Senegal,
Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Swaziland,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Trinidad & Tobago,
Zambia, Zimbabwe.
A full list of eligible nationalities can be found
here.
Permissible Activities and Duration of Stay
The visa is available to those traveling on
leisure, for short duration medical treatment,
for a "casual business visit" or to meet friends
and relatives. Travellers must show proof of
onward travel and sufficient funds.
The definition of "casual business visit" is not
clear and if there is any uncertainty over
whether the activities to be carried out qualify
as a business visit, this should be checked with
an immigration adviser.
The eTV is valid for 30 days from the date of
arrival in India, is non-extendable, nonconvertible and allows a maximum of two
visits in a calendar year.
How Does it Work?
This visa applicant must apply online, at least
four days before the intended date of arrival
to India, for an e-TV. The visa fee (about
US$60) should be paid at this time. A digital
photograph and copy of the passport
Pakistani Nationals
Currently, Pakistani nationals are eligible for a
multiple-entry business visa for a maximum
period of one year, and can travel to ten
cities. The new scheme allows travel to 15
cities for three years.
For Pakistani nationals to qualify for a threeyear multiple-entry card, they should run an
enterprise worth INR ten million (Indian
rupees) and should have an annual income of
at least PKR one million (Pakistani rupees).
The Pakistani enterprise should also be a
member of any Chamber of Commerce in
Pakistan that India recognises.
Action Items
Action Items
Business travellers from SAARC
member states should consider
applying for an Indian Business Card
for greater freedom of travel to India.
CANADA Government
Allows Leniency Period for
Electronic Travel
Authorisation
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has
announced that, from 15 March 2016 to
Autumn 2016, visa exempt foreign national
travellers who do not yet have an Electronic
Travel Authorisation (eTA) can board their
flight, as long as they have an appropriate
travel document, such as a valid passport, and
meet the other requirements to enter
Canada.
Action Items
Visa-waiver nationals (other than US
nationals) travelling to Canada should
register for an eTA before travelling,
as the leniency period is temporary.
Background
The Government recently confirmed a
maximum amount UKVI can charge over the
next four-year period for immigration and
nationality applications. This has been done
by establishing maximum levels for fees that
are vastly above the fees currently in
operation. This could lead to significant future
cost increases for business and migrants.
Action Items
Ensure global mobility planning takes
into account the new visa and
immigration fees.
Action Items
On or after 6 April 2016, applicants for
visas via the UK Points Based System
needing to determine whether an
overseas academic qualification
meets the English language
requirements must obtain a new
official statement from UK NARIC.
UNITED KINGDOM
Changes to the Immigration
Rules from April 2016
On 11 March 2016 the UK Home Office issued
a Statement of Changes to the Immigration
Rules, which are due to take effect from 6
April 2016.
However, these rule changes do not include
any reforms resulting from the Migration
Advisory Committee (MAC)s recent reviews
of Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), Tier 1 (Graduate
Entrepreneur) or Tier 2 visas. The
Government has not yet published its
response to those reports.
Action Items
Note the above changes.
UNITED KINGDOM
Government Announces
Changes to Tier 2
On 23 March 2016 the government
announced changes to the Tier 2 work
authorisation category in response to two
reviews undertaken last year by the Migration
Advisory Committee (MAC).
The main changes will come into effect in two
stages (autumn 2016 and April 2017).
Other Changes
An Immigration Skills Charge will be
levied on Tier 2 employers at a rate of
1000 per Certificate of Sponsorship
per year from April 2017. Smaller
businesses and charities will be
charged a lower amount of 364.
There will be an exemption for PhD
occupations, Tier 2 (Intra-Company
Transfer) Graduate Trainees and Tier
4 students switching to Tier 2;
No Change
There will be no change to the work
rights of dependents of Tier 2
migrants;
Tier 4 students switching to a Tier 2
visa will not be subject to a limit on
numbers and their sponsor will not
have to carry out a RLMT.
Action Items
Employers should prepare for the
forthcoming changes to Tier 2 starting
in autumn 2016.
Action Items
New Penalties
A foreign national who has already overstayed
their visa but surrenders to the authorities at
an immigration checkpoint and leaves the
country before 20 March 2016 will be fined
NIGERIA Immediate
Nationwide Long Term
Work Permit Verification
Exercise Announced
On 14 March 2016 the Nigeria Immigration
Service (NIS) issued a public notice to the
Who is Affected?
This verification exercise affects employers of
CERPAC holders.
Action Items
Employers of CERPAC holders should
promptly make arrangements to
verify the CERPACs of their
employees.
Action Items
Action Items
Ensure that all Brazilian visa
application forms are completed using
the new visa application form
website, and that all required
supporting documents are uploaded
SOUTH KOREA
Tuberculosis Test Required
for Certain Long-Term Visa
Applicants
Effective 2 March 2016, certain applicants for
long-term consular visas or post-arrival
change of status or visa extension, who are
nationals of eighteen high TB-burden
countries, must submit a "Certificate of
Health", including a tuberculosis test result.
Who is Affected?
The new requirement affects nationals of the
eighteen high TB-burden countries who are
applying for either
a long-term visa (more than 90 days)
at a South Korean diplomatic mission
while resident in any of the same
countries, or
a change of status or extension of stay
post arrival in South Korea.
The countries affected are: Nepal, East Timor,
Russia, Malaysia, Mongol, Myanmar,
Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan,
India, Indonesia, China, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan,
Thailand, Pakistan, Philippines.
Exemptions
Diplomats, foreign government officials,
international agreement status holders and
children aged 5 years and under are exempt
from providing this tuberculosis test result.
Consular Applications
For long-term visa applications at a South
Korean diplomatic mission, nationals of high
Action Items
Ensure that nationals of the listed
countries obtain a tuberculosis test
certificate, if required, for consular
long-term visa applications and postarrival extension of stay or change of
status applications.
GREECE Changes to
Translation Services at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Translation Service of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has stopped offering
translation services into and out of Finnish,
Swedish, Slovenian, Chinese and Japanese.
Action Items
For translations from and into Finnish,
Swedish, Slovenian, Chinese and
Japanese, ensure that documents are
translated by an accredited translator.
Bear in mind that the timing and the
cost of translations from and into
these five languages may differ from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Translation Service.
Background
The African Union (AU), founded in 2001,
consists of 54 countries in Africa. The only
African state that is not a member is Morocco.
Presently, only nationals of the fifteen
countries of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) are visa
exempt for travel to Ghana.
Action Points
Once this visa on arrival is
implemented, African Union member
state nationals should benefit from
easier travel to Ghana for business
and tourism.