LIE | Liechtenstein Joins Schengen Area

As of December 19th, 2011, Liechtenstein is the newest member of the Schengen Area. The Schengen Agreement was signed initially by seven countries on June 14th, 1985 and was implemented ten years later, ending the internal border check and controls. A Schengen visa holder is allowed to stay for up to 90 cumulative days within [...]

SAUDI ARABIA | Consular Posts May Request Clarification of Assignee’s Qualifications

According Saudi immigration and labor law, the Saudi Ministry of Labor is required to confirm that Saudi companies sponsoring a foreign national worker clearly prove there are no readily qualified Saudi national workers available for a proposed job.  This “Saudization” or “Nitaqat” program of hiring Saudi national workers over foreign workers is proving difficult for [...]

SAUDI ARABIA | New E-Immigration Services

The Ministry of Interior (MOI) of Saudi Arabia offers electronic immigration (e-Immigration) services to Saudi nationals and expatriates via MOI’s online portal. The ministry website enables a user to request certain services electronically without having to personally appearing before the local migration authorities.  Top services on the website include applications for exit and reentry visa, [...]

UNITED KINGDOM | Government Announces Changes in Consular Post Network

On November 28, 2011, Britain’s Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced the opening of a new British consular post in Recife, Brazil.  According to Secretary May, this marks a “wider network shift” in repositioning British consular posts in economically developed (G7) and emerging market (E7) countries.  The opening of the Recife-based consular post is one of [...]

SWEDEN | Authenticated Translations Required for Family Civil Certificates

Please note that the Swedish Migration Board has recently announced that accompanying family members of an assignee must submit authenticated translations attached to the copies of the spouse’s marriage certificate and each child’s birth certificate at the time the assignee’s work permit application is filed with the Migration Board.  Translations should be prepared for any [...]

ISRAEL | Work Visas for Oil and Gas Industry

Since December 2010, offshore gas and oil exploration has been underway since the discovery of the Dalit, Leviathan and Tanna natural gas fields in Israel’s national waters. According to the November 7, 2011 Oil and Gas Journal, “Houston’s Noble Energy Co., which discovered the gas offshore Israel, is also exploring offshore Cyprus and is confident [...]

UK | What Does a Labor Audit Mean/How to Prepare?

The UK Border Agency’s (UKBA’s) Sponsor Management Unit is the agency authorized to conduct audits of UK companies registered as Licensed Sponsors. Obtaining a sponsor license from the UKBA qualifies a UK company to file Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) on behalf of foreign national workers who are not nationals of the European Economic Area or [...]

INDIA | U.S. Passport Services Require Personal Appearance and Appointment

U.S. citizens present in India are reminded that an appointment and the applicant’s personal appearance are required for most all U.S. Citizen Services provided by the Consulate at the US Embassy in New Delhi and for all U.S. consular posts in India.  U.S. citizens requiring any passport services, inclusive of requesting additional visa pages, will [...]

EUROPEAN UNION | Iceland and Serbia Advancing Accession Talks

The European Union (EU) Commission released its most recent Enlargement Strategy and Progress Report on the advancement of Iceland and Serbia’s bid to accede, or join, the EU.  While Iceland is a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) community and the Schengen Area, it does not yet enjoy full member-state status in the [...]

THAILAND | Labor Department has changed work permit booklet

A new photo size is required for the work permit booklet:  1) For visa, 3 pieces of 4×6 cm photos (Both for assignee and dependent) 2) For work permit, 3 pieces of 3×4 cm photos (For assignee)