Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryshchenko predicts that, with the current momentum of dialogue and constant demands, Ukraine’s visa-free regime with the European Union is possible in 2-3 years. Responding to a question about when Ukraine will be able to get visa-free regime with the EU, Hryshchenko noted that this could…
Immigration Lawyer Blog
Poland announces visa revolution
Prime Minister Donald Tusk says a local visa free zone between Poland and Russia will be established “in few weeks”. The zone, which will include more than four million people, will require a revision of the Schengen regulations. Donald Tusk, who made a stop in the Warmia-Masuria Province as part…
U.S. to streamline visa issuance for Chinese, Brazilians, and Indians
The visa processing time for Chinese, Brazilians and Indians may be shortened to 30 days, said a U.S. tourism official on Monday. “The U.S. Senate just introduced a legislation last week to bring the waiting time (for a visa) to under 30 days,” Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S.…
USCIS Seeks Public Comments on Proposed Rule Impacting Certain Pending Immigrant Investor (EB-5) Applications
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeks public comments on a proposed rule published in the Federal Register today that would enable USCIS to process certain applications approved between 1995 and 1998 by immigrant investors under the fifth preference employment-based immigrant visa classification, also known as EB-5. The proposed rule…
Canada: New Consulate-General for Calgary
Prime Minster David Cameron announced that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be expanding its diplomatic presence in Canada by upgrading the UK Trade & Investment office in Calgary to a full Consulate-General next summer. Speaking during his press conference in Ottawa, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Clearly in…
Australia: Millionth maritime crew visa granted
Australia’s seaports are more secure than ever before, highlighted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s grant this week of the millionth maritime crew visa (MCV). “This is an impressive milestone given that the department first introduced the MCV on 1 January 2008,” a departmental spokesman said. Since its introduction,…
Local Americans pan US immigration rules
The U.S. immigration agency is enforcing a new set of rules that can make life harder for Americans and their non-citizen spouses living overseas. The new process of obtaining an immigrant visa increased from three months to a minimum of five. Sometimes it may take as long as three years,…
Azerbaijan has cancelled visa regime with Colombia
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who is visiting New York to attend the 66th session of UN General Assembly, and his Colombian counterpart Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar have signed a package of bilateral agreements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan informs that the package composes an agreement on the…
Ukrainian government approves agreement on visa-free travel with Serbia
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved an intergovernmental agreement between Ukraine and Serbia waiving mutual visa requirements for short-term stays in these countries. The cabinet’s resolution is dated September 21, according to the government’s Web site. The agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Serbia on visa-free travel…
US Labor Department postpones revising wage calculations for H-2B program
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today announced a 60-day postponement of the effective date for the final rule concerning the wage methodology for the temporary nonagricultural employment H-2B program. The delay will permit the various courts involved in ongoing litigation surrounding the implementation of the rule…