Articles Posted in Immigration Reform

The Republic of Kenya has opened its embassy in Oman in an apparent move to strengthen its bilateral relations and for attracting leisure tourists from the Sultanate.

Kenya’s Charge d’Affairs Yabesh O Monari said that although the embassy recently started its operation at Shatti al Qurum, a formal inauguration will be held sometime next month, when cabinet ministers from Kenya visit Oman,
“Since we opened in April, we have issued about 900 visas, 700 for Omanis and 200 for expatriates,” he said, adding, “The demand for Kenyan visas is rising steadily. The embassy now issues visas instantly upon application.”
Monari said people of both countries share a unique historical relation that dates back to several centuries. Swahili is widely spoken in Oman. In Kenya, Swahili is the official language and Muscat and Mombasa share a lot in common, he added. Monari said Kenya offers a unique and unforgettable experience for tourists, especially for those who love wildlife tourism. “Kenya has a total of 54 national parks and reserves. Kenya is one of the world’s leading travel destinations thanks to its scenery, magnificent wild life, sports and pleasant year round climate.”
A spectacular annual event that has been recognised as one of the wonders of the world is the biggest migration of large mammals. In July every year, over 1.5 million wild beasts migrate from Serengeti plains in Tanzania to fresh pastures in the Masai Mara before going back in October.

A Kenyan safari is an African experience, combining animals in the plains, the beaches in Mombasa, Rift Valley and Malindi.

Referring to the procedures for getting a visit visa to Kenya, he said Omani visa applicants have to submit their application, along with a copy of identify card and passport, passport-size photographs and a fee of RO20. For expatriates, apart from these necessary documents, the embassy needs a letter from
the employer.

Turkey is enjoying a growing number of tourists visiting this year and it has seen a nearly 11 percent increase in the first seven months of this year, the Turkish government has said.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry data shows that Turkey received 17,624,969 tourists in the first seven months of this year — a 10.64 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The month of July has also seen an increase in the number of tourists visiting the country by 5.49 percent. A total of 4,597,475 tourists visited Turkey in July alone. While Germany is topping the list, Russia is second and the UK third in terms of the number of tourists visiting Turkey.

Out of nearly 18 million tourists, 990,906 tourists (5.62 percent) spent only a single day in the country.

Recent statistics covering the years 2002-2010 released by the Culture and Tourism Ministry reveal the progress Turkish tourism has made over the last eight years. While in terms of the number of tourists it was ranked 17th among the most visited tourist destinations in 2002, the numbers show that Turkey clinched seventh place in 2009, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The number of tourist who visited Turkey in 2002 was 13.2 million, whereas the same number rose to 28.6 million in 2009, representing a 117 percent increase.

While 14.29 percent of tourists came from Germany, 11.79 percent came from Russia, 7.95 percent from England, 6.28 percent from Iran, 4.62 percent from Bulgaria, 4.08 percent from the Netherlands, 3.94 percent from France, 3.45 percent from Georgia, 3.11 percent from Syria and 2.28 percent from the US in the first seven months of this year.

Until August, while 2,518,202 tourists visited Turkey from Germany, 2,078,741 from Russia, 1,401,833 from England, 1,107,067 from Iran and 813,976 tourists from Bulgaria chose Turkey as a place for their vacation.

Tourists visiting Turkey this year have mostly entered through border gates in Antalya (33.57 percent), followed by İstanbul (25.41 percent) and Muğla (9.48 percent).

Thanks to its retaining close political and economic relationships with its neighbors, Turkey managed to remove visa requirements for many countries in the region, resulting in a huge increase in incoming and outgoing tourists in the area. However, the political uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, or the Arab Spring, has lead to a significant drop in tourists from those countries visiting Turkey
Germany, Russia and England is again topping the list in the number of tourists visiting Turkey in July. Out of 4,597,475 tourists who visited the country in July, 310,225 tourists (6.75 percent) stayed in Turkey only for a single day.

In July, while Germany sent 602,511 tourists (13.11 percent) to Turkey, 586,905 tourists (12.17 percent) were from Russia, 435,143 (9.46 percent) from England, 242,870 (5.28 percent) from the Netherlands, 191,681 (4.17 percent) from Iran, 186,631 (4.06 percent) from France, 146,162 (3.18 percent) from Bulgaria, 127,527 ( 2.77 percent) from Austria, 127,240 ( 2.77 percent) from Belgium, 124,147 (2.70 percent) from Georgia.

While the number of tourists visiting Turkey was 4,343,025 in July in 2009, this number was 4,358,275 in 2010. In the January-July period, the number of tourists visiting Turkey was 14,933,656 and this number increased to 15,929,702 in 2010.

The UAE extended the visa period of property owners to three years from six months in a move to re-ignite investor confidence the real estate sector.

The decision, part of a raft of measures taken by the government to underpin economic growth as per the strategic plan 2011-2013, was taken at a cabinet meeting in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday chaired by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. Under the existing law, foreign owners of property worth more than Dh1 million are eligible to get only a six-month visa, which has to be reviewed every six months for Dh2,120 at a time. The applicant for the property investor residence visa also needs to open a bank account locally or aboard and is required to provide proof of a minimum monthly income of Dh10,000. The investor shall also get a medical insurance renewable every six months, apart from a valid medical fitness test every two years.

The requirements and conditions under the new law will be announced soon. “The UAE Federal Cabinet decision to extend residence visa for real estate investors to three years will significantly enhance investor confidence and drive the growth of the country’s property sector, said Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties PJSC, while welcoming the decision.

“The property sector is a key contributor to the non-oil GDP of the country, and is one of the largest employment providers apart from supporting several associated industries,” Alabbar added.

The sector also plays in driving foreign direct investment to the country, and the Cabinet decision will enhance the appeal of the UAE as a preferred destination for safe investments in property. The Cabinet decision underlines the vision of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai to further boost the competitiveness of the UAE” Alabbar concluded.

The Short-stay Visa Waiver Program was announced by the Government as part of its Jobs Initiative with a view to promoting tourism from emerging markets. It is due to commence on 1 July 2011. The program will run as a pilot up to end October 2012 but may be amended or expanded at any point depending on experience of the pilot.

The main points of the programme are:
– Holders of UK “general visas” will be able to travel to Ireland within the period of validity of that visa without the requirement to obtain a separate Irish visa. The period of validity of such a visa is 180 days but the maximum stay in Ireland will be 90 days or to the end of the period of validity of the visa, whichever is the shorter. It should be stressed that the need for a visa to visit Ireland is not eliminated by this programme. Visitors from visa-required countries will still require an Irish visa (for direct travel to Ireland) or a UK visa (for travel to Ireland via the UK). What is eliminated by this programme is the need to have both an Irish and UK visa when visiting Ireland via the UK.

– The person travelling will be required to land in and have gained lawful entry to the UK, on foot of the current visa, prior to travel to Ireland. Lawful entry will be attested by the appropriate entry stamp of the UK Border Agency. Therefore, transit passengers through the UK to Ireland, who do not pass through immigration in the UK, will still require an Irish visa. There is no minimum length of stay in the UK required before travel to Ireland.

– The persons travelling to Ireland under the programme will be treated at their Irish port of entry just as they would have been previously if arriving with an Irish visa i.e. their passport will be further stamped by immigration officers at the Irish port of entry with an entry stamp and a date until which the visitor is allowed to stay. Visitors will have to satisfy immigration officers as to the purpose of their visit in the normal way.

– A person may return to Ireland within the period of validity of the UK visa but will not be able to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days in any one visit. As above, the immigration officer at port of entry has the ultimate decision on the length of stay.

In relation to persons travelling between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the following scenarios will apply:
– If arriving in Ireland and then travelling to Northern Ireland, both an Irish and UK visa will be required, as is the case at present
– If arriving in Northern Ireland and travelling to Ireland, the visa waiver programme will apply and only a UK visa will be required
– If arriving in Ireland, travelling to Northern Ireland and then returning to Ireland, both an Irish and UK visa will be required but the UK visa will be accepted under the programme for the return visit
– If arriving in Northern Ireland, travelling to Ireland and then returning to Northern Ireland, the visa waiver programme will apply to the visit to Ireland but the appropriate UK visa will be required to allow a second entry into Northern Ireland. The person may travel out of the Common Travel Area from either Ireland or the UK but this must happen before the expiry of the stamp issued by the immigration officer on arrival in Ireland (if leaving from Ireland) or the expiration of the UK visa (if leaving from the UK).

“General visas” cover short-term tourist and business visitors. Other types of visa, for example transit visas, long-term student visas, join spouse or family reunification visas, are not encompassed.

Nationals of the following countries are proposed for inclusion in the programme:
– Eastern Europe: Belarus, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine
– Middle East: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
– Other Asian: India, Kazakhstan, Peoples Republic of China , Uzbekistan
Only passport holders of those countries are included in the scheme. Long-term residents in those countries, who are not nationals of that country, are not covered. Arrangements are being made for holders of diplomatic and special passports from Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, who are visa exempt for the UK, to be included in the program. Nationals of the countries above, who are long-term legal residents in the UK, will still require an Irish visa but will have the visa fee waived as part of the programme.

India took a lead in resolving the vexed visa issue by liberalising its rules for the Russian citizens visiting India on business and tourism.

“We are now issuing multi-entry business visas valid for one year against six months single or double entry in the past and tourist visas valid for six months with multiple entries,” India’s Ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra has said.The Embassy of India in Moscow has streamlined and liberalised its issuance of business and tourist visas with a view to further encourage business contacts and promote tourism between India and Russia.

India and the Russian Federation already have in place a visa-free regime for diplomatic and official passport holders of both countries, that facilitates regular official contact. Both business and tourist visas would normally be issued in three working days following the date of application against minimum ten working days previously.

The new pattern is also being followed by the Indian Consulates General in St Petersburg and Vladivostok. The Russian citizens normally have to apply for the Indian visa by a Russian company appointed by the Indian mission to allow them to submit their applications even on weekends and holidays, when the Embassy is closed.

Ambassador Malhotra said these measures to facilitate the travel by Russian businessmen and tourists to India were actually implemented from June 12, Russia’s national day. According to him, the Indian Embassy in Moscow and the Consulates in St Petersburg and Vladivostok had issued about 110,000 visas to Russian citizens during 2010.

“I expect this number to increase by about 25 per cent this year”, Malhotra said.

Tourist flows from Russia to India have picked up in recent years, with Goa, New Delhi- Agra- Jaipur Golden Triangle, Mumbai and Kulu-Manali emerging as major attractions. According to a recent report issued by the State Statistics Committee last year 12 million Russians visited foreign countries.

The Government of Rwanda has introduced a New Immigration Law No O4/2011 of 21/03/2011 and its implementing ministerial orders on regulation and fees published on Official Gazette No 24 of 13 June 2011. The New Law comes to implement the National Migration Policy aimed at attracting skilled workers, promoting investment, tourism and enhance national security.

The Law has also been harmonized with EAC Protocol on Free movement of people, labor and services as a requirement of the EAC partner states. The law provides that Citizens of East African Community partner states shall have the right to visit Rwanda for a period of up to six months without visa. They will be issued with a specific visitors pass by simple endorsement in their valid travel document.

In order to facilitate movements of Rwandans, new travel documents have been introduced in addition to the existing ones such as a collective Laissez-Passer issued to people traveling as a group mainly for social activities.

This collective Laissez-Passer will facilitate Rwandans traveling as a group and shall cost 10.000frw for ten people instead of 3000frw for individual application.

The law also has introduced a travel document for Border communities known as border pass. This travel document shall be issued free of charge and will facilitate cross border activities. Likewise, Rwandans intending to travel in emergency situations may also be issued with an emergency travel document which shall be issued free of charge.

A new CEPGL travel document has been re-introduced for Rwandans and foreigners residing in Rwanda while traveling within CEPGL member states. The issuance of CEPGL documents comes after being harmonization with CEPGL member states.

Furthermore the law gives the right for an individual to hold more than one passport after presenting clear justification. This is in case a person intending to travel while his/her passport is still in visa processes may apply for an additional passport.

The New law has introduced different classes of Visas and residence Permits to cater for different purposes of visiting, working, or residing in Rwanda. Each category of visa or permit shall have a corresponding fee. The repealed Immigration law had only five categories of visas which made it difficult to manage entry and stay of foreigners.

In this new immigration regulation, the duration of an entry visa has been extended from 15 up to 30 days with multiple entries. This will facilitate visitors of Rwanda to visit other countries within the region contrary using the Single entry visa.

A specific visitor’s pass was also introduced for EAC nationals for a period of up to 6 months. Tourist visa is defined in accordance with the Rwanda tourism policy where all visitors who enter the country and stay for less than a year are considered as tourists.

It is in this regard, that there are 11 classes of tourist visas among them being group tourist visa for tourists coming as a group, conference visa for facilitating visitors coming for conferences, job search visa for skilled people seeking employment in Rwanda, business visa for business persons searching for business opportunities, Itinerant business person visa for business persons with established business in Rwanda but do not reside, medical treatment visa for foreigners seeking medical treatment and Bridging visa which intends to help people.

Generally, the duration of tourist visas shall range from 3 months up to 2 years.

In promotion of e-governance, many visas shall be applied online at www.migration.gov.rw, but also Rwanda diplomatic mission or at the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration.

In an effort to facilitate foreigners wishing to work or reside in Rwanda, a work and resident permits have been combined. A person who will have acquired a resident permit will subsequently have a right to reside and work. Permits are divided into temporary resident permits and permanent resident permits. Temporary resident permits allow holders to reside in Rwanda for a specified period while permanent resident permit allows holders to reside for unspecified period.

Investors who invest in sectors such as agriculture and animal husbandry, ICT, hospitality industry, mining, manufacturing and other sectors shall be issued with 3 years temporary resident permit as an incentive.

This also applies for entrepreneurs investing in rural developments. Other Entrepreneurs shall be issued with 2 years temporary resident permit instead of 1 year as it was provided by the old law. All this was done as a way ofeasing doing business in Rwanda.

In aneffort to attract skilled workers as stated in the national migration policy, professionals whose qualification are listed on Occupation in Demand List (ODL) shall be eligible to a 3 years temporary resident permit.

Other employees shall get two years permit instead of one year as it used to be. The law has also catered for non-skilled workers permit. In order to facilitate cross border activities, Foreigners residing in Rwanda within the border area but working or doing business in the neighboring countries shall be issued Frontier pass. The same pass shall be issued to Foreigners residing within border area in one of the neighboring country who works or does business in Rwanda.

Students’ permit has been introduced to cater for foreigner students in Rwanda for study purposes and its fee has been reduced to 10,000 Frw. Similarly, a holiday’s workers permit has also been introduced to facilitate students and other people wishing to work during their holidays. A permit for a retired person with assured income has also been introduced to facilitate people who wish to have their retirements in Rwanda.

A temporary resident permit holder who has lawfully stayed in Rwanda for a period of 5 years shall be eligible to a permanent resident permit. Dependants and Spouses of a temporary resident permit holder shall be allowed to work and their permits shall cost a half fee of the principal applicant contrary to the existing practice. Foreigner ID card has also been catered for and shall be used as a resident card. In this regard, the card shall facilitate a foreigner who resides in Rwanda to acquire a Rwanda driving license.

Furthermore, People of Rwandan origin leaving in Diaspora but have lost their Rwandan citizenship due to acquisition of other nationalities but can not get dual citizenship may be eligible to permanent residence as a way of facilitating them to establish themselves in Rwanda.

In order to achieve its objectives the DG I&E officers have been given by the law the powers to investigate crimes related to Immigration and shall take the lead in the management of Rwandan borders.

The law has set penalties to those who shall not follow the existing immigration procedures. For effective management of immigrants, the law has established the obligations for foreigners and stakeholders such as employers, institutions of learning, hotels, and travel/transport agencies.

Generally, travel documents fees have not been changed, however new travel documents have been introduced to facilitate movement of Rwandans such as a Border pass which shall be issued free of charge, a collective laisser passer for Rwandans traveling as a group of ten people at reasonable fee of 10.000Frw and an emergency travel documents shall be issued free of charge to Rwandans.

Though the fee for the current laisser passer remains the same, there is an ongoing project for a new secure machine readable laisser passer which shall be in a booklet form and shall have a different fee.

A Diplomatic passport shall also be issued for the fee of 50,000 Frwas ordinary passport; however there will be a penalty for lost passport. The entry visa fee has been reduced from 60USD to 30 USD as a way of promoting tourist as early indicated there is a provision for multiple entry visa which shall be issued at a fee of 60 USD.

Germany hopes to attract doctors and mechanical and electrical engineers from abroad by scrapping restrictions that made it more difficult for them to find work.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government agreed recently to change immigration laws so that German companies can more easily hire engineers and doctors from abroad. Currently foreigners can only land a job if it pays more than euro66,000 ($95,000) annually, or the company can prove there are no qualified German or European Union citizens.

Experts say Germany is not turning out enough graduates and could face a shortage of 6.5 million qualified professionals by 2025. The proposed changes are part of a package aimed at increasing Germany’s skilled labor force.

Hsieh Li-kung, director-general of Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency (NIA), said on Monday that negotiations on securing U.S. visa waiver approval for Taiwanese passport holders were proceeding at a rapid pace. Hsieh, currently on a short trip to Washington D.C. conveyed that Ministry of Foreign Affairs is playing the leading role in the visa waiver talks.

Hsieh said the two sides had reached a high degree of consensus, and he hoped the U.S. could come to a decision soon in areas such as anti-terrorism cooperation, anti-human trafficking capabilities and documentation verification capabilities.

Meanwhile, Hsieh was also asked whether Taiwan was ready to handle the potential problem of Chinese independent tourists overstaying their visas once they are allowed into Taiwan starting at the end of the month. Hsieh replied that the rate of Chinese tourists overstaying their visas and disappearing has been lower than that of other countries since Taiwan opened its doors wider to Chinese visitors three years ago. During that time, however, the vast majority of Chinese nationals have been part of tightly structured tours, and will only be able to visit Taiwan on their own rather than as part of a tour group when the free independent traveler program begins in late June, increasing the potential for problems.

Hsieh hoped measures could be taken to lower runaway risks, suggesting, for instance, that officials of the two sides carefully examine visitors’ identities .

The 10-year Canadian visa for Indians will be available from mid-July this year, a Canadian official said. In an announcement made last week, the Canadian government announced the validity of multi-entry visas issued for Indians will be increased to 10 years, from the present period of five years.

“The 10-year visas will be available from mid-July,” Bruce Grundison, Deputy Immigration Programme Manager of the Canadian High Commission , said here Thursday. “There are some technical changes which need to be made,” he said.

Announcing the new visa regime last week, Canadian International Trade Minister and Asia-Pacific Gateway Minister Edward Fast said the new visa regime will boost trade ties between the two countries, which seek to treble their trade to $15 billion by 2015.

Replying to a question, Canadian Deputy High Commissioner Jim Nickel said there was no problem in Indian students getting students visa for Canada .