Mauritius and Switzerland on Wednesday signed an agreement on short-stay visa waiver under which Mauritians could stay in the European country without visa for a maximum of three months in a six-month period. Mauritius and the European Community (EC) signed a similar agreement on 28 May, 2009, allowing Mauritians to…
The Swedish National Migration Board will allow visiting students to apply online for their entry visas and residence permits, as well as pay their fees on its website. The goal of the move is to offer better service, as well as reduce the waiting time to process applications. The service…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced it has begun issuing a redesigned, more secure Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the integrity of the immigration system. The agency anticipates that over 600,000 new citizens will receive the enhanced certificate over the…
The British High Commission in Nigeria said yesterday that it issued about 100,000 visas to Nigerians wishing to travel to the United Kingdom, out of the 170,000 that applied. The commission stated this in a statement signed by its press secretary, Hooman Nouruzi in Abuja. The statement said: “The British…
In an attempt to prevent foreigners from getting non-technical jobs, the government has made it clear that citizens of other countries will be taken only for highly-skilled assignments in India and should draw an annual salary of over USD 25,000. In an order, the Home Ministry nullified a Labour Ministry…
The EU will decide whether to scrap visa requirements for Bosnian and Albanian citizens on November 8th, Sarajevo-based daily Nezavisne Novine reported on Monday (October 18th) ,quoting diplomatic sources in Brussels. The source also said that visas will be lifted by the end of the year. Several countries — including…
Tourism in Russia has seen rapid growth since the late Soviet times, first inner tourism and then international tourism as well. Rich cultural heritage and great natural variety place Russia among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The country contains 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while many more…
Immigration New Zealand has begun trials of biometric technology that uses facial recognition to verify the identity of people coming through New Zealand customs.The trialled technology from biometrics technology firm Daon takes a photo of the person applying for a visa, and then uses this photo to verify the identity…
According to a new study by the Conference Board of Canada (CBC), immigrants can help boost innovation in Canada, which is currently lagging behind other developed nations. “Immigrants tend to be motivated individuals willing to take risks in search of greater opportunities, which should predispose them to be innovative,” said…
A high court challenge is likely to cause problems for the UK’s plans to implement a cap on immigration into the country. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and a number of businesses that depend on skilled immigration to deal with skill shortages have brought a judicial review…