Confusion prevails over hikes in Dubai tourist visa fee

DUBAI: Unconfirmed reports of a “possible hike” in UAE tourist visa fees is causing confusion in the travel market.
Some travel agents have claimed that they received “official circulars” two weeks ago informing them that the visa charges would be hiked by Dh90 from November 13, Gulf News reported.
They claimed that as per the “new regulations”, the tourist visa would be valid only for one month from the date of entry, with no grace period or extension. However, within the next three days, they got back to their clients, saying the fee change had been withdrawn until further notification.
One travel agent reportedly said, “We received two circulars. The first one said the visa fees would increase by Dh90 from November 13 and that the tourist visa duration of stay will be 30 days from date of entry and cannot be extended (no grace period). The second, which we received on November 16, noted that the visa changes detailed in the earlier announcement had been postponed, so the old rates would hold good.”
Premjit Bangara, general manager of Sharaf Travels, was quoted as saying by Gulf News that the agency had updated its clients about both developments.
“As a matter of policy, we keep our clients informed. We were able to handle the situation smoothly,” he further said.
However, some travel agents said they had not received any official notice.
Kulwant Singh, managing director of Lama Tours and Travels, reportedly said: “We have not yet received any written communication from the authorities in this regard and hence, we are charging the same fees.”
Another travel agent reportedly said: “There have been a lot of e-mails floating around. Ten days ago, we heard that the visa fee would be increased by Dh90 with effect from November 13. Then we heard that it has been postponed till the end of the month. But we don’t know of any official announcement and our rates remain the same.”
General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs was not available for comments, Gulf News reported.

Source: http://filipinotimes.ae/editors-pick/2014/11/27/confusion-prevails-over-hikes-in-dubai-tourist-visa-fee/

Post-study work visa could be introduced in Scotland

Political parties have agreed to consider the introduction of a new post-study work visa scheme for international students in Scotland

The issue is included in the final report of the Smith Commission, which has recommended which additional powers should be devolved from Westminster. However, no additional powers need to be devolved to allow the scheme to become a reality.
Instead, the five political parties in the Scottish Parliament have agreed that the UK and Holyrood governments should work together to “explore the possibility of introducing formal schemes to allow international higher education students graduating from Scottish further and higher education institutions to remain in Scotland and contribute to economic activity for a defined period of time”, the report says.
The agreement responds to calls from higher education and business leaders, who warned that Scotland’s economic growth was being hampered by skills shortages.
A joint letter sent to the Smith Commission earlier this month by representative organisations warned that the removal of the UK-wide post-study work route in 2012, combined with the hostility of the public debate around immigration, had resulted in a significant fall in the number of international students coming to Scotland.
Signatories of the letter included Universities Scotland, the University and College Union Scotland and NUS Scotland, alongside business groups including the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Institute of Directors Scotland.
Speaking earlier this month, Pete Downes, the convenor of Universities Scotland, said a modified visa policy could deliver “significant economic and social benefit” north of the border.
“Scotland has distinct demographic challenges that adversely affect our potential for economic growth,” said Professor Downes, the principal of the University of Dundee.
“We face skills shortages in key sectors, as articulated by business, and our universities are forced to operate in an anti-competitive environment in attracting international talent that could be of great economic and social benefit to Scotland.”
There is a precedent for Scotland having distinct visa arrangements to the rest of the UK. Between 2005 and 2008, an initiative called Fresh Talent allowed students to stay in Scotland and seek work for two years after graduation.
The Smith Commission report also recommends that the Scottish Parliament should be given the power to set income tax rates and should retain all the income tax raised in Scotland. It also proposes that Holyrood should be given powers to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in Scottish elections.
Alastair Sim, the director of Universities Scotland, said there was a “very strong” case for the introduction of a Scottish post-study work visa.
“We recognise that further devolution of powers are not necessary to deliver this as the Fresh Talent initiative was delivered under existing powers of the Scottish Parliament but the weight of the Smith Commission’s support gives renewed impetus to the fact that Scotland should be enabled to set its own policy in this area,” said Mr Sim.
Source: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/post-study-work-visa-could-be-introduced-in-scotland/2017234.article

Israel among 43 nations to be eligible for India's new e-visa

Travelers walking in Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India, March 8, 2012. Photo by Bloomberg

 

India phasing in Tourist Visa on Arrival program, which will eventually be open to almost all of the 180 countries which host its diplomatic mission
Israel will be among 43 countries in the first phase of India's new program to issue electronic visas to visitors with which it has diplomatic relations, Business Standard announced Wednesday.
The list will be issued Thursday, as is expected to include most European Union states, as well as Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Oman, Argentina and Kazakhstan. The previous Indian government earlier this year announced the proposal for the Electronic Travel Authorization, which enables the Tourist Visa on Arrival without having to issue a physical visa.
According to Business Standard, visitors from all but eight countries that host India's diplomatic mission will eventually be eligible for the e-visa, the exceptions being Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan.
Over 48,000 visitors from Israel arrived in India in 2011, according to statistics from the Indian Ministry of Tourism, accounting for 0.76% of all foreign tourists in the subcontinent nation.

Source: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.628636
 

India to provide immediate visa for patients from SAARC: PM

Kathmandu: Pledging to extend all possible cooperation to SAARC countries in diverse fields, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday announced that India will provide immediate medical visa for the patient and an attendant for treatment in the country.

In his address at the 18th SAARC summit here, Modi also said that India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC nations.
Identifying health as a major sector for cooperation among the member countries, Modi said India will support monitoring and surveillance of polio-free countries, and provide vaccines where it might reappear.
"In the area of health, India will meet the shortfall in funds to establish the SAARC Regional Supra Reference Laboratory for TB and HIV. We offer the five-in-one vaccine for the children of South Asia," he said.
Seeking better environment for trade among the SAARC nations, Modi said, "India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC. Let's make it even easier for our businesses through a SAARC Business Traveller Card."
Modi said information technology has removed all barriers to quality education and India was prepared to connect the South Asian students through online course and E-libraries.
"When we set up India's National Knowledge Network, we will be happy to extend it to the SAARC region.
"The dream of a South Asian University has become a reality in New Delhi. But, to be truly South Asian, it must also have partnerships with at least one university in each SAARC country," he said.
During the course of his 30-minute speech, Modi also referred to India's "gift" of a satellite for the SAARC region and said it will benefit the countries in areas like education, telemedicine, disaster response, resource management, weather forecasting and communication.
"We will also host a conference in India for all South Asian partners next year, to strengthen our collective ability to apply space technology in economic development and governance. And, we plan to launch our satellite by the SAARC Day in 2016," he said.
"As neighbours, we should also be together in good and bad times," he said.
The Prime Minister also offered India's capability and expertise in disaster management saying it will always be available to South Asia.
"A prosperous SAARC needs the strong foundation of a secure South Asia. If we are sensitive to each other's security, and the lives of our people, we will deepen friendships, spur cooperation and advance stability in our region," he said.
 

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/india-to-provide-immediate-visa-for-patients-from-saarc-pm_1505085.html

Business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC countries: Modi

11:14 am: PM pushes for a South Asian University, immediate medical visas for patients from SAARC countries

11:12 am: As we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives. Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes: PM

11:10 am: India's gift of a satellite for the SAARC region will benefit us: PM

11:09 am: IT has removed barriers to education.We are prepared to connect our South Asian students through online course & E-libraries: PM

11:07 am: We should use strength of shared heritage and our diversity to encourage tourism within our region and present South Asia to the world:PM

11:05 am: India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC Countries: PM

11:04 am: Let's all make our procedures simple, our facilities better, our standards common and our paper work less burdensome: PM

11:03 am: Why do goods from India to Pakistan go through other countries,take so long? Think of what we are doing to consumers and environment, PM Modi says.

11:02 am: As SAARC we have failed to move with the speed that our people expect and want: PM

11:02 am: India and Nepal have started a new era of cooperation in energy and, India and Bhutan are making those ties stronger by the day: PM

11:00 am: South Asia is slowly coming together: PM

10:56 am: Nowhere in the world are collective efforts more urgent than in South Asia; and, nowhere else is it so modest: PM

10:55 am: Cynicism and skepticism out of place in a region throbbing with optimism, says PM Modi

10.52 am: Last Summit was 3 years ago. Only 2 of us here were present. PM Hasina has come after her re-election, Mr. Rajapaksa will go into one: PM

10.51 am: The future I dream for India is the future I wish for our entire region: Modi

10.50 am: PM Modi commences speech at the SAARC summit

10.45 am: Bhutan knows it has sacrificed growth for sustainable development, but we will continue to do what is right for us, says Tshering Togbay, Bhutan TM

10.21 am: Sheikh Hasina SAARC:Agricultural growth has helped eradicate abject hunger and poverty.Bangladesh target being middle income country by 2021

10.17 am: Stern comments made by President Rajapaksa against what he calls "external threats" to member states over human rights concerns

10.15 am: Human rights is a moral issue, but used as a political tool. Interventions are planned in the guise of HR concerns, says Mr. Rajapaksa

Diplomats were scrambling till late on Tuesday night, ahead of the plenary session of SAARC leaders, as serious differences emerged over the agreements to be adopted at the conclusion of the summit. Read

Read: SAARC: Bursting with potential, burdened with disappointment

10.10 am: Rajapaksa at SAARC:Must pass agreement on energy cooperation,focus on health and sanitation. Compliments Modi on SAARC satellite idea

10 am: Nawaz Sharif at SAARC : Need a dispute free Asia. Instead of fighting each other, we should fight disease, poverty, illiteracy

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (centre) waves as he arrives at the Tribhuwan Airport to attend the SAARC summit. Photo: AP

Read: A case for SAARC reforms by Subramanian Swamy

With all eyes on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s take on the future of South Asia, the 18th SAARC Summit commenced on Wednesday morning.

Narendra Modi, waves to the media as he is received by Nepalese Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam upon arrival at the Tribhuwan Airport. Photo: AP

Apart from host Nepal, all seven heads of state and government are in Kathmandu to attend the summit. As chair of SAARC, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul opened the summit and handed over the responsibility of the chair of the regional bloc to Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

This is the third time Nepal is organising the summit - first in 1987 and then again in 2002.

Ahead of the summit, three meetings at foreign ministers’, foreign secretaries’ and joint secretaries’ levels decided to scrap three SAARC regional centres and merge four others into one 

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/live-saarc-summit-2014/article6635706.ece

Russian Visa Applicants Will Have to Be Fingerprinted

In September, the Interfax news agency reported that Russian consulates in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia would be implementing fingerprinting technology starting next year.

Foreigners applying for visas in a number of Russian consulates will be fingerprinted starting in December, in accordance with a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin earlier this week.
Starting on Dec. 10, those seeking visas at Russian consulates in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia, as well as at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, will be fingerprinted.
Russian diplomats abroad will also be required to inform the governments of their respective host countries of the new practice by Dec. 5. The order does not provide a timeline for the implementation of fingerprinting in Russian consulates in other countries, or at Russia's other international airports and border crossings.
In September, the Interfax news agency reported that Russian consulates in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia would be implementing fingerprinting technology starting next year. The head of the Foreign Ministry's consular department, Yevgeny Ivanov, said at the time that the move was a pilot project that would help determine the feasibility of collecting biometric data at other Russian consulates. The fingerprinting is not meant to harshen visa requirements for foreigners, Ivanov said at the time.
The measure, which will also apply to stateless individuals and those applying for transit visas, comes ahead of the European Union's planned introduction of biometric data collection in 2015 for Russians wishing to travel to the Schengen Area.

Source: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/511864.html

Canadian Immigration laws to re-unite families

The Canadian Parent and Grandparent (PGP) sponsorship program is likely to reopen for new applicants in January 2015.

The Program was reintroduced in January 2014 after being put on hold since 2011. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) placed a temporary hold on new applications in 2011. This was to enable Canada immigration to concentrate on dealing with the large backlog of immigration cases. In 2014 when the sponsorship program reopened Canada immigration decided to introduce an annual quota of 5000 visas.
Other changes to the program included an increase in the minimum income levels required for applicants. The Canadian government feels that this will make it less likely that family members will claim state benefits once they arrive in Canada. To confirm their income sponsors are required to submit their tax returns for the previous three years.
The program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come and live in Canada; demand for these visas is very high. This year the visa quota was reached within the first month of the start of the new visa allocation period. It is expected that the situation will be similar in 2015.
Applicants are encouraged to begin preparations now, to ensure that applications are submitted on time and contain all the correct documentation. As there is a limited number of visas available, it is very important that you have your application ready to submit as soon as the new visa allocation becomes available – this will give you the best chance of success. Although it is inevitable because of the limited number of visas available that many applicants will be disappointed.'
In order to give your application the best chance of success, you should follow the following guidelines:

• Try to ensure that your application is received at the CIC on the actual launch date for the new visa allocation.. The date has not been formally announced as yet, but many think the new visa allocation will be available from January 2015.
• Check your application is complete, with signatures in the right places and all relevant documents.
• Provide the past three years tax returns for the sponsor as proof of income
• If paying by card make sure that your card will still be valid when Canada immigration processes your payment. Bear in mind that this could be many months after submission.
• Download the latest versions of the visa forms, available from the CIC website.

Processing times can take years. In the meantime you may wish to apply for the Parent and Grandparent super visa, which allows entry to Canada for up to two years at a time. The visa is valid for up to ten years.

Businesses urge govt to scrap exit/re-entry visa

Prominent business executives have called on the government to scrap the exit and re-entry visa system, saying it would make Saudi Arabia a more attractive place for foreign investors and skilled foreign workers.
“The system of having exit re-entry visas is creating unnecessary hassle. The Kingdom must seriously consider scrapping this system like in other GCC countries such as Bahrain and the UAE,” said Irshad Cader, a business executive in Jeddah, on Tuesday.

“As long as expats have valid iqamas, they should be able to move freely in and out of the Kingdom. Unless an iqama holder stays away more than six months, he must be allowed to enter the Kingdom without any issues. This will encourage more qualified expats to work in the Kingdom,” he said.

Akbar Batcha, another business executive, welcomed the plan to issue five-year resident permits. He also supported the call to scrap the exit re-entry system, at least for business leaders, investors and professionals who travel abroad frequently.

He said the five-year iqama system would help Saudi Arabia collect a huge amount in fees. “If you multiply SR5,000 by 10 million expats in the Kingdom, it will be a fabulous amount,” he said, adding that the system would encourage expatriates to spend a substantial portion of their earnings in the Kingdom.

“According to one report, foreign remittances of expats rose in the first nine months of this year compared to the previous year. This report should encourage the government to adopt expat-friendly decisions such as the five-year iqama to increase their spending in the Kingdom,” he told Arab News.

Cader also proposed a salary-based sponsorship system so that expatriates who earn a certain minimum monthly income would be eligible to sponsor their families. “For example, an expat who earns a salary of SR10,000 must be allowed to bring his family over irrespective of his profession,” he said.

Source: http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/665616

Interviews for family visa in Qatar is now through video conference

Expatriates applying for family visas can now attend the interview with the Recruitment Committee at the Ministry of Interior through video conference from the Mesaimeer Service Center.

The General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriate Affairs at the Ministry launched the new service recently.

Earlier, the applicants had to attend the interviews at the headquarters of the general directorate in Madinat Khalifa.The recruitment committee is responsible for approving family visa applications.

The service is provided through a live broadcast from a special room set up for interviews at the Mesaimeer Service Center where the screen is connected to the Recruitment Committee at the headquarters of the General Directorate. The committee can seek all required documents from the applicant directly, according to a ministry statement.

The online service aims to help the public attend the interviews from the Ministry of Interior service centres close to their localities. The service at Mesaimeer represents the first phase of the project and it will be expanded to other service centres later, said the ministry.

Brig Abdullah Salim Al Ali, Director General of General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriate Affairs said that the new service aims to save time and effort for the beneficiaries by allowing them to attend the interviews through video conference from the same place where they submitted the application. He added that the new service is part of the Ministry’s plans to build an integrated electronic system for all services.

Source: http://www.qatarshub.com/

Glyndwr Uni student visa status reinstated by Home Office

Glyndwr University has had its right to sponsor international students reinstated by the Home Office.

The Wrexham-based university was stopped from recruiting overseas students in June after an investigation into alleged visa fraud.
It followed concerns some students may have obtained English language certificates in the UK - required for a student visa - despite not speaking it.
The Home Office decision will be reviewed in January.
The university welcomed the agreement to reinstate its status as a "highly-trusted sponsor" of student visas, which was removed following the investigation.
It will be on "limited basis", the Home Office said, and is "subject to a number of strict conditions".
They include banning the recruitment of international students to a London campus the university operated in Elephant and Castle, which was the focus for the Home Office's Glyndwr concerns.
Glyndwr's Wrexham campus will also have a fixed allowance of places for overseas students who require a visa.
'Positive future' In a statement the Home Office said: "We continue to work closely with Glyndwr University in order to improve their standards for recruiting international students."
Roughly 2,104 of the university's 8,400 students are from outside the EU.
English language certificates are required for a UK student visa, and the probe followed a BBC Panorama investigation.
The decision to overturn the visa ban pointed to "a very positive future for Glyndwr University" said university officials.
It said it was committed to relinquishing the lease on its Elephant and Castle campus in London and will move to new premises by July 2015.
Prof Michael Scott, vice-chancellor and chief executive of the university, said: "The university is fully committed to continuing its support for a more robust student visa system and in that regard is undertaking a number of changes to its London campus during the coming months, including a locational move."

Glyndwr University London is based on the eighth floor of an Elephant and Castle office block
The National Union of Students (NUS) Wales said concerns remained about the situation.
"This decision may offer some relief," said Beth Button, president of NUS Wales.
"However, Glyndwr University continues to face serious financial difficulties.
"This threat to the institution's future concerns us, and it clearly concerns all the students studying on its campuses."
As part of the Home Office investigation, evidence of "serious concern" was uncovered at 57 UK college campuses, which led to sanctions.

source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-30180437


 

Japan to ease conditions for Chinese multiple visa

The Japanese government is to ease conditions for multiple entry visas issued to independent Chinese tourists.

The foreign ministry currently issues multiple-entry visas when Chinese tourists with a certain amount of income stay overnight in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima or Okinawa Prefecture on their first trip to Japan.

The visa is valid for 3 years. The duration of the stay must be within 90 days for each entry.

The ministry conveyed its intention to relax the conditions to promote exchanges when the foreign ministers of the two countries met earlier this month.

Officials are considering issuing multiple-entry visas for people with incomes lower than the current criterion if they have visited Japan in the past 3 years.

They are also considering allowing high-income earners to enter Japan even if they don't visit any of the four prefectures.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141124_09.html

Obama greenlights high-skilled immigration; relief for H-1B visa holders, spouses, students

WASHINGTON: Presenting a powerful moral argument that America is and will always be a nation of immigrants, US President Barack Obama announced on Thursday that he would exercise his executive prerogative to protect nearly four million undocumented immigrants from deportation while streamlining procedures to retain in the US skilled foreign tech students and workers, many of whom are from China and India.

In a 15-minute prime time address to the nation, Obama invoked some of the most fundamental ideals of the United States to make his case, reminding those who opposed immigration that, "We were strangers once, too."

"Whether our forbears were strangers who crossed the Atlantic, or the Pacific or the Rio Grande, we are here only because this country welcomed them in and taught them that to be an American is about something more than what we look like or what our last names are, or how we worship," he told Americans, many of who have forgotten they were immigrants too.

While the President's executive orders will largely pertain to an estimated 4.1 million undocumented parents of US-born children (and therefore citizens) and about 300,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US illegally as children, he also announced broad procedural changes that will make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to the American economy in a transparent effort to maintain US edge over other nations.  According to a factsheet issued by the White House, the President will act to provide portable work authorization for high-skilled workers waiting their Legal Permanent Residency (LPR, also called green cards), including to their spouses. Under the current system, employees with approved LPR applications are often in limbo while waiting for the process, which can take several years, to conclude, unable to switch jobs or cities or even marry.

The factsheet says the Department of Homeland Security will make regulatory changes to allow these workers, usually on H-1B visas, to move or change jobs more easily. DHS, it said, is also finalizing new rules to give certain H-1B spouses employment authorization as long as the H-1B spouse also has an approved LPR application. Tens of thousands of Indian H1-B workers and their spouses are expected to benefit from this.The executive order will also strengthen and extend on-the-job training for STEM graduates of US universities in an effort to keep them in the US. "In order to strengthen educational experiences of foreign students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at US universities, DHS will propose changes to expand and extend the use of the existing Optional Practical Training (OPT) program and require stronger ties between OPT students and their colleges and universities following graduation," the factsheet said. There are more than 100,000 Indian students in the US, nearly 70 per cent of them in STEM courses.

The proposal stops well short of "stapling a green card to a foreign student's US degree" that some votaries wanted, but it points to more breathing room for graduating students, many of whom are forced to return home if they have not snagged a job within the year-old OPT timeframe. The President's long-time gripe, fueled by high-tech immigration advocates like Bill Gates and Vivek Wadhwa, has been that foreign students trained in the US often return home to start businesses because of the broken immigration system that does not keep them in the US to contribute to the American economy.

The executive order will also direct DHS will expand immigration options for foreign entrepreneurs who meet certain criteria for creating jobs, attracting investment, and generating revenue in the US, "to ensure that our system encourages them to grow our economy." DHS will clarify its guidance on temporary L-1 visas for foreign workers — used by a number of Indian companies — who transfer from a company's foreign office to its US office. The Labor Department will take regulatory action to modernize the labor market test that is required of employers that sponsor foreign workers for immigrant visas while ensuring that American workers are protected.

The President's announcement brought mixed reaction in the Indian/South Asian/Asian circles that had felt there was too much emphasis on the illegal or undocumented immigration from the Hispanic world as opposed to the largely legal workforce from Asia caught in limbo because of procedural wrangles and archaic rules.

"The proposed executive order could provide relief for over 4 million undocumented aspiring Americans, including tens of thousands — if not more — South Asians. Coupled with proposals to expand available visas and address long wait times for many immigrants, this relief is welcome news to South Asians nationwide as we continue to work toward a legislative solution," said Suman Ranganathan, executive director of organisation SAALT, for Strengthening South Asian Communities in America.

But Congressman Mike Honda, re-elected recently from Silicon Valley, felt it did not go far enough. "There are many areas needed for true immigration reform that this executive action does not immediately address, including the backlog of visa petitions filed by citizens and green card holders, an increase in H-1B visas that attract the top business and tech talent to Silicon Valley and the nation, and reducing the employment visa backlog," he said, adding, "Our businesses need to be able to attract high-skilled workers from around the globe to stay competitive and improve our economy; and those workers need a way to have their families join them in America." Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-greenlights-high-skilled-immigration-relief-for-H-1B-visa-holders-spouses-students/articleshow/45226976.cms  

US President Barack Obama's announcement on Thursday that he would exercise his executive powers to pass the immigration reform law, has brought some cheer for Indians in the US too.

The most important announcement that the US president made concerns thousands of Indians who are in America waiting on long green card queues and their families. According to the new guidelines, portable work authorization will now be provided to high-skilled workers awaiting lawful permanent resident (LPR ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45230441.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

US President Barack Obama's announcement on Thursday that he would exercise his executive powers to pass the immigration reform law, has brought some cheer for Indians in the US too.

The most important announcement that the US president made concerns thousands of Indians who are in America waiting on long green card queues and their families. According to the new guidelines, portable work authorization will now be provided to high-skilled workers awaiting lawful permanent resident (LPR ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45230441.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

US President Barack Obama's announcement on Thursday that he would exercise his executive powers to pass the immigration reform law, has brought some cheer for Indians in the US too.

The most important announcement that the US president made concerns thousands of Indians who are in America waiting on long green card queues and their families. According to the new guidelines, portable work authorization will now be provided to high-skilled workers awaiting lawful permanent resident (LPR ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45230441.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

US President Barack Obama's announcement on Thursday that he would exercise his executive powers to pass the immigration reform law, has brought some cheer for Indians in the US too.

The most important announcement that the US president made concerns thousands of Indians who are in America waiting on long green card queues and their families. According to the new guidelines, portable work authorization will now be provided to high-skilled workers awaiting lawful permanent resident (LPR ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45230441.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Portugal’s visa scandal: Schemes that, in effect, sell visas to rich foreigners come under fire

AMONG the rising number of impoverished European governments that offer residence permits to rich non-Europeans, Portugal has been perhaps the most successful. In return for investments totalling over €1 billion ($1.25 billion), the Portuguese authorities have issued 1,775 “golden visas” in the past two years, four-fifths of them to Chinese investors.

But success turned to scandal on November 13th, when the police detained 11 people, including the head of Portugal’s border agency. The police are understood to suspect that some properties supposedly bought to obtain a golden visa may have gone for far less than the €500,000 minimum the scheme requires; some of the difference may have been used to finance dodgy pay-offs. On November 16th the interior minister, Miguel Macedo, resigned.

The investigation in Portugal could have wider ramifications across Europe, where countries from Greece and Spain to Latvia and Hungary run similar schemes. As in these countries, Portugal was trying to make up for a sharp drop in investment during its economic crisis. Under the scheme, a minimum amount spent buying a property entitles non-European families to live in the country for five years, after which they can apply for permanent residence. Paulo Portas, deputy prime minister and main advocate of the Portuguese scheme, credits it with reviving a moribund property market. Mr Portas is being questioned by a parliamentary committee.

The entire concept of trading residence permits for cash, albeit in the form of property investment, has long been under attack. Ana Gomes, a Portuguese Socialist member of the European Parliament, is calling for an inquiry into golden visas, which she says are “highly conducive to corruption and criminality”. With poor migrants risking their lives daily to enter Europe, she asks if it is morally right to give the well-off unequal treatment. Some left-wingers are calling for Portugal’s scheme to be scrapped.

Neither Mr Macedo nor any other minister is suspected of direct involvement in the deals being looked at by the police, according to the attorney-general’s office. But the case is still an embarrassment for the prime minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, whose government had trumpeted golden visas as a resounding success. The scheme has cost him a minister less than a year before an election. Only a few months ago Portugal triumphantly exited its bail-out programme. Now scandal could tarnish his party.

Source: http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21633854-schemes-effect-sell-visas-rich-foreigners-come-under-fire-buying-their-way

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Canada’s New System better than Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Canada, 19th November: Canada’s new approach to immigration seems to be much better than the earlier one.

How? Lets see here in detail.

Cancellation of Canada Temporary Foreign Worker Program—Canada has already cancelled its highly popular immigration program meant for skilled foreign workers. Under this program, employers could hire foreigners willing to work in Canada for a temporary period of time.

However, this immigration program is not available now as the government has cancelled it. That’s because the program had several loopholes that led to misuse of foreign workers by their employers. As a result, Canada government has eliminated this immigration stream.

<blockquote> Canada’s latest approach to immigration is considered to be far better than the earlier one. </blockquote>

Canada’s new approach—Express Entry—So, its official now. Canada Express Entry is coming to Canada on 1st January, 2015. Express Entry is the answer to almost all the problems found in Canada Temporary Skilled Foreign Worker Program(TSFW) program.

And the best thing about Express Entry is that it opens the door for foreign workers possessing skills and wanting to work in Canada for an indefinite period of time.

So, employers need not be disheartened about the discontinuation of Temporary Foreign Worker Program as the new Canada immigration program—Express Entry—will provide a pool of skilled as well as unskilled foreign workers wanting to come to Canada for working here.

Who can benefit from Canada Express Entry?—Following can benefit from Canada Express Entry—

    Skilled Workers having an offer of job in Canada
    Skilled workers even without an offer of job in Canada
    PNP(Provincial Nominee Program).

Aim of Canada Express Entry is to offer right jobs to right workers for working in Canada. And Canada government is going to ensure smooth functioning of Express Entry by reserving almost all of the entries of 2015 on previous applicants.

An employer in Canada is allowed to hire a skilled foreign worker if any Canadian possessing the required skills is not found for the job. The good thing is that there is no annual quota for such Canada immigration. That’s something great.

Employers wishing to hire unskilled workers can use the following—

Provincial nomination agreements between Canada provinces and territories and Canada for allowing immigration of workers. Canada Express Entry process will have Labor Market Impact Assessments as a vital tool for knowing if a foreign worker can be allowed to come and work in Canada or not.

Source: http://www.canadaupdates.com/canadas-new-system-better-temporary-foreign-worker-program/

Pick-Up Artist Julien Blanc To Be Denied Visa

One woman says controversial "dating coach" Julien Blanc verbally abused her after she refused to have sex with him.

Pick-up artist Julien Blanc is to be stopped from entering the country after more than 150,000 people signed a petition demanding that the UK deny him a visa.

The American's dating seminars, which encourage what campaigners say is abusive behavior towards women, have sparked international criticism.

The petition says: "To allow this man into the UK legitimises sexual assault and predation, and sends a message that women are playthings or objects without agency."

Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone told Sky News: "All very pleased Mr Blanc will not be coming to our shores."

The 25-year-old instructor, who charges more than £1,000 for sessions, promises to teach men how to manipulate women.

A Canadian woman told Sky News she was verbally abused by Mr Blanc after they were matched on the dating app Tinder.

The woman we are calling "Angie" said the pick-up artist got angry when she stopped chatting with him shortly after he asked her to have sex with him.

"He sent me a pretty nasty message saying I should be thankful he was even talking to me and calling me a whore," she said.

"I would have been in a horrible situation had I actually met up with him and I feel horrible for all the other girls who have met up with and believed the things he told them.

"He just sees women as objects to serve his needs."

Mr Blanc's website, called Pimping My Game, says he can teach "emotionally scarring" and "evil" techniques to help men persuade women to have sex with them against their better judgement.

One video posted online shows Mr Blanc telling people: "In Tokyo, if you're a white male, you can do what you want.

"I'm just romping through the streets, just grabbing girls' heads."

The video also includes footage of him grabbing a woman's head and yanking it towards his crotch.

Mr Blanc was believed to be planning a series of events in the UK for February.

Debating the issue on Sky News, former Loaded editor Martin Daubney said banning Mr Blanc would be counterproductive.

He said: "Why not get him into the country and expose him as the moron he is? Don't make a martyr of a moron."

Dating and life coach Michael Valmont moved to distance the coaching industry from Mr Blanc.

He said: "If you are inspiring a guy to do that, that is not going to bring them any success. It's going to destroy and actually cause more harm to them ... and obviously it's a terrible set of values to be teaching."

Source: http://news.sky.com/story/1376329/pick-up-artist-julien-blanc-to-be-denied-visa

Kim Kardashian India trip cancelled 'over visa issues'

 

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian's India trip has been cancelled over visa issues, according to reports.

Kardashian was set to make an appearance on Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother, on Saturday.

The organisers of her visit confirmed to the BBC that Kardashian would not come to India, but refused to disclose the exact reason behind cancellation. 

Kardashian is a household name in the UK and the US, best known for reality shows and a leaked sex tape.

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and late reality TV star Jade Goody have also appeared on Bigg Boss. 

The Colors channel, which hosts the show, said in a statement on Monday that the 34-year-old Kardashian would appear in Bigg Boss as a "guest to interact with the contestants".

The show is hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and has a huge following in India.

The eighth season of the programme started in October.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30128625

“UNI-VISA” FOR ZIMBABWE & ZAMBIA

Visa news:
Zimbabwe has announced the introduction of a new tourist visa covering a 30-day stay in Zimbabwe and Zambia for a single payment of US$50.
The new “Uni-Visa” is due to be launched on 28^th November 2014.
Citizens of 40 countries are eligible for the visa which will save time and money and will enable much easier travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia (e.g. at Victoria Falls). It will also cover people who want to enter Botswana for day-trips through the Kazangula border.
It is anticipated that in the future the KAZA Visa will be extended to the other three KAZA (Kavango/Zambezi) countries – Angola, Botswana and Namibia.
The new Uni-Visa will be available at Harare, Victoria Fall, Lusaka and Livingstone airports, the Victoria Falls road border (Zimbabwe/Zambia) and the Kazungula road border (Zimbabwe/Zambia/Botswana).
Where is it vailable:
ZAMBIA:  Harry Mwaanga Airport (Livingstone), Victoria Falls Land Border, Kazangula Land Border (border with
                       Botswana) Kenneth Kaunda Airport (Lusaka)
ZIMBABWE:  Victoria Falls Airport, Victoria Falls Land Border,  Kazangula Land Border (border with Botswana),
                       Harare Airport
 What is the benefit”
Tourists save time and money because they only have to obtain one visa to visit both countries.
And the cost?  US$ 50 per person per entry
How long does it last?  
Up to 30 days as long as you remain within Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also covers those who visit Botswana for day trips for the Kazungula borders.
 Who is eligible:  Citizen of 40 countries, which coincide with those who are eligible to receive Visas on arrival in both Zambia and Zimbabwe, Namely:  Argentina, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Britain (UK), Brunei, Burundi, Canada, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israil, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal Peurto Rico, Russia, Rwanda, Slovakia Republic, Slovenia Republic, Spain, Switzerland, U.A.E, Uruguay & the USA

Source: http://www.xasafaris.com/new-uni-visa-zimbabwe-zambia

Pick-up artist Julien Blanc will be refused Brazilian visa, foreign ministry says

 Brazil has said it will deny a visa application from an American "pick-up artist" who was forced out of Australia last week after a social media campaign against his methods of teaching men to seduce women.

In a statement, Brazil's foreign affairs ministry said there were "enough elements'' about Julien Blanc's background to deny him a visa.
Blanc teaches men to seduce women using techniques that include choking and intimidation.
The 25-year-old, from US-based group Real Social Dynamics (RSD), was forced to leave Australia after his visa was cancelled in the wake of protests against his workshops in Brisbane and Melbourne.
About 10,000 people had signed a petition urging Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to ban the self-proclaimed dating guru.

ccording to RSD's website, bootcamp workshops in Brazil are scheduled in Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis in January, at a cost of $2,500 per participant.
Brazil's foreign affairs ministry said Mr Blanc had not applied for a visa, but Brazilian consulates around the world have been instructed to immediately contact the ministry if he does.
"It's very positive that the Brazilian government is reacting to this and saying this guy is not welcome here,'' said Leila Reboucas, from feminist organisation CFEMEA.
"We can't just accept it and call it freedom of expression, because it's not."
In videos of his workshops on YouTube, Mr Blanc advocates using physical aggression and emotional abuse to convince women to have sex.
One of his pick-up techniques to "open" a woman is to approach the target and choke her before covering her mouth to keep her quiet.

Petitions call for Blanc boycott

Mr Blanc shared a pie-chart designed to educate victims of domestic violence about the behaviours of abusers, promoting it as a cheat-sheet of his techniques.
The chart, published on his Facebook profile, shows "power and control" in the centre, and slices describing how to "use coercion and threats, use intimidation, use emotional abuse, use isolation, deny, blame and minimise, use children, use economic abuse, use male privilege".

One of Julien Blanc's methods of attracting women includes choking strangers.

Brazil is the latest country to join a wave of international backlash against Mr Blanc since details of his dating advice techniques emerged earlier this month.
An online petition on campaigning organisation Avaaz urging the Brazilian government to deny Mr Blanc a visa collected 280,000 signatures in just two days.
The UK and Canada are also considering banning Blanc from their territories. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition urging home secretary Theresa May to ban his entry into the UK.
"To allow this man into the UK legitimises sexual assault and predation, and sends a message that women are playthings or objects without agency," said the petition.
In Canada, about 50,000 have signed the petition "Keep Julien Blanc and Real Social Dynamics out of Canada".
Mr Blanc and RSD have not responded to emailed requests for comment.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-14/brazil-will-deny-visa-to-woman-choking-pick-up-artist/5891556

Bradford ex-councillor's family jailed for visa scam

 

Five members of a family - led by a former Bradford city councillor - have been jailed for immigration fraud.

Khadham Hussain, 62, a ward councillor between 2004 and 2006, was linked to about 100 fraudulent visa applications.

He and his wife Zahida Parveen, three sons Adnan, Gibran and Adam Ashraf, and nephew Numan Shafi were all found guilty at Bradford Crown Court of conspiring to defraud.

Parveen, 53, is to be sentenced on 4 December at the same court.

The family produced and sold forged documents, which were then submitted by others as part of their visa applications to the Home Office.

Hussain and his family were arrested in September 2012, a year after investigators were alerted to their activities.

'Cheat' the system Craig Swanston, from Home Office Criminal Investigations, said the sentences came at "the end of a complex investigation into the criminal activities of a Bradford-based organised crime group led by Khadam Hussain".

"His gang, which included members of his family, used fraudulent practices to cheat our immigration system and facilitate the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the UK," he said.

He said the sentences "reflect the gravity of these offences, and this gang are now paying the price for their criminality".

Hussain, of Box Tree Close, was a Conservative councillor in the City Ward and was jailed for nine years.
Ashraf, 36, of Northcroft Rise; Shafi, 26, of Hilton Road, and Gibran Hussain, 26, of Box Tree Close, were given seven-year sentences on Thursday.

Adnan Hussain, 31, of Hilton Road, was jailed for seven years and three months after admitting a benefit fraud offence.

source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bradford-west-yorkshire-30056189

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Visa on arrival spurs tourist traffic

 
New Delhi, Nov 13: Tourist arrivals in India grew 41.5 percent in October with 2,705 granted visa on arrival, up from 1,911 in October last year. ”During January to October 2014, a total number of 21,995 visa-on-arrivals (VoAs) were issued as compared to 15,770 during the corresponding period in 2013, a growth of 39.5 percent,” the tourism ministry said.
The government launched the visa-on-arrival scheme in January 2010 for citizens of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore visiting India for tourism. The scheme was extended to Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011. South Korea has been added to the list.

Source: http://us.india.com/news/india/visa-on-arrival-spurs-tourist-traffic-193263/

Visa rules no bar to post-study work, says Greg Clark

The chair of the Russell Group has warned that immigration “rhetoric” in the UK is damaging universities’ ability to attract overseas students.
Sir David Eastwood, the University of Birmingham vice-chancellor, part of a delegation to India this week on a government visit, also said that UK universities should focus on “mature, partnership relations” overseas rather than simply on student recruitment.
Greg Clark, the universities and science minister, meanwhile said he would use the trip to “clarify some of the misunderstandings” about the UK’s immigration policy.
UK universities have seen a dramatic fall in Indian student numbers, which many in the sector attribute to the government’s decision in 2012 to abolish post-study work visas.
Sir David said that Birmingham had “bucked that trend”, with Indian student numbers at the institution “up 5 per cent this year”.
But asked if government immigration policy was to blame for the fall in Indian student numbers more generally, Sir David said post-study work visas were an issue “and we need to move towards a more permissive position there”.
“In terms of the realities for study, it’s not more difficult to get a visa to study in the UK than, say, in Australia. But we haven’t been helped by some of the rhetoric which surrounds our visa position, as distinct from the reality.”
He said that it was also important for UK universities to talk “about partnership, about development”, not just recruitment.
Mr Clark was expected to announce collaboration agreements for education and science during the three-day visit, and to give a speech to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry that would “address some of the concerns” about government policy.
He told Times Higher Education that stricter visa rules were not an obstacle to post-study work, arguing that Indian students who had found a reasonably paid job would find it “straightforward” to stay in the UK.
“There may be a perception that that’s difficult and uncertain, but I want to send a message that they can, with confidence, come and expect to work afterwards,” he added.

Source: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/visa-rules-no-bar-to-post-study-work-says-greg-clark/2016913.article

PM announces new 24 hour visa service - UK

As the Prime Minister arrives in Australia for the annual G20 summit where he is expected to meet with around thirty global CEOs at the B20, Downing Street has unveiled plans to extend its successful 24 hour visa service to more business leaders, investors and wealthy tourists as part of the Government’s efforts to support British businesses and to deliver our plan to secure the long-term economic recovery.
The Super Priority Visa Service – already on offer in China and India – ensures a decision on a visa application within 24 hours, removing lengthy bureaucratic hurdles which many businesses fear put off possible business travellers, investors and rich tourists and pushes them towards countries with a simpler service.
The expansion will be rolled out by April 2015 to more countries - with G20 members Turkey and South Africa topping the list of seven which also includes the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, the Philippines and visa processing centres in New York and Paris. The additional cities have been picked due to high demand from businesses and high value travellers.
Welcoming the roll-out of the service, the Prime Minister said:

As part of our long-term economic plan, we are determined to do everything we can to back business, support investment and create jobs.
We are already taking action on that front including cutting corporation tax to the lowest rate in the G7 but we’ve got to keep listening to business about what more we can do to support them. And this new 24 hour service is another way we can help – it will persuade more business travellers, investors and tourists to visit Britain, to trade with Britain and to expand in Britain.

This is good news for British business and tourism, helping us to build a more resilient economy and secure a brighter future for Britain.

Additional information about the 24 hour visa service

Each visa application will cost £600 above normal charges, the same fee charged in India and China where demand has been averaging 50-60 applications per month and over 100 per month respectively.
All applicants must meet the strict requirements of our immigration rules and applying for a visa to enter the UK through the 24 hour service does not in any way guarantee a visa application will be successful.
The UK already offers customers an excellent visa processing service and these changes will help to ensure the service remains competitive. Other recent improvements include:

• Expanding the priority visa (3-5 day) services to over 100 countries.
• Improving visa application centres and offering them in more locations across the world.
• Extending opening hours at visa application centres and adding premium lounges.

WA school fee exceptions revealed for 457 visa holders - Australia

Around 750 families on 457 visas will be exempt from a $4,000 fee to send a child to a West Australian public school.

The exemptions were revealed as the State Government announced its long-awaited hardship provisions for the more than 3,300 families affected by the new charges from next year. Under the hardship arrangements, families earning less than $75,000 a year will not have to pay.

Education Minister Peter Collier said the Government should have considered the issue more carefully.

"It's not ideal. It's certainly not. And I think in retrospect we certainly would have done it differently, quite frankly," he said.

"We needed much more forensic analysis of the number of students that we had first of all.

"And also take into consideration the fact that a number of the 457 visa holders were in fact earning wildly divergent income levels."

More than 2,600 families are expected to pay the new fee, delivering about $10 million into the Government's coffers.

"There are around 3,305 families at this stage that will be captured by the school fees," Mr Collier said.

"Of that, around 750 will be exempt."

Families can also seek relief from the fees due to exceptional circumstances, such as illness or unemployment.

They will be required to approach the Department of Training and Workforce Development to seek an exemption.

source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-13/school-fee-exceptions-announced-for-457-visa-holders/5889510

UK marriage visa rules 'must change' after Derbyshire couple forced to live apart

 

A solicitor has said rules on UK marriage visas need to be more flexible after a couple who both work have been forced to live apart.

Sarah Mason Smith from Derbyshire does not earn enough to meet the £18,600 threshold to allow her American husband to live in the UK.

Brent Smith's income alone more than meets the threshold and, they say, he could work remotely in the UK.
The BBC asked the Home Office for a comment but it has not responded.

'Hands tied' The government brought in new rules in July 2012 which meant only British citizens who earn an £18,600-a-year salary for six months can sponsor their non-European spouse's visa.

The couple, both 28, married in August but Mr Smith returned to Kansas on Sunday before his marriage visitor visa expired. Ms Mason Smith, a graduate who works as a support worker for an autism charity, said she may have to find a new career so her husband can live with her in Idridgehay.

"I feel like may hands are tied. I'm doing a job that benefits society. I feel like I'm doing my bit but my husband can't be here living with me."

She said they planned the wedding before they knew the technicalities of the law and had planned to live in the UK afterwards.

Mr Smith said: "Even if she found a new job tomorrow it would be eight or nine months before we could be together, apart from a holiday."

'Too rigid'
 
The couple's immigration solicitor Rachel Harvey said Mr Smith could do his £20,000-a-year job as a social media manager remotely in the UK.

"There's nothing to stop the government being more flexible," she said.

"The specified evidence requirement is so rigid that you cannot take anyone else's finances into account from overseas.

"I've had extremely high-earning individuals of foreign nationality who can do their jobs from here and they cannot count their salaries. That's the hardest thing to explain to clients."

The Home Office was asked for a comment but did not respond.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-30036879

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US-China extend visa validation for students, visitors

Starting today, Chinese visitors and students to the US will be granted visas valid for up to 10 years after US President Barack Obama announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Beijing this week an agreement between the two countries that aims to strengthen economic and “people-to-people” ties.

The agreement will see the validity of short-term tourist and business visas extended from one to 10 years and student and exchange visas from one to five years for citizens from both countries.

Education professionals in both the US and China welcome the move saying it will facilitate education exchange between the countries for students, scholars and their families.

Until now, students have been required to renew their visas annually through scheduled consular appointments forcing them to travel home every 12 months.

In addition to creating convenient visa policy, Ken Reade, Director of International Student & Scholar Services in the International Programs Office at the University of Massachusetts Amherst said the announcement will reduce “numerous delays” Chinese students and scholars encounter as a result of background security checks during each consular process.

“Such security clearance delays have caused enormous difficulties over the years, resulting in countless instances of late arrivals to campus, missed coursework, and postponed and delayed research activities,” he told The PIE News.

He added that a five year visa duration will improve mobility for Chinese students and scholars who travel to third countries beyond the United States for international study, research and professional academic opportunities.

According to Tao Sun, COO of New Oriental Vision Overseas Consulting, more fluid exchange between the countries could also encourage current Chinese students to pursue further studies in the US.

“We see the extension of the student visa from one year to five years as a catalyst for more Chinese students, especially those who are currently studying abroad in the US, to increase their communication and interaction between the two countries, reducing the complexity and barriers for Chinese students as they consider which country to remain in upon graduation,” he told The PIE News.

New Oriental Vision Overseas Consulting is part of New Oriental, the largest private education provider in China, and sends 10,000 Chinese students a year to study in US high schools, undergraduate and graduate programmes.

Sun added that the 10 year visa validation for visitors– the longest validity possible under US law– creates an incentive for Chinese parents to travel to the US to visit campuses as Chinese families increasingly look to send their children to the US at a younger age.

“We see it certainly affecting and influencing this target group,” he said. “Families will have more flexibility to travel the US early on as they make educational decisions, subsequently to visit their children, and possibly to be in the US when their children are in school.

“Overall, this provides the opportunity for more Chinese families to be more attuned to the US, giving them more confidence and transparency in the decision-making process,” he commented.

In 2013, there were 236,000 Chinese students studying at higher education institutions in the United States.

According to The White House, China accounts for 28% of all foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States. In 2013, Chinese students in the US spent US$8 billion, an increase of almost 24% on the previous year.

The US government hopes the action will create enough demand for “hundreds of thousands” of additional jobs and prepare the country for the growing volume of Chinese travellers who consistently rank the US as their top travel destination.

“A competitive visa policy will help us meet projections that suggest as many as 7.3 million Chinese travelers will come to the United States by 2021, contributing nearly $85 billion a year to the economy and supporting up to 440,000 US jobs,” said a White House statement.

Source:  http://thepienews.com/news/us-china-extend-visa-validation-times-students-visitors/

UK announces ‘relaxed’ visa regulations

Cape Town - South Africans in possession of an Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US visa will no longer be required to have a transit visa to travel through the UK if they arrive and depart on the same day.

The British High Commission announced the “relaxed” regulation on Tuesday, which would mean that from the start of next month, South Africans as well as Swaziland and Lesotho nationals will be exempt from requiring a travel transit visa to the UK. 

British High Commission spokesman Hooman Nouruzi said following a global travel review, the commission had found the visas of the listed countries to be compliant with UK visa regulations.

 

“Following a global review, (the UK) is satisfied that South Africans who have an existing visa with those countries may transit through the UK to anywhere in the world without obtaining a direct airside transit visa. We hope this would encourage more people to travel through the UK,” Nouruzi said. 

Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said there was little to celebrate as UK visitors could stay for up to 90 days in South Africa without obtaining a visa, while South Africans needed a visa if they wished to stay the night in London. 

“There is not much to celebrate. “UK citizens still visit South Africa without having a visa, but (South Africans) need a visa to visit the UK, which is not cheap,” Tshwete said. 

Natalia Rosa, spokeswoman for the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (Asata), said when the requirement for South Africans to have a transit visa was implemented three years ago, a significant number of people requested alternative flight routes. Asata had been in lengthy discussions with the UK consulate about the issue. In October, the direct airside transit visa fee set a South African back about R536. 

Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde welcomed the new policy and said South Africa needed to feed off of the strides the UK was making regarding visa regulations. 

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/travel/travel-news/uk-announces-relaxed-visa-regulations-1.1778816#.VGP_FGcQ9k4

Four California students deported from Russia in 'political' visa row

Four students from northern California who travelled to Russia for a leadership conference had their trip cut short and were ordered home after Russian authorities said they had the wrong visas.

Liana Randazzo, 27, and Quygen Ngo, 24, of San Jose, and Jennifer Phan, 21, and Sterling Winter, 18, of Chico, travelled to St Petersburg on 31 October under a grant from an Oakland, California, non-profit to attend a two-week leadership conference.

Immigration authorities and police arrived at the conference unexpectedly on Thursday and demanded to see their visas.

“This was a political statement the Russian government was trying to make,” said Scott Winter, who said his son and the others were interrogated and briefly detained while they were put on trial and fined the equivalent of $110 each.

June Thompson, the executive director of the non-profit, the California Association of Student Councils, said on Tuesday that Russian immigration authorities deported the students, accusing them of having obtained tourist visas when they should have had business visas.

Thompson said she understands that Russia is sensitive to concerns that westerners may come to the country to engage in efforts to teach the locals about political activism that could be seen as encouraging opposition.

“If they get a sense of an American organisation or any foreign money is coming in, then they have to register as a foreign agent,” Thompson said.

US State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, confirmed the four were “briefly detained in St Petersburg before being released” and they were provided “all possible assistance”.

Thompson said the four handled the situation with extraordinary poise and clear thinking. They were returning to the US on Tuesday afternoon and not available for comment.

The conference was being led by the Association of Young Leaders, a Russia-based association that teaches young people leadership skills.

Thompson says none of the students was harmed. They were expected to land at San Francisco international airport on Tuesday.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/11/four-students-california-deported-russia-political-visa-row

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