Global Headlines: Canada and EU, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom,

 

CETA to Benefit Short-Term Business Visitors and Temporary Foreign.On September 21, 2017, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade agreement between Canada and the EU, came into provisional effect (CETA will take full effect once all EU member states ratify it). Under this new agreement, EU business visitors may enter Canada for up to 90 days out of a 180 day period, and EU contractors in several fields may obtain LMIA exempt work authorization for up to 12 months. CETA does not impact long-term work permits, permanent migration or citizenship.

Visa-Free Travel to Taiwan for Qualified Nationals of Southeast Asia. Nationals of the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos may now apply for free Travel Authorization Certification (TAC) if they intend to visit Taiwan for tourism or a short visit. To be eligible, the applicant must meet several requirements. Applications for a TAC can be completed online.

Turkey Suspends All Non-Immigrant Visa Services to U.S. Citizens. Over the weekend, the US Embassy in Turkey announced it would be halting the processing of non-immigrant visas in Turkey, explaining that the U.S. Government needs to “assess the commitment” of the Turkish Government “to the security of our diplomatic facilities and personnel.” Previously issued U.S. visa stamps for Turkish citizens will remain valid.

In response, using nearly identical language, Turkey announced it would suspend all non-immigrant visa services for U.S. citizens, including applications for visa stamps, e-visas, and border visas. It is unclear at this moment if the Turkish government will revoke existing visas. U.S. citizens with travel plans to Turkey should postpone their trips until further information is made available.

United Kingdom Expands its Registered Traveller Service. Effective October 5, 2017, the United Kingdom (U.K.) expanded its Registered Traveller service to 15 new countries. A total of 40 countries, including the United States, Australia, and Canada, can now benefit from this service. The expanded service also now allows children, aged 0 to 17, to become members, thereby allowing families to travel together more easily. Similar to the U.S. Global Entry program, the Registered Traveller service allows approved frequent visitors a quicker and easier way to enter the U.K. through ePassport gates or the U.K./E.U. passport lane.