With our mission to uncomplicate the complicated, we’ve always thought of our work in immigration as people-first. Our goal is for these emails to make sense of the changes happening across the world. Please share these updates with your colleagues who may find this information helpful, too.
International Updates
Egypt | The suspension of international passenger flights has been extended until further notice.
Case Update: 720 new cases, 185 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Greece | With summer on the horizon, Greece’s tourism season will restart on June 15, and international flights will gradually resume on July 1.
Case Update: 4 new cases, 2 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
India | The government will allow domestic flights from May 25. As part of the nationwide lockdown, until May 31, Indian visa services are suspended. OCI cardholders outside India cannot travel to India until May 31.
CKGS, in the US, has reopened its online application portal for OCI and Renunciation services only for applicants who fall under the jurisdictions of Atlanta and Houston. CKGS centers in Washington, DC, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco will remain closed until further notice.
Indian visa application centers and services have resumed limited services in Canada, France, Spain.
Case Update: 5,611 new cases, 641 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Israel | The entry ban for non-Israelis entering the country has been extended until May 30. Israelis returning from abroad are required to self-isolate for two weeks.
According to reports, Israel may allow visitors from so-called “green countries” — nations with relatively low rates of infections, and who have cleared health protocols — to enter.
Case Update: 29 new cases, 15 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Morocco | The government extended the nationwide lockdown until June 10.
Case Update: 51 new cases, 9 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Poland | Following policy updates in March and April, the government introduced new special measures on Saturday, May 16. The following are the newest measures now in effect, as the Anti-Crisis Shield 3.0:
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From May 16: it is again possible to submit acceleration requests, and the Immigration Office is allowed to issue adverse decisions in the immigration process.
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From May 23: The deadline to submit an EU registration application (90 days since the last crossing of Polish border) and to complete immigration formalities (e.g., to submit missing documents in pending immigration processes or to complete formalities such as obligatory notifications) resumes. From May 23, the countdown of the deadlines will continue.
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Residence Cards of family members of EU citizens that would expire during the epidemic state will be automatically prolonged until 30 days after the end of the epidemic state.
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Eligible seasonal workers are exempt from work permit requirements until 30 days after the end of the epidemic, provided that they already held a proper work authorization document after March 13, 2020.
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Citizens of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova will be able to apply for Polish national visas in their countries without personal visits to a consulate.
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Employees from the EU or European Economic Area who travel to Poland from another EU country (i.e., without crossing the external EU border) for work will be exempt from the obligatory 14 days of quarantine post entry.
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The Anti-Crisis Shield 3.0 confirms that measures made available to employers (ordering home office, unilateral reduction of working time, unilateral reduction of remuneration during stoppage) may be applied to foreigners without triggering non-compliance with immigration law.
Case Update: 383 new cases, 27 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Qatar | All commercial services, except pharmacies, food stores, and deliveries, will be suspended from May 19 to May 30.
Case Update: 1,637 new cases, 272 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
South Africa | Schools will reopen for students in 7th-12th grade on June 1.
Case Update: 767 new cases, -151 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Spain | Following the government’s extension of the non-essential travel restrictions until June 15, the entry ban doesn’t apply to EU nationals and their dependents or third-country nationals who are:
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Regular residents in the EU, Schengen associated States, or Andorra, and traveling directly to their residence; a Spanish national’s spouse or partner maintaining a similar relationship to the marital status entered into a public registry, their ascendants and descendants depending on them, provided they travel with them or to join them;
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Holders of a long-term visa issued by a Member State or Schengen associated State, traveling to the Member State or Schengen associated State;
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Cross-border workers; healthcare or elderly care professionals to undertake their work activity; personnel engaged in in the transport of goods; members of diplomatic missions and aid workers, and other official duties;
- Traveling for necessary family reasons, traveling for force majeure or necessity, or whose entry is permitted on humanitarian grounds.
Case Update: 431 new cases, 175 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
Ukraine | The government will ease the nationwide lockdown from May 22, allowing hotels and public transportation to resume.
Case Update: 354 new cases, 94 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
The United Arab Emirates | The government will extend the nightly curfew, starting two hours earlier at 8 PM and ending each day at 6 AM. The curfew time changes go into effect on Wednesday until further notice.
Case Update: 1,705 new cases, 1,705 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
The United States | The Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) signed an order to indefinitely extend the policy of strict border enforcement between the US and Canada and Mexico, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The CDC order allows US Customs and Border Patrol to expel anyone who tries to enter the US without authorization, including individuals seeking asylum.
Case Update: 45,194 new cases, 22,381 daily change, Last updated: 2020/5/20, 3:00 PM CEST
In this week’s Erickson Immigration Group Immigration Nerds podcast, we talked to Dan Lyle, an American former rugby union player and current director of AEG Rugby. We talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on international sports, and what a win would look like for teams and their fans in the future.
The Immigration Nerds podcast shares stories at the cross-section of immigration news and policy updates, business, culture, travel, developing trends, and, for now, the coronavirus. If you have stories to share, we want to hear from you.
We will continue to send updates daily or as more COVID-19-related news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or in past updates or want to hear more about a different topic, just reply to let us know. If you have specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.