Highlights
- India Merges its Person of Indian Origin and Overseas Citizens of India Schemes
- Hong Kong Announces New Immigration Measures for Foreign National Professionals and Entrepreneurs
- Job-Training Visas Now Available in Czech Republic
- Introducing: EIG Insights
India Merges its Person of Indian Origin and Overseas Citizens of India Schemes
India’s government ordinance published on January 6, 2015 amended its Indian Citizenship Act, unifying the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) schemes into one. After the two categories were unified the PIO scheme was withdrawn on January 9, 2015; all previous holders of PIO cards were granted OCI status. These new OCI status holders were also granted lifelong multiple-entry visas as well as exemption from police registration procedures.
Hong Kong Announces New Immigration Measures for Foreign National Professionals and Entrepreneurs
Hong Kong announced its plan to expand the eligibility criteria for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) visa holders and extend the duration of stay for QMAS, General Employment Policy (GEP), and Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) visa holders. GEP and ASMTP visa holders, regarded as top tier entrants, may be granted a six-year extension of stay without other conditions of stay if they meet the experience and income requirements. QMAS visa holders are eligible for top tier status after residing in Hong Kong for two years.
Hong Kong also announced heightened requirements for those applying for visas under the GEP Investment Stream. Executives or partners of start-up businesses applying for GEP visas under the investment stream must prove that their business is supported by a pre-qualified government-backed program. Applications will be closely scrutinized during the review process.
Job-Training Visas Now Available in Czech Republic
The Czech Republic now offers long and short-term visas for job training purposes. Individuals approved for job training visas are not required to obtain work authorization. These visas are available to companies sending third-country nationals to Czech companies or branch offices for job training. Czech companies sponsoring foreign job trainees must submit applications with the Confederation of Industry and Trade detailing the training plan and provide supporting documentation.
Introducing: EIG Insights
Every month we will be featuring an EIG employee and their immigration story on our new blog, EIG Insights. This month’s employee is Diego Rivera, a paralegal on the non-immigrant visa team.
Name Diego Rivera
Position with EIG Paralegal
Where were you born and how did you come to the U.S.
I was born in Colombia. My dad is Italian and my mom is Colombian.
My parents were very active politically in Colombia and were active advocating for the rights of the underprivileged in Colombia. This made them a political target so when I was four we moved to Argentina. We then moved to Miami in 1994, when I was six, and my parents applied for political refugee status in the U.S. Unfortunately, Colombia’s government was friendly with the U.S. at that time so the U.S. government denied their refugee applications three times. I remained in the U.S. throughout my childhood and into my second year in college without a status. . .