Immigration

Thailand has introduced an exciting opportunity for digital nomads and remote workers—the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). This five-year multiple-entry visa is designed to attract long-term visitors, providing an excellent alternative to standard tourist visas. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything you need to know about the DTV, including eligibility requirements, costs, and benefits. What is the Destination Thailand Visa? The DTV stands for a multiple-entry visa to the Kingdom of Thailand that includes stays of up to 180 days each calendar year, extendable for another 180 days. It’s a really perfect option for digital nomads who would like to go deep into the dynamic culture of Thailand but maintain their working duties. Cost of the Thailand DTV The DTV is offered at an affordable price of 10,000 THB compared to other similar visas covering the Southeast Asian region. Applicants are required to be at least 20 years old and be able to show proof they have enough money that covers the payment of this visa locally. To be eligible to apply for the DTV, one must satisfy the following requirements: Age: Applicants shall not be less than 20 years old.Financial Stability: Proof of at least 500,000 THB in the bank account to support the whole stay in Thailand.Employment: Proof of employment with a registered company is a must.Visa Fee: Applicants should have sufficient funds for the 10,000 THB visa fee. These requirements are subject to change; hence, an update on any changes in such has to be sought from relevant official sources. Why the DTV? The Destination Thailand Visa offers loads of benefits to digital nomads who move to Thailand.These include: Lower Income Requirements: Compared to other similar visas available in Southeast Asia, the DTV has a far more lenient income requirement coupled with the fees. Remote work for international clients is legal: The visa allows holders to do legal remote work for clients anywhere in the globe. Family-friendly: Holders of this visa can bring along their spouse and children below 20. Tax-free: There are no taxes charged on the income derived from foreign sources during the stay in Thailand. However, such DTV does not permit persons to be employed by Thai companies. Furthermore, any change of visa type shall render the DTV cancelled. Application Process Since the exact process of applying for the DTV has not been specified, the following are some preliminary steps which would be helpful:Verify Eligibility: Ensure that all eligibility criteria are met.Prepare Documents: Have ready all the documents such as proofs of employment and statements from banks, among other proofs.Continue to monitor announcements for any new updates, which are targeted to be issued in July, detailing procedures for application. Conclusion: The Destination Thailand Visa is a super opportunity for all those digital nomads who want to explore Thai culture without giving up productive work. With such an affordable price and relaxed income requirements, not to mention the family-friendliness—no wonder the DTV would remain Blaze’s best-selling product among remote workers. Stay tuned for further updates, and start preparing your application now to make the most of such a unique visa program.

The highly dynamic economy and the entrepreneurial spirit of the United States remain open to new opportunities and have offered unparalleled opportunities to immigrants. With skilled migrants dominating sectors such as IT and technology, entrepreneurs add to innovation and economic growth. This blog explores one pathway by which an entrepreneur can achieve permanent residency in the US by transitioning from an L-1A visa to an EB-5 visa.  Entrepreneurial Impact of Immigrants in the US Illegal immigrants thus don’t only bring about low-skilled labour but also help improve innovation. William Kerr of Harvard Business School estimates that foreign-born individuals represent around 25% of America’s current inventors and entrepreneurs, which is up from only 10% in the 1970s. High-skilled immigration has therefore been crucial to productivity growth in the United States, with its influence accounting for one-third or more of aggregate productivity growth from 1990 to 2010. Immigration also caused an innovation shift to technology centres such as Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco.  Opportunities for Indian Entrepreneurs in the United States It’s a great time for Indian entrepreneurs to start up in the US. The Indian American diaspora is doing well. 4.9 million Indians are now residing in the US, making it by far the most economically successful of all ethnic groups. The median income of an Indian household in the US is about $100.5K, a full two times higher than the median US household income. The thriving community is coupled with the good perception that exists towards Indians in America, hence providing an organic environment for new entrepreneurs.  The Pathway: L-1A Visa to EB-5 Visa Starting a business in the US and working towards permanent residency can be effectively done using an L-1A visa and then making a successful step to an EB-5 visa.  About the L-1A Visa  The L-1A visa is available to multinational companies as a type of US work visa. It helps them transfer their executives and managers to their US offices. Applicants must have been employed overseas with the foreign company for at least one year in the last three years at either a managerial or executive level. One of the major positives for the L-1A visa is the speed at which one can be granted, in as few as 15 days with premium processing. The L-1A visa is a dual-intent visa with a maximum period of seven years, after which holders of this visa can apply for permanent residency using the EB-5 programme without jeopardising their current visa status.  The EB-5 Programme  The EB-5 visa is a job creation programme that offers qualified immigrant investors an avenue to permanent residency, a Green Card, in the US. Indian holders of the L-1A visa will be able to transition to an EB-5 visa, putting them on the road towards permanent residency. Requirements for an EB-5 visa dictate that immigrant investors must have invested at least $1.05 million, providing job opportunities for at least 10 full-time US workers. In rural areas or areas of high unemployment, this investment drops to $800,000, a route many prefer.  Why Transitioning is a Smart Move  This makes the step-down from an L-1A to an EB-5 visa quite palatable for Indian entrepreneurs. It is far easier to sustain a small business under the EB-5 programme than under the L-1A visa, with its more cumbersome hiring mandate. A U.S. company on an L-1A visa has to hire a certain number of employees within a specified period, which a small business may find hard to cope with. Failure to comply may result in the denial of L-1A extensions. One such benefit is that an EB-5 visa expands operations with the minimum complication of having to hire or assign employees mandatorily.  Making It Easy: Using Regional Centres to Meet EB-5 Requirements  Regional centres offer the easiest route for an immigrant investor to fulfil the EB-5 visa requirements. These regional centres pool their money in projects providing for the required ten jobs so that there is no such burden on the foreign business investors and instead rely on economic modelling to meet the requirements of the EB-5 rogram.  Other Advantages of the EB-5 Visa  In fact, immigrant investors who apply for an EB-5 visa can take advantage of Advanced Parole and an Employment Authorization Document upon submitting the petition. Advanced Parole will permit the alien to travel for a short or medium period without affecting his or her visa status, while the EAD will give him or her unrestricted work rights to get a social security number and open a bank account. Such benefits will accrue to the investor, provided there are available visas after a successful adjustment of status application.  Steps to Transition to EB-5: Get an L-1A Visa: Establish your business in the US and meet the hiring requirements to hold on to L-1A status.Apply for an EB-5 visa. File for an EB-5 visa within the first few months of attaining L-1A status to get maximum benefits and to ensure a smooth transition.Use Regional Centres: Make use of regional centres to meet the requirements for an EB-5 visa and to pave a smooth way through the process.  Conclusion  Starting and running a business in the US that offers eventual permanent residency is quite a workable and highly rewarding avenue for Indian entrepreneurs. It enables quick entry into the country through the L-1A visa and subsequently the use of an EB-5 visa to tap into strong American financial infrastructure, combined with robust market opportunities. Though complex, the journey has real advantages when thoughtfully navigated.

The Government of Canada has announced strict regulations in a move to protect international students from misuse of study permits. According to the proposal, such new regulations will have an increased system whereby monitoring and tracking of the status of enrollment, as well as the conditions of study permits for international students, will take place to ensure that the procedure is more safe and secure. This blog explains what exactly these proposed regulations are and what they mean for international students coming to Canada. New Regulations Put Forth to Monitor Study Permits Where institutions or colleges cannot adequately verify the enrollment of international students attending college or university in that country, the Canadian government will stop processing study permits. This will mandate colleges and universities to report to the federal Immigration Department regarding a student’s attendance and compliance with study permits. Key Changes under New Regulations Mandatory Reporting by DLIs: State whether students are enrolled and adhering to regulations governing study permits by designated learning institutions. New Study Permits for Transfer of Schools: A student is required to obtain a new study permit for transfer of schools prior to the start of their new study programme. Verification of LOA: DLIs must verify the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) submitted with the application. Processing the Application: Applications for study permits shall not be processed when a DLI does not verify the student’s acceptance. The application, along with all supporting documents and fees, is returned to the student. Accompanying Family Members: The accompanying family members of the student would not be required to have LOA verification if their permit applications are approved to enter Canada before their application, but then while changing their status to study, to attend a post-secondary DLI, they would be required to have a verified LOA. Consequences for Foreign Students The new regulations Explicitly and only apply to post-secondary DLIs and foreign students attending the institutions. The critical points for such implications are Continuous Enrollment: A student who obtains a study permit is expected to be enrolled continuously at the learning institution indicated on the permit to complete a course of study. Off-Campus Work: The current 20-hour threshold for off-campus work during a regular academic session will be increased to 24 hours per week. Invalid Study Permits: When a holder is no longer enrolled at the DLI shown on the permit, then a study permit is automatically considered invalid. Measurement of Compliance and Transparency Responsibilities for the administration of the International Student Programme are shared by IRCC and the provinces and territories of Canada. One of the critically new features of the proposed regulation is that it would impose an obligation on DLIs to report on compliance regularly to the IRCC. The institutions shall respond to requests made to them within the prescribed time limit and in the form and manner set out in the regulation. The Effect on Indian Students Over the years, many students from Punjab who went to Australia seeking education based on admission letters provided by fraudulent middlemen were cheated. Only when these students sought to apply for permanent residency status did they come to know about the cheating. The new rules are aimed at preventing such scams and rehabilitating students from fraud. Current statistics and trends As of December 2023, international students have crossed the mark of ten lakh in Canada. In 2022 alone, Canada admitted 5.5 lakh new students from 184 countries. The contributions of 2.2 lakh new students came from India. There was a drastic fall in the number of Indian students in 2023, where the number of study permit applications processed between July and October dropped by 40 percent as compared to the corresponding time in 2022. Conclusion These new regulations on study permits within Canada are needed to protect the safety and welfare of international students in the country. The government, through its tightening of monitoring processes and stricter compliance with DLIs, has ushered in a much more secure and transparent atmosphere for international education. Keep yourself posted about these changes to gain clear thinking when studying in a country of opportunity like Canada.

The Canadian federal government has continued to escalate the crackdown on employers who breach the TFWP rules with $2. 1 million in AMPs in 2023. Thus, the role of the TFW Programme in Canada continues to be essential in meeting labour and skill demands where Canadians and permanent residents do not apply. The programme is implemented by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to make sure that temporary foreign workers are safeguarded during their stay in the country, as the government stated. In the previous financial year, ESDC facilitated 2,122 inspections in the TFW programme, and only 94% of employers were non-compliant. However, non-compliant employers had $2.1 million in AMPs, which represents an increase of 36% over the previous fiscal year. Also, there was an increase in the number of employers that were barred from the programme, from seven in the previous year to twelve this year. Those that fail to implement the changes are displayed on the IRCC website for the public to see. Notable violations included: A food service employer is to be given a $152,000 fine and is to serve a two-year ban for unjust hiring practices and an unfavourable working environment. An employer in the agriculture sector was penalised $46,000 and prohibited for five years from providing employment for violations of document submission and false job descriptions. A transport sector employer was ordered to pay a penalty of $135 000 and a disqualification for a period of 10 years for failure to provide and ensure an environment free from abuse and/or to provide necessary documents. To improve the employer compliance regime, the Canadian government has set aside $48 million for two years, beginning in 2023-2024. This funding is used to hire more inspectors, sustain a worker protection tip line, contact and educate employers and consulates, and put into action fast response programmes related to any emergent worker safety issues. The TFW Programme’s compliance inspections are intended to identify whether requirements of the programme are being met and whether consequences for non-compliance can affect worker safety, wages, and working conditions. AMPs and programme bans can be imposed for violations that fall under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). A confidential tip line with round-the-clock service and multilingual live agents during extended hours aids workers in reporting abuse or mistreatment. An online feature is also provided for reporting suspected abuse or programme misuse. This partnership remains active to enhance the programme and ensure temporary foreign workers in Canada are protected.

As per the Denmark New Immigration Rules, international students now have the right to work 90 hours in a month or full time during June, July and August. Pursuant to these new regulations, foreign students are entitled to work part time as from July 1, 2024. In addition, there are changes in stay and work permits for students where there will be new and valuable propositions. For the academic year 2024-2025 onwards all the students who are issued part-time work permits can work up to ninety hours per month and full-time during the summer months of June, July and August. The right to work freely with a residence permit Starting on July 1, 2024, the work permit is not required for foreigners who have received a residence permit in the territory of the Republic of Latvia. It means that foreigners holding a valid residence permit under the authorization scheme can begin working on July 1, 2024, without the need to apply for a separate work permit for employment. As such, a foreigner with a residence permit does not require a work permit, even if he or she secures a job.  A residence permit enables you to lawfully reside in Denmark as long as your permit is still valid. Additionally, a permit allows you to stay in the Schengen area for at most 90 days within any 180-day period. However, this permit does not allow one to seek employment in other Schengen Area nations.  More Jobs on Offer  It has also amended the positive lists that were in operation as of July 1, 2024. Further, more positions have been included in the lists, and the present Positive List for People with a Higher Education contains 141 job titles, whereas the Positive List for Skilled Work contains 61.The positive list for people with a higher education means that you have been given a job that is on the positive list of employment shortage occupations in Denmark. It is the same as the Positive List for Skilled Work, as it means that you have been offered a job that is on the list of skilled employment shortages in Denmark. It is also possible to apply for a residence and work permit as a social and healthcare worker through the Positive List for Skilled Work.  New rules regarding the family reunification of spouses are established. The new rules regarding reunification of spouses have been effective as of July 1, 2024. For one, the bill contains a change requirement where the spouse in Denmark has to have passed Prøve i Dansk 3 or another Danish test at the level or above for the couple to integrate. This requirement can now also be met by the spouse in Denmark by proving that the person has been in ordinary full-time employment for 5 years, which has greatly involved the use of the Danish language. Furthermore, the bill provides that the financial guarantee requirement, which in some cases has to be fulfilled to be allowed to reunify spouses within the meaning of Article 8, will be lowered from approximately DKK 114,000 to DKK 57,000.According to the proposal submitted after April 11, 2024, applicants who previously failed to qualify for family reunification of spouses due to not meeting the current financial guarantee requirement or the current language requirement shall be allowed to submit a new application for family reunification of spouses.

Thinking of an immediate and cheap acquisition of citizenship? Find out more about Vanuatu citizenship, also known as second passports for sale without residence. This South Pacific nation provides a seemingly ideal solution. Why Vanuatu Citizenship?  Vanuatu is now famous for its fast and cheap Citizenship by Investment Program. Unlike Cyprus and Malta, where one has to spend more time and money, Vanuatu is a programme that can be processed within a few weeks to get a second citizenship. For those who want to avoid the attention of tax services or want to make the management of global companies easier, Vanuatu is an excellent option. Key Points:  Quick Processing: Vanuatu’s application processing is fast. The applicants can get their new passports within 7 weeks.  Affordable Investment: It is less expensive compared to other similar programmes, such as St. Kitts or Grenada. The investment comes to around ₹1 crore for an individual or ₹1.5 crore for a couple having minor children. The Process: How to Get Vanuatu Citizenship This process starts with at least one year’s stay in the UAE to become non-resident Indians, or NRIs for many Indians and NRIs. This step is very important for those who are planning to abandon their Indian passports. Once an applicant is in Dubai, they can consult a lawyer to begin the Vanuatu citizenship process.  Steps to Citizenship: Initial stay in the UAE: To become an NRI, one must spend one year in the UAE. Legal Assistance: Consult a lawyer in the UAE to begin the Vanuatuan citizenship process. Investment: Make the required investment, which is approximately one-third the cost of a passport from St. Kitts or Grenada. Receive Passport: Once the application is processed, passports are sent through a courier service to the applicant’s address in Dubai. Benefits of Vanuatu Citizenship  Tax Benefits: Vanuatu citizenship prevents paying taxes on worldwide business profits and concealed offshore funds. The Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate of Indians are very strict on the NRI who earns more than ₹15 lakh from India. Vanuatu citizenship can help avoid similar regulations.  Privacy and Asset Protection: Vanuatu does not share information it has on its citizens’ assets with other countries. This means that information about an account in a foreign bank, a trust, or share ownership remains secret, thereby offering a measure of security. Avoiding Litigation: Some of the NRIs invest in Vanuatu citizenship so that they do not fall prey to litigation in India in the future. Through the process of abandoning Indian citizenship and buying a Vanuatu passport, people can block the Indian authorities from accessing overseas property.  Citizenship Switch Planning  To surrender Indian citizenship, one has to plan well. Traditional NRIs largely transfer money back to India as residents and then wire $1 million per family member due to the sale of assets in India. They perform these transfers at the right time so that there are adequate funds to apply for Vanuatu citizenship. Vanuatu: A Temporary Solution?  Some people buy citizenship in Vanuatu in order to get access to a better-quality passport from Malta, Grenada, or Cyprus at some point. They mostly provide the option of holding two or more passports for the same person, which is considered dual citizenship. The short and inexpensive way of obtaining citizenship in Vanuatu makes it appropriate for this purpose. Conclusion  Vanuatu provides you with the opportunity to change citizenship rapidly and cheaply. This island nation simply provides a quick and cheap way to acquire another passport that comes with numerous advantages, such as reduced taxation and safeguarding your assets. In other words, Vanuatu is the right country for those who are looking for instant citizenship.

Venice to increase tourist fee for day trippers in the next year due to low turnout from a pilot programme aimed at paying fewer visitors. At first, the government and the citizens welcomed the new payment system, but it failed to address the problem of depopulating the lagoon city. Venice Tourist Fee Increase: An Overview In April, the council of Venice put new measures into effect, including the possibility of visitors being charged €5 ($5.44) for the day on particularly busy days. This measure was taken with the intention of discouraging some people from visiting the sites and thereby reducing the congestion. The pilot scheme, which took 29 days, will stop on Sunday. This will be followed by a consultation period in order to decide on the fate of the project. Key Points: Initial Impact: Its major pilot study was not very successful. While some days had fewer guests than the corresponding days of the previous year, the most significant decrease in day-trip tourists was not expected. Future Plans: Simone Venturini, the city councillor for tourism and social inclusion, states that this system will be reformatted in 2025 with higher fees and a higher number of paid days. However, it should be noted that the actual fee charge for the year 2025 has not been revealed yet. Mixed Reactions and Future Improvements Support and Criticism:Venturini agreed with the last statement, pointing out that despite the given opportunities, the system had some difficulties, especially in the sphere of enforcement. Some of the fines paid were low since more of the first phase was aimed at raising awareness among the visitors. The scheme was criticised by opposition councillor Giovanni Andrea Martini, who pointed to the permanency of the tourist crowds and violations of the rules as people left the fines unpaid. Martini suggested that the free booking system covering the slots of visitors could reduce crowd issues and avoid leaving lower-income families out of the park. Long-term Goals:From the experiences of the increased flat rate, the main objective would be to avoid day trippers, especially on weekends and holidays when the visitors may go up to 100,000, which doubles the population size. This is where Martini especially insisted on the need to bring back people with permanent residence in Venice. The city has witnessed a rise in the availability and popularity of short-term lets, which do not let long-term residents settle in the city while creating a shortage of the same. The Future of Venice’s Tourism ManagementAs mostly European countries, especially Venice, consider raising the tourist fee, the city governments are more concerned with the efficiency of handling the flow of tourists. In this regard, the argument is made that several key modifications are crucial in order to not only meet the needs of the consumer but also respect the desires of other consumers—the citizens of the respective country. Conclusion This proposed raise in the tourist fee is consistent with the endeavour of Venice to address skyrocketing tourism. Although this pilot project did not report a greater level of success, the city council continues with the firm conviction to work on finding the best solution to the problem of overcrowding and to protect and maintain the identity of Venice. It is seen here that Venice also incorporates the benefits of higher fees and chargeable days to sustain its tourism standards without compromising the living conditions of people in that place.

The United States Department of Homeland Security has come up with a new USA International Entrepreneur Rule for investors all over the world.The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has put in place the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to come to the country. This rule permits noncitizens to remain in the country if they are engaging in entrepreneurial activity that the Minister of Immigration considers to be of benefit to the public. The International Entrepreneur Rule is explained: These include: Eligibility: The new rule will be applicable to those who are residing in a foreign country or even those who are already residing in the U.S. Start-Up Requirements: The start-up must have been created in the past five years in the U.S. and should provide evidence of significant potential for swift growth and job generation in the past five years. Funding Criteria: A minimum of 264,147 US dollars from qualified investors, 105,659 US dollars from government grants, or equivalent evidence of growth. Parole Duration: As for a first parole, it can amount to 2.5 years, renewable for another two years. 5 years where further benchmarks are set, for a maximum total of 5 years. Employment Authorization: The law permits entrepreneurs to work only for their start-up enterprises. However, unlike other dependents, spouses of entrepreneurs can apply for employment authorization while children cannot. Application Process: Applicants to EAM must submit Form I-941, Application for Entrepreneur Parole, with a filing fee of $1,200 and supporting evidence. Persons desiring to engage in business from other countries would have to go to the U.S. embassy or consulate to be processed for parole. Those inside the U.S. will get their travel documents through the post or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Certified candidates are permitted to practice for their start-up without further cumbersome paperwork. They will receive travel documentation instructions depending on the country they prefer to be provided with documents. Ownership and Role Requirements: It is valid to note that the start-up founders must have at least 10% equity in the start-up at the time of application, and they must be actively involved in the central management of the start-up. Start-Up Funding Requirements: Qualified Investment: We estimate that at least $264,147 has been invested by US investors alone. Government Grants: At least $105,659 of government awards granted by the U.S. Alternative Evidence: Supplementary credible proof in case you get only partial funding. That means the entrepreneur, relatives of the entrepreneur, and those with direct or indirect control over the entrepreneur or their relatives may not be considered qualified investors.