Category Archives: Global

Categories Global News & Updates

Singapore Extends Mandatory Quarantine Period

Posted on

The mandatory quarantine period (or Stay-Home Notice) for travelers to Singapore has been extended to 21 days starting on Friday, May 7, 2021 at 11:59 PM. Quarantines must be served at dedicated facilities.

Countries exempt from this order are Australia, Brunei, mainland China, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Macau. This order excludes bilaterally negotiated travel lanes, such as the reciprocal green lane or air travel bubble arrangements.

If you have any questions, please contact your Graham Adair attorney.

Categories Global News & Updates

SINGAPORE: Dependent Pass Holders Will Require Work Passes

Posted on

On 3 March 2021, the Ministry of Manpower published changes that will require Dependent Pass (DP) holders to apply for work passes.

Currently, DP holders who are dependents under an employment pass may be eligible to apply for a letter of consent (LOC) to work in Singapore. The LOC is currently not subject to the criteria for work passes and can be applied for by the employer or appointed employment agent.

Starting 1 May 2021, DP holders will need to have a work pass (EP, S Pass, or work permit) instead of an LOC if they seek to work in Singapore.

The new regulations will apply to any DP holder that seeks employment after 1 May 2021. Any DP holder currently working under an LOC will be allowed to work until the LOC’s expiry. After the LOC expires, the respective employer will need to follow the proper steps to apply for a work pass for the DP holder. Employers hiring DP holders will need to comply with the relevant work pass criteria, such as qualifying salary, dependency ratio ceiling, and/or levies.

If you have any questions, please contact your Graham Adair attorney.

Categories Global News & Updates

CDC Order Requires Negative COVID-19 Test Prior to US Entry

Posted on

Effective January 26, 2021, ALL air passengers traveling internationally to the United States, including US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents, will require a negative COVID-19 viral test within three days prior to departure. Proof of the negative laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) will be required at the time of boarding. If the air passenger has recently recovered from COVID-19, they will be required to provide documentation from a doctor’s office confirming recovery. Any passenger failing to provide the necessary and accurate documentation will be denied boarding.

Important takeaways from the CDC order are the following:

  • Applies to all passengers traveling internationally to the United States regardless of citizenship that are age 2 and older;
  • Passengers must take a viral test within 3 days prior to departure and provide a hard or digital copy of negative COVID-19 laboratory test results;
  • The name listed on the laboratory test results must match the name on the passenger’s passport, must reflect a negative result, and must include the method of testing to ensure it is a viral test.

Currently, the CDC order does not apply to land ports of entry. The new measure is intended to slow the spread of the virus as vaccinations are made available to the public at large. The official CDC press release can be found here.

Globally, several countries have also started to require a negative COVID-19 viral test prior to boarding, including the United Kingdom and Canada, among others. We anticipate that several more countries will follow a similar trend.

Global travelers should check with Graham Adair and their airline prior to international travel.

Categories Global News & Updates

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s Impact on Immigration

Posted on

The UK and EU entered into the Trade and Cooperation Agreement last week, averting a no deal Brexit. The EU will apply the agreement provisionally from January 1, pending ratification, so that the European Parliament can consider the agreement before the EU ratifies it fully. This means the EU will have the opportunity to review whether the UK’s legislation fully implements the agreement.

UK and EU citizens who established EU free movement rights before December 31, 2020 retain them under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement if they have registered their settled status by June 30, 2021.

Visas may be required for travel between the UK and EU for those who have not established EU free movement rights. However, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for visa-free short-term business trips of up to 90 days in any 180 period, if they fall within a limited list of permitted activities.

Our UK partner, Lewis Silkin, has authored an alert that provides more specifics on the impact to immigration.

We are continuing to monitor this situation and will provide updates as they become available.

Categories Global News & Updates

The People’s Republic of China – COVID-19 Update

Posted on

Effective September 28, 2020, The People’s Republic of China, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration, announced that foreign nationals with valid residence permits issued for work, personal matters, or family reunions, will be allowed to enter China without needing to apply for a new visa. Chinese consulates and embassies will be renewing said visas if they have expired after March 28, 2020 provided that the purpose of the foreign national’s visit to China remains unchanged.

This measure is specifically targeting the temporary suspension of entry by foreign nationals holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits issued on March 26, 2020. The partial lifting of the travel ban could signal the start of a different enforcement attitude and a trend towards immigration “normalization” in China.

Graham Adair is closely monitoring all global immigration trends and providing updates as they are received. Please contact your Graham Adair attorney with any case-specific questions.

1 2 3 … 9
Copyright Graham Adair, Inc. 2023