COVID-19 Global Mobility Update
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COVID-19 Global Mobility update 23 -30 September 2020 Dear all, Please find below our most recent Mobility related global updates specifically related to the COVID-19 crisis and current guidance or measures that different countries are putting into place. If you have any questions on below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Updates by country: Bahrain Brazil China Columbia Dominican Republic El Salvador France Germany Hong Kong Iraq Italy Kazakhstan Kenya Malaysia New Zealand Singapore Taiwan Thailand United Kingdom Combating COVID-19 with resilience Visit our Deloitte COVID-19 webpage to see a collection of Global Deloitte insights to help businesses manage and mitigate the risk associated with COVID-19. Colombia - Migration Colombia services available once again What is the change? Colombian migration authorities announced some immigration services are available once again. Starting on Sept. 21, foreign nationals may apply for permits and visas. All applications require appointments and delays should be expected. Key Points: Individuals can apply for a foreign national ID card, visa registration for adults and children, certificate of migratory movements, a salvoconducto (temporary permit,) Special Permit for the Promotion of Formalization to stay (PEP-FF) and Temporary stay permit (PTP) for extensions of stay in Colombia. From Sept. 21 until Dec. 15, the following documents will be expedited: foreign national ID card, visa registration for adults and children, certificate of migratory movements, salvoconducto (temporary permit) and Special Permit for the Promotion of Formalization to stay. Foreign nationals who have expired visas have until Oct. 21 to apply for a salvoconducto (temporary permit.) Terms for PIP (Permission to Enter and Stay) permits will resume for foreign nationals who were granted that permit upon arrival in Colombia. Services from BIOMIG and Automatic Migration are now available. For months, immigration services in Colombia have been mostly halted, with limited exceptions because of the COVID-19 pandemic Back to top Dominican Republic - Negative COVID-19 test no longer required for entry What is the change? The Dominican Republic has dropped a COVID-19 testing requirement for those entering the country. Up until recently, all people entering the country were required to carry test results with them or have administered at the airport if they were not tested prior to travel. Key points: Negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) no longer required for entry. Travelers are still subject to other COVID-19 health screenings, including temperature checks, at the airport. Any person leaving the Dominican Republic may be asked to fill out the following health declarations and customs forms: Passenger Locator Form (English/Spanish); Traveler Health Affidavit (English/Spanish); Traveler Instructive Commitment (English/Spanish.) The Dominican Republic extended its state of emergency until Oct. 18 and curfew until September 27. The curfew is strictly enforced and is different in each city. Travelers must carry their airline ticket, travel itinerary and passport while en route to and from an airport. Anyone visiting immigration centers should be prepared to follow health protocols currently in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. Back to top Bahrain - Visa on arrival services resume What is the change? Bahrain has resumed visa on arrival services for foreign nationals from 68 countries. Nationals from this list of countries are eligible for visas on arrival. Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries are also eligible for visas on arrival, with the exception of those from Qatar. Qatari nationals must obtain a visa before entering Bahrain. Though visa on arrival services have resumed for many travelers, entry remains restricted to the following: o Bahraini citizens and residents. o GCC citizens not requiring a visa. o Travelers eligible for visa on arrival or who have valid eVisas. o Military personnel. o Diplomats. o Individuals with UN, official or service passports. All travelers entering Bahrain must obtain a COVID-19 PCR test upon arriving and pay for it themselves. Travelers who have been tested must wait in self- isolation for their test results. Those who stay in Bahrain for 10 days or more must obtain a second COVID-19 PCR test on the tenth day after arriving. Bahrain suspended visa on arrival services in March to mitigate the spread of COVID- 19. The resumption of visa on arrival services for nationals from 68 countries will allow more travelers to enter Bahrain. Travelers should note, however, the that these visas are only for tourism. Business travelers must obtain a sponsored e-visa before traveling to Bahrain. Back to top New Zealand - INZ begins processing some relationship- based visas What is the change? Immigration New Zealand has begun processing some relationship-based visas for foreign nationals abroad. The move is the latest step INZ has taken to ease some COVID-19 entry and immigration restrictions. INZ is now processing and issuing the following offshore, relationship-based visas. Partnership – Visitor (Partnership) Partnership – Visitor (Culturally Arranged Marriage) Partnership – Work (Partnership) Partnership – Resident (Partnership) Partnership – Resident (Partnership – Partner of an Expatriate) Dependent Child – Visitor (Child of New Zealand citizen/resident) Dependent Child – Visitor (Adopted child) Dependent Child – Student (Child of New Zealand citizen/resident) Dependent Child – Resident (Family child dependent) Dependent Child – Resident (Family child dependent – Dependant of an Expatriate) Those who are granted a visa in one of these categories will be not be subject to the normal COVID-19 entry restrictions. They will not be required, for example, to obtain permission from INZ to travel to New Zealand and will not have to provide an Expression of Interest for an exception. Successful applicants will be granted a six-month period to enter New Zealand and activate their visas. This will allow travellers more time to arrange flights and plans to isolate or quarantine upon arriving in New Zealand. INZ may request additional or updated information for applications that were lodged more than three months prior to when INZ assesses them. This may include updated partnership evidence or a new chest x-ray for applicants traveling from countries with high rates of tuberculosis. INZ also said last week that it is processing but not yet issuing the following visas. Refugee Family Support - Tiers 1 and 2 Migrant Investor (Investor 1 and 2), including Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for Investor 2 Parent Retirement Entrepreneur INZ said that while it will begin processing these applications, it cannot issue these visas under the current COVID-19 restrictions. By beginning processing, however, INZ may be able to more quickly issue these visas once restrictions are lifted. INZ said it would reject applications that do not meet immigration requirements and may request additional information as needed. INZ has taken steps to reopen to a growing number of foreign nationals, including waiving entry restrictions for some temporary work visa holders who normally reside in New Zealand and were outside the country when the border was closed earlier this year. While some relationship-based visas will now be processed, however, INZ said it will not yet process General Visitor Visa applications lodged on the basis of a relationship that does not meet applicable partnership requirements. These applications will be placed on hold until border restrictions permit them to be processed. Back to top Italy - Testing required for entry for individuals traveling from French hot zones What is the change? The Italian government is imposing additional entry requirements for individuals traveling from areas of France deemed to be high-risk for the spread of COVID-19, including Paris. Key points: The new requirements apply to travelers coming from the following areas of France: Auvergne-Rodano-Alps, Corsica, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France (including Paris), New Aquitaine, Occitania and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Any traveler coming from these regions must present negative COVID-19 test results from a test conducted within 72 hours of entry or undergo testing at the airport. A 14-day mandatory quarantine period is also required for these travelers. The requirement is mandatory until Oct. 7 The quarantine requirement has been lifted for travelers coming from Bulgaria. Serbian citizens, previously banned, have been cleared for entry into Italy. Employers should check the latest travel requirements in Italy, as conditions on the ground continue to change. Back to top China - Entry for foreign nationals holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters, and reunion What is the change? With effect from 28 September 2020, foreign nationals holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters, and reunion will be allowed to enter China without applying for new visas. If their residence permits have expired after 28 March 2020, they may apply for the relevant visas by presenting their expired residence permits and supporting materials at Chinese embassies or consulates on the condition that the purpose of their visit to China remains unchanged. More Information Back to top Germany - Expired visa holders from Schengen countries should exit Germany by Sept. 30 What is the change? The German Foreign Ministry has announced that foreign nationals with