Global immigration news from around the world
This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from Philippines, Hong Kong and Finland.
Philippines: New Digital nomad Visa announced
The President has issued Executive Order (EO) No. 86, establishing a legal framework to facilitate the entry of digital nomads or foreign nationals seeking to temporarily reside and work remotely in the Philippines.
Under the EO, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is authorized to issue Digital Nomad Visas (DNVs) to non-immigrant foreign nationals “who desire to enter and/or stay in the country for a temporary period for the purpose of working remotely using digital technologies, and whose clients or employers are situated outside the Philippines.”
The DFA is also directed to create a database of all DNV holders for monitoring purposes, while ensuring the strict compliance with data privacy requirements under Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
“Foreigners who are issued valid DNVs may enter and/or stay in the Philippines for a maximum period of one year. DNV holders may renew their visas for the same duration, and may be granted multiple entry privileges during the validity of their DNVs,” EO 86 states.
Digital Nomad Visa requirements
Foreigners applying for DNV must be:
- at least 18 years old
- must show proof of remote work using digital technology;
- sufficient income generated outside the Philippines; and
- must have an unblemished criminal record.
An applicant also must have:
- health insurance valid for the DNV period;
- must be a national of a country that offers DNVs to Filipinos and where the Philippines has a Foreign Service Post (FSP);
- must not pose a threat to the internal or external security of the Philippines; and
- must not be employed in the Philippines.
Foreigners who are nationals of countries that offer DNVs to Filipinos but do not have a Philippine FSP may apply for DNV in the nearest country where a Philippine FSP is located.
The DFA will therefore be studying and adopting measures to effectively implement the programme aimed at attracting eligible foreigners. These measures will include a pilot implementation of the programme within 60 days of publication of the EO.
Hong Kong: Old form ID cards to be made invalid
All old forms of smart identity cards bearing a year of birth in or after 1970 will become invalid on 12 May 2025. Old ID cards bearing a year of birth in or before 1969 will become invalid on 12 October 2025.
Old forms of smart identity cards refer to smart identity cards issued between 23 June 2003 and 25 November 2018, or issued on or after 26 November 2018 as a result of an application made before that date.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) has appealed to residents still holding an old ID card to replace it with a new smart identity card as soon as possible.
How to replace your old ID card
Persons still holding an old ID card should make an appointment at the ROP – Kwun Tong (Temporary) Office for a replacement ID card. They may download the ImmD mobile application, visit the website or call the 24-hour telephone booking hotline 2598 0888 to make an appointment for an ID card replacement.
Persons aged 18 or above holding a valid old ID card issued locally can use the Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks (PDSKs) located at the Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O to apply for a replacement card in a self-service manner, which does not require an appointment.
The Invalidation Order covers all Hong Kong residents, both permanent residents and non-permanent residents, who are permitted to take up employment, make investments, reside or study in Hong Kong. If the old ID cards have not been replaced, they will be invalidated on the specified dates in accordance with the Invalidation Order.
The invalidation of old ID cards will not affect the right of abode in Hong Kong of the holders of old ID cards unless he or she has lost permanent resident status under the Immigration Ordinance.
For those who are unable to have their ID cards replaced during the call-up periods due to being absent from Hong Kong, they should replace their ID cards within 30 days of their return to Hong Kong. Failure to apply for a new ID card within the specified periods without a reasonable excuse is an offence. Offenders may be prosecuted and liable to a fine of $5,000.
The aged, the blind or the infirm who satisfy a registration officer that their personal attendance for registration of Hong Kong ID cards will injure their health or the health of others may, instead of applying for a new replacement ID card, apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
Finland: New Consulate General to open in Houston, Texas
On 25 April 2025, the President of Finland approved an amendment to the Decree of the President of the Republic on the Locations of Finland’s Diplomatic Missions. The amendment will establish Finland’s Consulate General in Houston, Texas, in the United States as of 1 July 2025.
The Consulate General will begin its work in temporary premises with the help of administrative staff sent from Finland. The permanent premises will be ready by the end of 2025 or early 2026 at the latest. The US authorities are currently processing permits for the premises. The procedure for appointing the Consul General will be completed within a few months. The recruitment of other personnel for the Consulate General will begin soon.
From the start, the Consulate General will provide services for people in distress and other urgent consular services requiring immediate attention on site. Other consular services will continue to be provided in New York until the permanent premises in Houston have been completed.
The Decree of the President of the Republic also included some amendments to the provision of consular services by the existing missions. These amendments will enter into force on 1 May 2025, when the Embassy of Finland in Beirut will start providing consular services in full.
Furthermore, the services of the Finnish Embassy in Doha will be expanded as of 1 October 2025. The Embassy will start providing residence permit services within its consular district, replace the Finnish Embassy in Abu Dhabi in the provision of consular services to Pakistani nationals, and complement the services of the Finnish Embassy in Ankara to provide residence permit services to Iraqi applicants.
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