Global immigration news round-up

This week, the Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters would like to highlight the following recent updates from China, Finland, Iceland, Thailand and the United States.

China: Shanghai introduces special business visa for certain business travellers

The International Services department of the Shanghai government has announced visa facilitation measures for foreign nationals travelling to the city for business.

Eligible foreign businesspeople may apply to the Chinese embassy or a consulate in their home country for a multiple-entry M visa or equivalent issued valid for five years (usually up to one year) with a 180-day stay (usually 30 to 60 days), upon receiving a Special Visa Invitation Letter issued by the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office.

Applicants may be exempted from fingerprint collection and may entrust others to apply for the visa, and will only be charged the fee for a one-year multiple-entry visa.

Finland: Automated post-decision monitoring of residence permits for employed persons

The Finnish Immigration Service introduced automated post-decision monitoring of residence permits for employed persons on 20 January 2025.

The purpose of automated post-decision monitoring is to verify whether the holder of a residence permit for an employed person still meets the requirements for the permit. Post-decision monitoring is applied to first residence permits issued on or after 1 January 2024 and to extended permits issued on or after 1 January 2023.

A residence permit for an employed person can be granted to an applicant who is coming to Finland to work for a Finnish employer or other employer operating in Finland. A residence permit for an employed person is granted for the field in which the applicant will work. Applicants must have confirmed employment in Finland before they can apply for the permit.

Post-decision monitoring will focus on the key requirements for the permit. The Finnish Immigration Service will verify whether the employee has been paid a salary that meets the income requirement, for example. The authorities may conduct automatic register checks in national registers, including the register of Kela (kela.fi), the Incomes Register (vero.fi) and the registers of the Legal Register Centre (oikeusrekisterikeskus.fi).

Automated post-decision monitoring is already being used to monitor the permits of students, startup entrepreneurs and specialists. Expanding the scope of post-decision monitoring to cover work-based residence permits is part of the Government’s action plan against labour exploitation. The Finnish Immigration Service has carried out post-decision monitoring since 2017.

Iceland: Higher amount required as means of support for residence permit and citizenship applicants

One of the requirements for being granted a residence permit in Iceland or Icelandic citizenship is that applicants can show that they have enough means to financially support themselves independently.

As of 1 February 2025 the reference amount required for an individual, 18 years and older, will be raised from 239.895 ISK to 247.572 ISK per month. The amount for married couples will be raised from 383.832 ISK to 396.115 ISK per month. The amounts refer to pre-tax income.

The new reference amounts apply for applications received as of 1 February 2025.

Thailand: Upcoming updates to rules for Long-Term Resident Visa

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) has announced the approval by the Cabinet of updates and adjustments to the qualifications, criteria, and conditions for the Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa program.

The LTR program offers successful applicants a ten-year residence permit, access to a digital work permit and personal income tax privileges, among other benefits. The LTR targets four categories, namely Highly-Skilled Professionals, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, Wealthy Global Citizens and Wealthy Pensioners. 

The approved changes include an expansion of the list of target sectors for the Highly Skilled Professionals category.

The requirement for a minimum of five years of work experience in a relevant field for applicants to the Highly Skilled Professionals and Work-from-Thailand Professionals categories has been removed to reduce requirement redundancy and increase accessibility.

Also in the Work-from-Thailand Professionals category, the corporate revenue requirement for overseas-based employers sponsoring an applicant has been lowered to a minimum of USD 50 million over the last three years, down from USD 150 million.

Furthermore, employees of wholly-owned subsidiaries of major multinational corporations are now eligible for the LTR, provided they can demonstrate financial stability through the parent company’s financial statements. (rather than through the subsidiary, as previously required).

The minimum annual income requirement for Wealthy Global Citizens category applicants has been removed to prioritize the cumulative wealth and investments in Thailand which are the core requirements for this category.

The rights for dependents of the principal applicant to any of the four LTR categories have been expanded without a limitation on the number of dependents. The rights of the principal LTR holder will now include parents and legal dependents. 

All changes will take effect following the official BOI announcement on the updated LTR criteria and the Ministry of Interior’s announcement on the expansion of dependents’ rights.

United States: USCIS Waives COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Adjustment of Status Applicants

Effective 22 January 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is waiving any and all requirements that applicants for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident present documentation on their Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record received the COVID-19 vaccination.

USCIS will not issue any Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny related to proving a COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not deny any adjustment of status application based on the applicant’s failure to present documentation that they received the COVID-19 vaccination.

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