Also in the news...
Foreign travel advice Indonesia
FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Indonesia.
Foreign travel advice Romania
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 24 April 2024 Updated: 23 April 2024 Latest update: Information related to drug offences and Romanian music festivals (under 'Laws and cultural differences' subheading on the 'Safety and security' page).
Foreign travel advice The Gambia
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 23 April 2024 Updated: 22 April 2024 Latest update: Ferry services between Banjul and Barra have been suspended until further notice; The Islamic Summit of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) will be held in Banjul on 4-5 May; road closures and delays at Banjul International Airport ('Safety and security' page).
Foreign travel advice China
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 23 April 2024 Updated: 22 April 2024 Latest update: Updated information on flooding (‘Safety and security’ page).
Guidance Living in South Korea
Information for British citizens moving to or living in South Korea, including guidance on residency, healthcare, driving and more.
Obama Stays True To Immigration Review
President Obama has always supported immigration reform in the past and remains committed to securing foreign workers
Ah, the wonderful world of immigration: forms galore, complexities untold; in short, a pedants dream. US immigration is a hot topic. President Obama has always supported immigration reform in the past and remains committed to securing workers to "reaffirm our heritage as a nation of immigrants."
It may be that US citizens have reservations about increasing the quota of skilled workers entering the US, but with 25% of US venture backed public companies started by immigrants, generating a whopping $500 billion, its hard for detractors to deny the value of workers from overseas. More importantly, Obama believes that skilled immigrants can only improve the technology sector through competition and help America on its path to economic recovery.
So, in a nutshell, this is potentially a great time to up sticks and head to the old US of A. The hardest part can be working out exactly which visa you need. HB-1 visas operate on a capping system and receive much attention. Last year, the quota of 78,200 filled on the first day of application. These visas are for skilled workers educated to US Masters level, and it looks like Obama may increase the quota, but if youre looking to start up your own enterprise then its an E2 treaty visa youre after.
Getting an E2 visa is mostly a matter of proving that your business can generate employment opportunities and wealth for the US. The absolute minimum amount to be invested is $15,000, but realistically the figure would have to be much higher for the application to be taken seriously. In-kind equipment, property and other personal assets can be included in this. A pilot scheme for an EB-5 entrepreneur visa pilot scheme which was due to end this year has now been extended, although to qualify for this you must demonstrate the ability to create ten full-time, permanent jobs for US citizens.
In terms of dull administrative alterations, immigrants will now be required to provide documents to prove identity with biometric data, so its a good idea to upgrade your passport if you still have the old style.
And finally, the FBI have cleared the backlog of applications of six months or older, and are now processing applications over 90 days old. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform that is still hoped for by many may not yet be upon us, but with a target to process the majority of applications within 30 days by June, the USCIS is slowly speeding up.