When It's More Than Just A Business Trip

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Yanna Evangelista discusses the value of partnering with your immigration advisor at the onset of an international assignment.
Hi I’m Yanna and I am a manager based in Singapore. My consultants and I manage the high volume of immigration applications for multi-national companies, small medium enterprises, regional and local clients, and we assist them to facilitate the transfers of foreign employees and family members into Singapore. We also assist with student pass applications and permanent residency solutions for private and individual clients.
With influx of foreign talent which continue to come to Singapore, the immigration and checkpoints authority and the ministry of manpower work together to exercise proper assessment when granting entry into these individuals. In recent years we’ve been noticing rigorous tightening in work authorization requirements and in our capacity as corporate immigration advisors we partner with our clients in ensuring we give them proper guidance and the right approach is taken to ensure compliance.
One of our recent cases is on the refusal of entry for one of our employees in Singapore. The employee had been travelling to Singapore and a number of locations on a business visa while his employment pass application was still in process. On his third visit he was stopped at immigration, questioned, and eventually asked to depart on the speculation that he was undertaking responsibilities behind the parameters of a business visa. Had we been informed; we would have been able to prepare him and provide him relevant advise on the likelihood of being questioned due to the frequency of his business travels. We would therefore recommend to consult your immigration advisors in order for us to provide appropriate guidance for such instances. We were looped in by the client and were tasked to help clear the record.
We addressed the situation by having several discussions with clients and stakeholders by helping prepare the supporting documentation for the appeal, having several discussions with the authorities, and subsequently monitoring the outcome.
We are pleased to share that the employment pass has since been obtained after a few months of tedious efforts. We are also pleased to confirm that the employee has already moved to Singapore and has commands to employment.
Hi I’m Yanna and I am a manager based in Singapore. My consultants and I manage the high volume of immigration applications for multi-national companies, small medium enterprises, regional and local clients, and we assist them to facilitate the transfers of foreign employees and family members into Singapore. We also assist with student pass applications and permanent residency solutions for private and individual clients.
With influx of foreign talent which continue to come to Singapore, the immigration and checkpoints authority and the ministry of manpower work together to exercise proper assessment when granting entry into these individuals. In recent years we’ve been noticing rigorous tightening in work authorization requirements and in our capacity as corporate immigration advisors we partner with our clients in ensuring we give them proper guidance and the right approach is taken to ensure compliance.
One of our recent cases is on the refusal of entry for one of our employees in Singapore. The employee had been travelling to Singapore and a number of locations on a business visa while his employment pass application was still in process. On his third visit he was stopped at immigration, questioned, and eventually asked to depart on the speculation that he was undertaking responsibilities behind the parameters of a business visa. Had we been informed; we would have been able to prepare him and provide him relevant advise on the likelihood of being questioned due to the frequency of his business travels. We would therefore recommend to consult your immigration advisors in order for us to provide appropriate guidance for such instances. We were looped in by the client and were tasked to help clear the record.
We addressed the situation by having several discussions with clients and stakeholders by helping prepare the supporting documentation for the appeal, having several discussions with the authorities, and subsequently monitoring the outcome.
We are pleased to share that the employment pass has since been obtained after a few months of tedious efforts. We are also pleased to confirm that the employee has already moved to Singapore and has commands to employment.
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Partners Parisa Karaahmet, Raquel Liberman and Julia Onslow-Cole and Practice Leader Olga Nechita are recognised in Citywealth’s Top 30 Immigration Advisors 2026 for their leadership in advising high-net-worth individuals and families on global mobility and cross-border planning.
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Manager Quentin Pache outlines the main family reunification pathways available in Switzerland, highlighting key eligibility requirements, procedural deadlines and practical risks that frequently lead to delays or refusals.
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UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit explains how a possible UK–EU Youth Mobility Scheme could work in practice, what challenges remain and what it may mean for young people and employers.
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Twelve Fragomen lawyers are recognized on the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List, reflecting their commitment to providing free legal assistance to those in need.
Media mentions
Senior Immigration Manager Jonathan Hill discusses new UK guidance suggesting the Home Office may use data to assess agent trust, raising questions about transparency and compliance demands.
Video
In this video, Partner Aim-on Larpisal provides a high-level overview of common Thai visa categories and how they are structured based on purpose of stay, including tourism, work, education and long-term residence.
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Partner Chad Blocker outlines what employers should do following completion of the FY 2027 H-1B cap lottery, explains the factors behind lower demand and higher selection rates and highlights key filing risks, timelines and alternative visa options to consider next.
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Partner Julia Onslow-Cole discusses Middle East-based UHNW clients making short-term moves driven by schooling and timing considerations.
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Poland Immigration Strategy Director Tomasz Rogala comments on a draft regulation restricting work for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela in Poland during visa-free stays.


