The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas (“MIREMPET”) issued a circular stating that Border Visa applicants can now send their applications to the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME) without obtaining a pre-approval (letter of invitation) from MIREMPET. Additionally, Short-Term Visa (STV) applicants can now apply directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for endorsement of the letter of invitation instead of the previous process, which involved endorsement and approval from MIREMPET. Although the circular was published, Border Visa applications are not currently being accepted and processed due to ongoing discussions between MIREMPET and SME concerning the process going forward. Once the new process is fully accepted and implemented by both entities, processing times for both visa types will likely be reduced. We will provide an update once the Border Visa process is fully implemented. In the meantime, employers and individuals can contact their immigration professional for case-specific advice.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
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