Immigration Processing During the Holiday Season

During the holiday season, many government offices worldwide will close or have reduced staff and hours of operation, likely resulting in processing delays for work permits, residence permits and visas over the coming weeks and into the new year. 

The following is a non-exhaustive list of immigration office and government closings during the holiday season. Employers and foreign nationals with travel or relocation plans between now and early 2015 should contact their immigration service provider to discuss the impact of holiday closures on their specific circumstances.

Algeria 

The immigration authority will be closed January 1, 2015. 

Austria 

The immigration authority will be closed December 25-26, 2014 and January 1 and 6, 2015. 

Brazil 

The Ministry of Justice will be closed December 24-25, 2014 and January 1, 2015. The Ministry of Labor and the Federal Police in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and will be closed December 25, 2014 and January 1, 2015 and open for half the day December 24 and 31, 2014. Ministry of Labor agencies in Sorocaba and Parada Inglesa will re-open in January 2015 and agencies located in São José dos Campos and Campinas plan to re-open in February 2015. Unofficially, many government offices slow down or work at half capacity in December and into the second week of January. Processing delays for applications submitted at the end of November and in December should therefore be expected.  There continue to be long waits for Federal Police registration appointments for MERCOSUR and work visa holders in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro due to staff shortages and the influx of refugees. 

Colombia 

While the Immigration authority (UAEMC) does not close for the holidays besides December 25, 2014 and January 1, 2015, several regulatory entities responsible for equivalencies and professional certifications close from December 16 through January 16. These include the CONALPE (Economics) and CPIP and CPIQ (Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, respectively). 

Croatia 

The immigration authority will be closed December 25-26, 2014 and January 1 and 6, 2015, with shorter hours likely on December 24, 2014 and January 5, 2015. Additionally, immigration authorities’ employees usually take annual leave around the holidays, so there may be general delays at that time. 

Cyprus 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24-26, 2014, will be open for half the day on December 31, 2014, and will be closed January 1 and 6, 2015. 

Czech Republic 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 24-26 and 31, 2014, and January 1-2, 2015. On December 23 and 30, 2014, the working hours will be 8am-12pm, only for those with appointments and urgent matters. Normal hours will resume on January 5, 2015. 

Denmark 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 24, 2014 - January 2, 2015. 

Ecuador 

Public offices will be closed December 25-26, 2014 and January 1-2, 2015. 

Estonia 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 24-26, 2014 and January 1, 2015. On December 23 and 31, 2014, the offices will close at 2pm. 


Finland 

The immigration authority will be closed December 25 and 26, 2014 and January 1 and 6, 2015. 
The normal hours of operation are 8am – 4pm. 

The case-specific telephone service line of the Finish Immigration Service will be closed December 18, 24-28, 2014, and January 1, 2015. On December 23 and 31, 2014, its hours of operation will be 9am – 4pm. The normal operating hours of that line are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am – 11 am. The general customer service line will be closed December 24-28, 2014, and January 1, 2015. Its hours of operation on December 23 and 31, 2014 will be 11:30am - 4pm. 

The New Delhi Finnish Embassy’s Visa/Permit section is closed December 24, 2014 – January 6, 2015, which will delay processing of applications and receipt of permit cards. 

France 

Immigration offices will be closed December 25, 2014 and January 1, 2015. Many local offices will choose to close during this time, and many more will be short-staffed. Expect a general delay in the processing of applications between December 24, 2014 - January 2, 2015. 

Greece 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24-26, 2014, will close at 1pm on December 31, 2014, and will be closed January 1, 2 and 6, 2015. 

Iceland 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24-26, 31, 2014, and January 1, 2015. The normal hours of operation are 10am – 4pm. 

Israel 

Israeli consulates abroad have the option of closing or operating on a part-time schedule between December 23, 2014 and January 1, 2015. During the partial closures, applications may not be processed, and work permits or visas may not be issued, depending on the particular consular post. Therefore, backlogs and processing delays for work permits should be expected. Processing delays may continue after the holidays due to application backlogs resulting from the closures. Applicants and employers should contact the consulate at which they will apply for more information. 

Italy 

Public offices will not close officially, but will resume normal hours on January 12, 2015. 

Jersey 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 25-26, 2014, and January 1, 2015. The offices will close at 12:30pm on December 24 and 4pm on December 31, 2014. 

Latvia 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 24-26 and 31, 2014, and January 1 and 10, 2015. 

Lithuania 

The immigration authorities will be closed December 24-26, 2014. 

Malta 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24- 26 and 31, 2014 and January 1-2 and 5- 6, 2015. 

Norway 

The Foreign Service Center in Stavanger will be closed December 24, 2014 – January 1, 2015. The Norwegian Immigration Authorities will be closed December 24-26, 2014 and January 1, 2015. 

Peru 

Public offices will be open for a half day on December 19 and 30, 2014, and will be closed December 24-26, 31, 2014, and January 1-2, 2015. Public offices may announce additional closures at a later date. 

Philippines 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24–26, 30-31, 2014, and January 1-2, 2015. 

Poland 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24-26, 2014, and January 1 and 6, 2015. The office will be working with limited capacity between December 22-31, 2014 and January 2-5, 2015. 

Portugal 

The immigration authority will be closed December 25, 2014 and January 1, 2015. Note that consulates abroad may be closed for Portuguese and local holidays. 

Slovenia 

The immigration authority will be closed December 25-26, 2014 and January 1, 2015. From December 25, 2014 – January 4, 2015, the office will work with a reduced workforce, therefore, delays should be expected. 

Slovakia 

The immigration authority will be closed December 24-26, 2014 and January 1 and 6, 2015. 

Sweden 

The Swedish Migration Board will be closed December 24 and 31, 2014, and January 1 and 6, 2015. The hours on January 2 and 5, 2015 will be 9am – 11am. 

Turkey 

The immigration authority will close early on December 31, 2014, and will be closed January 1, 2015. 

Ukraine 

The immigration authority will be closed January 1-2 and 7-9, 2015. 

Venezuela 

Public offices will be closed December 24-25 and 31, 2014 and January 1, 2015.

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