Weekly Immigration Update: December 22–28, 2023

Hong Kong SAR, December 28, 2023
Further Details Released on Relaunch of Residency-by-Investment Scheme

• The Hong Kong SAR government announced additional details of the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES), which is a reopening of a residency-by-investment scheme which was suspended in 2015.
• Eligible applicants can be from any country and will have to prove that they have minimum net assets of HK 30,000,000 and show that they have met certain investment requirements. The residence permit will be initially granted for up to two years.
• The CIES program is expected to open for applicants in mid-2024.

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United Arab Emirates, December 28, 2023
Suspension of Employment Sponsorship Transfer in Effect Across Free Zones in Dubai

• Effective immediately, employers of foreign nationals can no longer benefit from the streamlined employment sponsorship transfer option.
• As a result, employers in free zones seeking to hire a foreign national who is currently employed by a company within the same free zone or in another free zone in the Emirate of Dubai, must now follow the standard immigration process.
• The change in policy is expected to increase onboarding times for foreign nationals in these jurisdictions, which could potentially delay start dates.
• While the suspension has been confirmed by several major free zones in the Emirate of Dubai, authorities have not announced if it is a temporary or permanent change.
• In addition, dependents should be aware that they cannot exit and re-enter the United Arab Emirates during the gap in the principal applicant’s employment (or self-employment if that is the case) by the principal applicant.

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United States, December 27, 2023  
Premium Processing Fees Will Increase Effective February 26

• The premium processing fee for I-140 immigrant worker petitions and most Form I-129 nonimmigrant worker petitions will increase to $2805, from $2500. Fees for premium processing of certain other petitions and applications will also increase.
• The new fees will take effect for filings postmarked on or after February 26, 2024.

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Hungary, December 27, 2023  
Suspension of Immigration Processing and Forthcoming New Immigration Laws

• The Hungarian government has announced that they will not process most pending or new immigration applications between January 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024 to adjust to recently published new immigration laws, which will go into effect on January 1, 2024.
• The new laws will significantly change the immigration landscape in Hungary with key changes including: a separate work permit category for Serbian and Ukrainian nationals and significant restrictions on “unskilled” workers.
• While the new immigration laws were published on December 22, 2023, implementing regulations have not yet been released which will set out the application of the laws.

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United States, December 22, 2023
State Department Announces Extension and Expansion of the Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waiver Program

• The U.S. State Department’s visa interview waiver program has been extended effective January 1, 2024. The program will remain in effect indefinitely and will be reviewed annually.
• The classes of applicants eligible for the program have been expanded and now cover: (1) eligible first-time H-2 visa applicants; and (2) eligible foreign nationals applying for any nonimmigrant visa category if they were previously issued a nonimmigrant visa in any category (unless their only prior visa was a B visitor visa) and they are applying within 48 months of the expiration of their most recent visa.
• The separate interview waiver program for certain applicants renewing a visa in the same category within 48 months of expiration remains in effect on an indefinite basis.
• U.S. consulates are not required to implement these interview waiver policies but may do so as local conditions and resources allow.

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