Worldwide: Immigration Processing Delays During the Holiday Season
December 15, 2023
At a Glance
- During the holiday season, many government offices worldwide will close or have reduced staff and operating hours, likely resulting in processing delays for work permits, residence permits and visas over the coming weeks and into the new year.
- Employers and foreign nationals with travel or relocation plans between now and early 2024 should contact their immigration service provider to discuss the impact of holiday closures on their specific circumstances.
Albania
Government offices will be closed on December 25, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Angola
Angola consular posts will be closed from December 14, 2023 to January 8, 2024. All public entities will be closed on December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Argentina
Government offices will be closed on December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Armenia
Government offices will be closed December 31, 2023, January 1, 2024, January 6, 2024 and January 28, 2024.
Australia
The immigration authority will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. There may be processing delays into the start of 2024 due to limited staffing.
Austria
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period may delay processing times.
Azerbaijan
Government offices will be closed December 31, 2023-January 6, 2024.
Bahamas
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Bahrain
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Bangladesh
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Belgium
Government offices are expected to be closed from December 25-29, 2023 and January 1, 2024, though no official announcement has yet been made regarding closures.
Bermuda
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Bolivia
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government offices will be closed January 1-2, 6-7, and 9, 2024.
Botswana
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024. Between December 20, 2023 and January 8, 2024, processing times and other immigration services are expected to be delayed as most entities will have skeletal staff in offices during this period.
Brazil
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Brunei
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Bulgaria
Government offices will be closed December 25-27, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Cambodia
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Canada
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Foreign nationals entering Canada on those days should still be able to apply for work permits at ports of entry, although there may be reduced staff.
Chile
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
China
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Colombia
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Costa Rica
Government offices will be closed December 22, 2023-January 5, 2024.
Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
The immigration authority offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Croatia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Cyprus
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 6, 2024.
Czech Republic
Government offices will be closed December 22, 2023 to January 1, 2024 – with some exceptions for urgent cases.
Democratic Republic of Congo
All public entities will be closed December 20 and 25, 2023 and January 1 and 4, 2024. Between December 18, 2023 and January 8, 2024, processing times and other immigration services are expected to be delayed.
Denmark
Danish immigration authorities will be closed December 22, 2023-January 2, 2024.
Dominican Republic
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Ecuador
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Egypt
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
El Salvador
Government offices are expected to be closed December 25, 2023-January 1, 2024.
Estonia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Falkland Islands
Government offices will be closed December 25-27, 2023, December 30-31, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Finland
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period will delay processing.
France
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024, with some offices also closed on December 26, 2023 and January 2, 2024. Applicants should anticipate processing delays due to limited staff during the holiday period, both at consular posts, Office Français de l’Immigration et Intégration (OFII) offices and local prefectures.
Germany
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Further, government offices in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt will also be closed January 6, 2024.
Ghana
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Greece
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Guatemala
Government offices will be closed December 22 and 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Guyana
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Honduras
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Hungary
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Indonesia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023.
Iraqi Kurdistan
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023-January 1, 2024.
Iraq
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Israel
Though there are no scheduled closures in December or January, some consulates may have limited opening hours due to regional bank holidays. Travelers should check consular and government office websites before visiting.
Italy
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Japan
Government offices will be closed December 29, 2023-January 3, 2024.
Jordan
Government offices are expected to be closed on January 1, 2024, though no official announcement has yet been made regarding closures.
Kazakhstan
Government offices will be closed December 16-18, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Kenya
The immigration offices are closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Kosovo
Government offices will be closed January 1-2 and 7-8, 2024.
Kuwait
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Latvia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Government offices may also have shorter working hours on December 22 and 29, 2023.
Lebanon
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Liechtenstein
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Lithuania
Government offices will be closed December 24-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period may delay processing times.
Luxembourg
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Madagascar
Although there are no official holiday closures between December 2023 and January 2024, all courts in Madagascar will close December 15, 2023-January 15, 2024. All other public services, including immigration services, are expected to be delayed as most entities will have skeletal staff in offices during this period.
Malaysia
Immigration offices across Malaysia (both East and West Malaysia) will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Immigration offices are also expected to close early the business day before these holidays on December 22 and 29, 2023.
Malta
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Mauritius
All public entities will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Mauritania
All public entities will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Mexico
The National Immigration Institute (INM) will be closed on December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Though the INM will be open on December 20-22 and 26-29, delays can be expected due to a reduced workforce. According to INM’s official communication, deadlines for all immigration-related processes under the jurisdiction of the INM expiring from December 20, 2023 until January 1, 2024 will be formally postponed until January 2, 2024.
Moldova
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023, January 1, 2024, and January 8, 2024.
Mongolia
Government offices will be closed December 29, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Montenegro
Government offices will be closed January 1-2 and 6-8, 2024.
Morocco
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Mozambique
The Labour and Immigration Departments will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Namibia
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024
Netherlands
Government offices be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period is expected to delay processing times.
New Zealand
Government offices will be closed from December 23, 2023 to January 7, 2024.
Nigeria
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Processing of immigration documents is expected to be delayed between December 25, 2023 and January 2, 2024.
North Macedonia
Government offices will be closed January 1 and 8, 2024.
Norway
Norwegian immigration authorities will be closed December 23, 2023-January 2, 2024.
Oman
There are no scheduled government closures in December 2023 or January 2024.
Pakistan
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023.
Panama
Government offices will be closed December 20 and 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Delays can be expected due to a reduced workforce.
Paraguay
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Peru
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Portugal
Public offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Romania
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period is expected to delay processing.
Russia
Government offices will be closed January 1-8, 2024.
Rwanda
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Processing of immigration documents is expected to slow down between December 22, 2023 and January 5, 2024.
Saudi Arabia
There are no scheduled government closures in December 2023 or January 2024.
Senegal
All public entities will be closed December 25 and 26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Serbia
Government offices will be closed January 1-2, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period is expected to delay processing times.
Slovakia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26 2023 and January 1, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period is expected to delay processing times.
Slovenia
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
South Korea
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
South Africa
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024. The South African VFS will close from the December 20, 2023 and will reopen on January 2, 2024. Additionally, SAQA will close December 15, 2023 and will reopen January 4, 2024.
Spain
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023. Government offices in Barcelona will also be closed December 26, 2023. Generally, reduced staffing during the year-end period is expected to delay processing times.
Sri Lanka
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023.
Sweden
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Applicants should anticipate processing delays due to limited staff during the holiday period.
Switzerland
Government offices will be closed as follows:
- Aargau: Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023-January 2, 2024.
- Bern: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Basel Stadt: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Bund: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Geneva: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Lucerne: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Schaffhausen: Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023-January 2, 2024.
- Solothurn: Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023-January 2, 2024.
- Vaud: Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
- Zug: The Amt für Wirtschaft (Office of Economic Affairs) will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024, while the Migrationsamt (Migration Office) will be closed December 25, 2023-January 2, 2024.
- Zurich: Government offices will be closed December 23, 2023-January 2, 2024.
Tanzania
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Processing of immigration documents is expected to slow down December 22, 2023-January 5, 2024.
Thailand
Government offices will be closed December 29, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Trinidad and Tobago
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Tunisia
Government offices are expected to be closed on January 1, 2024, though no official announcement has yet been made regarding closures.
Türkiye
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Uganda
All public entities will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Processing of immigration documents is expected to slow down December 22, 2023-January 5, 2024.
Ukraine
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024, with reduced services and extended processing times expected across this period.
United Arab Emirates
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
United Kingdom
Government offices will be closed December 25-26, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Government offices in Scotland will also be closed January 2, 2024. In general, reduced staff during the year-end period may delay processing times.
Uruguay
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
Uzbekistan
Government offices will be closed December 30-31, 2023 and January 1-2, 2024.
Venezuela
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024. The government may also announce additional national holidays on short notice. Delays can be expected December 15, 2023-January 8, 2024 due to a reduced workforce.
Vietnam
Government offices will be closed January 1, 2024.
Zambia
Government offices will be closed December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
