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The European Parliament has announced two visa waiver agreements with Brazil, one concerning ordinary passport holders and the other for diplomatic, official and service passport holders. Under the agreements, all EU citizens, including nationals of Estonia, Latvia, Malta and Cyprus (who previously had needed visas to enter Brazil), can travel visa-free to Brazil for tourism and business stays of up to three months.

The new agreements do not apply to:

• students, researchers, artists, and members of religious orders, whose travel is governed by existing treaties between individual EU Member States and Brazil; or
• individuals seeking paid work. The agreements do not prevent EU Member States and Brazil from imposing visa requirements in accordance with (1) applicable EU or national law or (2) bilateral agreements that cover individuals seeking paid work.

Photo credit: Tobia Wolter

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The U.S. State Department announced that the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and four other consular offices in other Chinese cities, will be open on Saturdays to accommodate Chinese nationals seeking to visit the United States. The extended hours are intended to decrease the wait time for visa appointments. Last year, 487,000 visas were issued to Chinese nationals, two-thirds of which were for business and tourism. For 2010, to date, the number of visa applications received is 28% higher than at this time last year.

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The Department of Homeland Security has published a final rule in the Federal Register designating Greece an eligible country for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Beginning April 5, 2010, Greek nationals can visit the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa before arrival. However, VWP travelers must comply with Electronic System for Travel Authorization requirements by obtaining travel authorization prior to arriving in the United States and must submit biometric information upon arrival, as required by US-VISIT.

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The New York Times reports that, in order to cut costs, companies have been sending fewer employees on long-term overseas assignments. However, short-term assignments, which last from several months to a year, have increased in popularity over the past eight years.

Although shorter assignments are more cost effective, companies face an increased risk of violating immigration and tax laws in the host country, and the consequent deportation of its employees or closure of its business. The article cites a KPMG report which found it difficult for companies to meet their compliance obligations because employees on extended business travel frequently move between multiple locations and have unpredictable schedules.

Notwithstanding the résumé value derived from overseas assignments, employees often find it difficult to accept short-term overseas assignments because prior commitments (school, mortgages, etc.) prevent the entire family from moving abroad. Other negatives include the increased expense incurred for communications, and the additional burdens placed on the non-traveling partner for managing household and childcare responsibilities. 

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As reported in The Edmonton Sun, Canada’s immigration department is planning to give preferred treatment to some business travelers, allowing them to obtain visas much faster than other visitors. Under the plan to streamline the visa process for business visitors, employees of established companies with operations in Canada would get visas in as few as one or two days.

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