Visa & Residence Updates
Policy and processing changes that affect where you can live, work, and naturalise. We keep these short and link to official sources.
Antigua and BarbudaCitizenshipEU presses five Caribbean countries to end golden passports or risk Schengen travel
The EU asked Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts and Nevis to end citizenship-by-investment by 2028 or risk losing visa-free Schengen travel. Programs are still open for now.
South KoreaUpdateSouth Korea eases K-Tech Pass and top-tier visas for STEM talent
From July 2, 2026, Korea widened K-Tech Pass screening, dropped the Korean language bar for F-2-T top-tier residence, and sped online filing to about two weeks for elite STEM hires.
United StatesUpdateUS Senate bill would pause new H-1B visas for three years
Senator Tim Sheehy’s End H-1B Abuse Act would halt new H-1B visas for three years and lock in a $100,000 petition fee. It is a proposal, not law yet.
IndonesiaUpdateBali bans two Dutch expats after run club row and missing permits
Indonesia banned two Dutch nationals from returning after an Entourage Bali run without permits, and online claims the club shut out Indonesian applicants.
CanadaProcessingCanada updates temporary residence wait times for work, study, and visit
IRCC’s July 22, 2026 figures show work permits slower from Pakistan and the Philippines, while in-Canada visitor visas and some Super Visas moved a bit faster.
GermanyUpdateGermany confirms 2026 short-stay visa-free list for dozens of non-EU passports
Germany still lets many non-EU passports visit without a visa for up to 90 days in 180. Work is not allowed. Check the Federal Foreign Office table for your country.
PortugalUpdatePortugal arrests lawyer suspected of stealing €1.2m from Golden Visa clients
Police identified 33 foreign victims whose accounts a lawyer accessed under the pretext of speeding Golden Visa filings. Police say the money was spent.
- United StatesUpdate
US limits foreign student stays to four years from September
From September 2026, most F-1 and J-1 students face a four-year stay limit unless the US government grants more time. School transfers get harder, and the post-graduation grace period drops from 60 days to 30.
New ZealandUpdateNew Zealand eases Pathway Student Visa rules from July 20
From July 20, 2026, New Zealand's Pathway Student Visa lets Year 12–13 students change study fields more easily, opens levels 1–4 study options, and raises English study time from 20 to 30 weeks.
AustraliaUpdateAustralia’s visa fee hikes hit students, grads, and permanent residents
From July 1, 2026, many Australia visa fees rose about 25%, and some jumped far more. Resident return visas more than tripled. Student and graduate fees stayed among the world’s highest.
- South KoreaNew visa
South Korea launches F-1-D digital nomad visa with lower income rules
The F-1-D workation visa opened June 30, 2026. Income tests now vary by age and region, and stays can run up to three years for remote workers paid abroad.
United Arab EmiratesUpdateUAE Golden Visa investors face more than one AED 2 million test
Federal and Dubai pages both use AED 2 million for investor golden residency, but the proof, mortgage rules, and stay length differ by route. Pick your category before you buy or file.
- AustraliaUpdate
Australia raises student and graduate visa fees again
From July 1, 2026, Australia's student visa fee jumps to AUD 2,500 and the post-study work visa fee hits AUD 5,750. Some ASEAN and English-course students pay less, but costs are still much higher than two years ago.
FranceUpdateFrance allows some remote work on long-stay visitor visa
France did not create a new nomad visa. Visitor visa holders may work remotely for foreign bosses if the job has no link to France, the government said in June 2026.
- New ZealandUpdate
New Zealand sets skilled migrant wage rules from August 24
INZ confirmed final Skilled Migrant and work-to-residence changes from August 24, 2026, including simpler wage thresholds and tighter qualification and employment checks.
- United StatesUpdate
H-1B $100,000 fee applies again while courts fight it out
A Boston judge struck down the $100,000 H-1B charge on June 8, then paused his own ruling on June 12. USCIS can keep collecting the fee on consular cases while the First Circuit reviews the government's appeal.
SpainUpdateBritish and American nomads drive Spain digital nomad visa surge
Industry data cited in June 2026 press reports more than 7,800 Spain digital nomad visas in 2025, with Brits and Americans among the busiest filers.
JapanUpdateJapan raises visa fees for the first time in 48 years
Cabinet orders lift single-entry visas to ¥15,000 from July 1, 2026. Larger residency and permanent residence fees may follow before the end of FY 2027.
- CanadaProcessing
IRCC backlog keeps falling as Express Entry hits 9%, work permits slip
April 2026 inventory data puts total IRCC backlog at 922,700, down again from March, with Express Entry at a record 9% while work permit delays rose to 37%.
- IndonesiaUpdate
Indonesia immigration officials arrested in US$8m visa extortion case
KPK arrested eight senior immigration officers and nine agents over alleged "speed fees" for permits. Foreign talent and investors may face slower, riskier filings.
LatviaUpdateLatvia passes new immigration law, tighter rules from 2027
The Saeima adopted a full immigration overhaul on June 11. Most rules start January 1, 2027, with stricter border checks, visa grounds, and a new investment route.
- United StatesUpdate
Court vacates $100,000 H-1B fee for now
A Boston federal judge struck down the Trump-era $100,000 charge on new H-1B petitions, calling it an unlawful tax. Employers are not required to pay it while the ruling stands, but appeals could bring the fee back.
KenyaUpdateKenya courts digital nomads, but no dedicated visa yet
KTB is pitching Nairobi and the coast to remote workers and tech visitors. There is still no Kenya digital nomad visa like Portugal or Estonia offer.
- IndonesiaUpdate
Bali cracks down on tourist visas used for paid content
Indonesia's Dharma Dewata patrol task force is targeting influencers and creators on C1 and Visa on Arrival. Sponsored posts and barter deals count as illegal work.
VietnamUpdateDa Nang rises as a nomad hub on Vietnam's 90-day e-visa
Press coverage highlights Da Nang for low costs and the three-month e-visa, not a dedicated remote-work permit. Rents are climbing as more nomads arrive.
- United StatesUpdate
US to cut African visa processing to 20 embassy hubs
State Department plans to shrink visa operations from about 50 African posts to 20 regional hubs in June, forcing many applicants to travel abroad for interviews.
- CanadaProcessing
Express Entry backlog hits record low as IRCC clears federal skilled queue
IRCC data through March 31 shows Express Entry at 10% backlog, the lowest since publishing began, while work permit wait times moved in the opposite direction.
- CanadaUpdate
Canada suspends immigration documents for residents of three countries over Ebola risk
Canada paused travel on approved TRV, eTA, and PR visas for residents of DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan for 90 days, with a parallel application decision pause.
- PortugalUpdate
500+ Golden Visa holders plan lawsuit over Portugal nationality law
Investment residence holders are organizing a class action after citizenship wait times rose to 7 or 10 years. Lawyers say they are waiting on final rules first.
- PortugalCitizenship
Citizenship residency requirement extended to 10 years
Non-EU nationals now need 10 years of legal residency instead of 5. Applications already in progress are generally protected.
- United StatesUpdate
USCIS pushes most green cards back to consular processing abroad
A new USCIS policy memo treats in-country adjustment of status as extraordinary. Many people on temporary visas may need to finish green cards at a U.S. consulate overseas.
Sri LankaNew visaSri Lanka opens a one-year digital nomad visa
Remote workers can apply for a 12-month Digital Nomad Visa if they show about USD 2,000 monthly income from abroad, insurance, and official paperwork.
ThailandUpdateThailand ends 60-day visa-free stays for most tourists
The cabinet scrapped the post-Covid 60-day exemption for 93 countries. Most visitors will move back toward 30-day rules once the Royal Gazette notice runs.
- United Arab EmiratesUpdate
Dubai drops minimum property value for sole-owner investor visas
Sole owners can qualify for Dubai's two-year property investor residence without the old AED 750,000 floor. Joint buyers still need AED 400,000 per investor share.
- SpainUpdate
Spain digital nomad income rules still tied to minimum wage
Spain's remote-work visa still uses multiples of the national minimum wage (SMI). Check the live SMI figure before you budget or file.
- ThailandProcessing
Thailand LTR still demands strict employer and income proof
Long-Term Resident visas remain open to many nationalities, but BOI checks employer size, income history, and insurance carefully.
- United Arab EmiratesNew visa
UAE remote work visa still a popular Gulf base option
Remote workers can still apply for a one-year UAE remote work residence if they meet income, insurance, and employment proof rules.