US immigration agency job cuts will bring visa system to a halt

US immigration agency job cuts will bring visa system to a halt

The US federal agency responsible for immigration, processing visa applications and approving citizenship is threatening to furlough more than half of its workforce unless Congress provides additional funding, according to a spokesperson.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is preparing to furlough 70 percent of its staff, unless it receives fresh funding, which would bring an already backlogged system to a virtual halt.

USCS, an agency of the Department of State largely depends on fees from new immigration applications for its operations, now faces an historic budget shortfall.

This comes at a time when President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign manifesto highlights slashing legal and undocumented immigration to America.

Already the number of new immigrants to the US has been dramatically curtailed by new regulations, executive actions and travel restrictions introduced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The agency has seen fee income decline by 50% since March has requested a $1.2bn bailout from Congress to avoid drastic staff reductions.

"On or before July 2, approximately 13,400 USCIS employees will receive notice that if USCIS must proceed with an administrative furlough, they would be furloughed beginning August 3," the USCIS spokesperson's statement said.

Staff furloughs "will for sure cause noticeable delays immediately," one USCIS employee, who asked not to be named, told the Reuters News Agency. "There are already so many backlogs to work through. It's insane to even contemplate how bad this is going to get."

This week, Trump signed a presidential proclamation banning US entry under a number of categories of temporary visa holders. He also extended the ban on some green card applicants, which the administration said would help open more jobs for unemployed Americans.

The move may win Trump votes, but could also hurt the beleaguered US economy, which has seen many States put the brakes on reopening for business following a spike in Coronavirus Covid 19 cases.

Western nations compete for talented nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers, as well as entrepreneurs and investors. Even if their ultimate destination is America, professionals, such as nurses from the Philippines, will often apply for jobs in the UK, New Zealand or Australia to work or settle abroad. Not all will pursue the American dream after gaining permanent residence or citizenship in another country

Wealthy business people and investors may choose to take their money elsewhere and settle in countries like Canada and Australia or EU countries where they feel more welcome.

EU countries, such as Cyprus offer a guaranteed route to citizenship in the European Union.

The Cypriot immigration policy and legal framework now enable Non-EU applicants to obtain Cypriot citizenship on an expedited basis – fast.

If you have funds to invest and would like to know more about the Cyprus golden visa programme visit: http://eugoldenvisaprogramme.com

UK will change Immigration Rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes new law

UK could change Immigration Rules for Hong Kong citizens if China passes new law

Britain will change the country’s Immigration Rules to offer millions of people in Hong Kong "a route to citizenship" if China imposes new security laws, Boris Johnson said.

Writing for the Times, Prime Minister Johnson said the UK would "have no choice" but to uphold its ties with the territory.

The announcement comes as China faces mounting criticism over its planned law, which many people in Hong Kong fear could end their unique freedoms, which the rest of China does not enjoy.

The UK government has held talks with allies including the US and Australia about what to do if China imposes the new law - which would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority - and people start fleeing Hong Kong.

In the Times, the Mr Johnson stated that if China passes the law, people in Hong Kong who hold British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports will be allowed to come to the UK for 12 months without a visa. Currently they are allowed to come for six months.

Currently, approximately 350,000 people in Hong Kong have a BNO passport, with a further 2.6 million others also eligible.

Passport-holders would also be given further immigration rights, including the right to work.

These rights Mr Johnson said could place them on a route to citizenship,".

Mr Johnson added that the immigration changes "would amount to one of the biggest changes in our visa system in British history".

"If it proves necessary, the British government will take this step and take it willingly.

"Many people in Hong Kong fear their way of life, which China pledged to uphold, is under threat.

"If China proceeds to justify their fears, then Britain could not in good conscience shrug our shoulders and walk away; instead we will honour our obligations and provide an alternative."

The last British governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten, said the offer of support from the UK government was "morally and politically right".

He accused China's ruling Communist Party of employing "bullying" tactics, adding: "Sooner or later with a bully you have to stand up to them, otherwise you'll get knocked about."

Asked whether the UK was entering a new Cold War with China, Lord Patten told the BBC's World at One: "I think we're entering a period of realism with China...

"This is not us against China, it's the way in which the Chinese Communist regime can't stand us, and they've cracked down on Hong Kong because it represents all the things which [President] Xi Jinping dislikes."

As part of an agreement signed at the time, it enjoys some freedoms not seen in mainland China - and these are set out in a mini-constitution called the Basic Law.

The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged China to reconsider its plans which, he said, would threaten Hong Kong's autonomy and prosperity.

MPs from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to Hong Kong to monitor how the new law affects human rights.

This new policy is in stark contrast with the treatment of Hong Kong citizens - when the Immigration Rules were changed to prevent mass immigration to the UK - in the years before the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997.

BNO passports were granted to all Hong Kong citizens born before the Chinese handover in 1997. Whilst the second-class passports allowed the holder some protection from the UK foreign service, they did not give the right to live or work in Britain.

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens, many of them wealthy business people, chose to take their money and settle in countries like Canada and Australia where they felt more welcome.

It remains to be seen whether or not today’s citizens will choose to settle and invest in the UK when other countries, such as Cyprus offer a guaranteed route to citizenship in the European Union.

The Cypriot immigration policy and legal framework now enable Non-EU applicants to obtain Cypriot citizenship on an expedited basis – fast.

If you would like to know more about the Cyprus golden visa programme visit: http://eugoldenvisaprogramme.com

EU migrants welcome to remain in UK indefinitely as Prime Minister outlines special settled status deal

Prime Minister Theresa May announced today plans to allow EU citizens living in the UK to remain here as residents following Brexit designed to put their "anxiety to rest".

Prime Minister Theresa May

Briefing MP’s in the parliament on the outcome of Friday’s EU summit, Mrs May confirmed that all EU nationals lawfully resident for at least five years will be able to apply for "settled status" and to bring spouses and children, the BBC reports.

EU migrants who arrived after a date yet to be agreed will have two years to "regularise their status" but will not enjoy the same rights.

The government has published a document summarising the UK's offer to EU citizens, which you can read here.

May said she wanted to give reassurance and certainty to the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK - in addition to citizens of the three EEA countries and Switzerland – as they are an "integral part of the economic and cultural fabric" of the UK.

However, she wants any deal on their future legal status and rights to be reciprocal and also give certainty to the 1.2 million British expats living on the continent after the UK leaves the EU - expected to be on 29 March 2019.

This promise could prove difficult to keep, as EU countries, such as France and Spain, already have less advantageous conditions for British expats than offered to EU citizens living and working in the UK. 

For instance, retired Brits are now facing the bleak prospect of paying for expensive health insurance or jumping on an Easyjet flight home every time they need treatment. This option could become closed to them if they are no longer resident in the UK.

The main points of the UK's proposal to EU citizens are:

• EU migrants granted settled status will be able to live, work, study and claim benefits as they can now
• The important cut-off date for eligibility will be no earlier than 29 March 2017 and no later than 29 March 2019
• EU family members of EU citizens living abroad will be allowed to return and apply for settled status
• Those EU nationals in the UK for less than five years at the specified date will be allowed to continue living and working in the UK and once resident for five years, they can apply for settled status
• Migrants arriving after the cut-off point will be able to stay temporarily, however, they should have "no expectation" that they will be granted permanent residence
• A period of "blanket residence permission" with less of the onerous requirements may apply to give officials time to process applications to stay in the UK
• The Home Office will no longer request evidence that EU citizens who weren't working held "comprehensive sickness insurance"

Those granted settled status, which is the same as ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (ILR) or permanent residence, will be "treated as if they were UK citizens for healthcare, benefits and pensions".

Mrs May added that the process of application – currently an 85-page form - would be simplified and a "light touch" approach applied to EU citizens, although she did say that criminal record checks will still be carried out when pressed by opposition MP's. 

Non-EU citizens will continue to endure the ever-changing lengthy Home Office forms and increasing high fees in order to gain indefinite leave to remain in the UK.  

"Under these plans, no EU citizen currently in the UK lawfully will be asked to leave at the point the UK leaves the EU," Mrs May said.

The widely expected plan should be good news for migrants worried about their post-Brexit status in the UK. Since Britons voted to leave the EU last year there has been a sharp increase in applications for ILR and UK citizenship. It has been suggested that those who have already obtained ILR may still have to apply for settled status.

Croatian citizens are currently subject to a 7 year restriction - similar to those imposed on previous EU entrants Bulgaria and Romania - on working from the date Croatia joined the EU.

Despite fears that hundreds of thousands or European citizens living here would return home, most seem to have remained as they have already made their life in the UK either running businesses or holding down good jobs.

UK property prices have started to fall slightly following the Brexit vote and recent general election which saw the Conservatives lose their overall majority.

See also:

UK election splits the country and calls for a softer Brexit approach

Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and European passports for you and your family

Fines issued to landlords under right-to-rent offences

Turn Your Passion into Profit

Cyprus, the fastest route to EU citizenship and European passports for you and your family

As people all over the world celebrate the Easter holidays, the ancient island of Cyprus comes to mind, which plays a part in early Christian history. The Apostles travelled to Cyprus and formed some of the earliest Christian churches in the region during the days of Roman Empire.

Two thousand years and several invading empires later, Cyprus is now a member of the European Union and Commonwealth, and is strategically placed to take advantage of economic growth in a growing region as it straddles Europe and the Middle East.

Cypriot EU Passport

Cyprus has recently been ranked the 5th best relocation destination in the world by an international lifestyle review (source: 2014 report prepared by Knight Frank, a leading independent, global real estate consultancy firm). Ranked by key business and leisure indicators, Cyprus was the only European country alongside Switzerland to make it into the top five – ahead of London, Madrid and Monaco. 

The Country is ranked highly because of its favourable tax regime for new residents, particularly high net worth individuals. And with at least 320 days of sunshine a year, and classified as the sunniest European location, you can enjoy an incredible lifestyle on this beautiful island in the sun.

EU citizenship and passport in 6 months, really?

Europe is established itself as the most sought after region in terms of high net worth immigration, accounting for over half of the total number of global citizenship applications, with the Caribbean in second place, followed by North America in third. Recent studies conducted by global immigration experts, ranked the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment Program among the “top ten best in the world”.

The Cypriot immigration policy and legal framework now enables non-EU applicants to obtain Cypriot citizenship on an expedited basis – fast. There are a number of reasons the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program is now considered to be the most attractive in Europe, including:

• 6 months application process and approval granted within 2 to 3 months - the fastest route to EU Citizenship and European passport.
• There is no requirement to make a donation to the local government, in contrast to many other citizenship programs worldwide.
• Cyprus does not require applicants to live on the island prior, during or after the application process, unlike all other EU countries with citizenship programs that impose residency requirements.
• Simple and straightforward application process with no requirements to disclose source of wealth or funds,
• No medical testing, no interview, and no language requirements.
• Approved by the EU (being one of only two CBI programs in Europe with official EU approval).

Since 2013, there have been over 2,000 successful CBI applicants under the Cypriot program, generating more than €3 billion in investment.

So what’s the catch? No catch as such, the rules are clear and fair. You just have to invest at least 2 million Euros in Cyprus to qualify. The country wants to attract high net worth investors in exchange for EU citizenship - a passport to a region of 300 million people. However, unlike many other EU citizenship schemes, the rules are flexible and the process is super quick - you could be holding a red EU passport in six months.

I have been researching EU passport schemes for years, but never found anything as easy, fast and flexible as the Cyprus investor programme. I have also found a company that can not only take care of all the paperwork, but will also source the qualifying real estate investment for you.

This is an investor programme, not a skilled worker or student scheme, sorry, seriously loaded investors only need apply.

If you would like full details on how you can legally obtain an EU passport in around six months, email me,