Immigration news

Bulgaria and Cyprus are jeopardizing their access to the US Visa Waiver program because of their respective so-called golden visa schemes. Currently, Bulgaria and Cyprus – along with Romania – are the only EU member states whose citizens still require a US visa to enter America for tourism purposes.

 

UK Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, has said that checks on Ukrainians coming to Britain via a newly launched UK immigration scheme are ‘necessary’ to prevent Russian infiltration. With most of Europe providing  visa-free refuge to Ukrainians forced to flee their homeland, Britain has been blasted for failing to do the same. 

 

By Sanwar Ali:

Firstly, I should say that I do have a personal interest in what was previously the Soviet Union and the rights, liberties and freedoms of the people, who have been oppressed by the Soviet Union, before that by Russian Czars and others, and now by Putin’s Russia.  My daughter is half Latvian.  Latvia has a border with Russia and during Soviet times was treated as being part of the Soviet Union.  I have fond memories of Riga the capital of Latvia over many, many years.  Years ago,

More Somalians have been hit with US visa restrictions amid continued delays with the African nation’s election process. The Department of State (DoS) announced the expansion of US visa restrictions to an undisclosed number of Somalians in a statement, saying that it was in response to Somalia failing to meet a deadline to complete its parliamentary elections.

 

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has said he will not be welcoming a Ukrainian refugee into his home as part of a government UK immigration scheme. The Homes for Ukraine scheme was recently launched by Westminster, with thousands of Ukrainians registering their interest that sees people in the UK with a room to spare becoming a sponsor.

In an interview with Sky News, when asked whether his family would be participating in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Mr Sunak responded: “No, I think everyone will be helping in the best way that they can. As I say, I’m full of admiration for those who can do that.

Senior political figures in Washington have revived an initiative that seeks to secure thousands of unused US visas for Irish nationals looking to live and work in America. 

 

Dick Durbin, the US Senate majority whip and chair of the Senate judiciary committee, along with Senator Pat Toomey, a ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, have introduced bipartisan legislation to add Ireland to the E3 visa programme – a US immigration route that, in its current form,  is exclusively for citizens of Australia.