Immigration news update for APAC and EMEA region
Asia-Pacific
Brunei Darussalam: Entry and exit guidelines
Updated pre-departure and post-arrival requirements have been released for entry and exit via air for Brunei Darussalam:
- Inbound travel requirements and procedures for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers:
- Inbound travel to Brunei Darussalam is only permitted for fully vaccinated individuals. Whereas Brunei Citizens and Permanent Residents are allowed to return to Brunei Darussalam and do not need to show proof of medical exemption for Covid-19.
- Fully Vaccinated foreign nationals who will arrive in Brunei Darussalam and onwards are:
- Permitted to travel to Brunei Darussalam via air without an Entry Travel Pass approval.
- Required to perform an ART Test three times (Upon arrival, day two, and day three). PCR test upon arrival.
- Self-isolation will no longer be required if the ART results are negative.
- Unvaccinated foreign nationals are not permitted to travel to Brunei Darussalam unless they have medical exemptions from vaccination. Travelers must:
- Undergo an ART upon arrival.
- Serve their mandatory self-isolation at their home residence or a hotel. They must remain within their declared accommodation until receipt of a negative result for their day three post-arrival RT-PCR test.
- Any foreign nationals who are required to obtain an Entry Visa must first have an appropriate visa such as an Employment Visa, Dependent Visa, Social Visit Visa, Professional Visit Visas, and Business Visa.
- Transit through Brunei International Airport on the way to their destination is permitted provided passengers:
- Are fully vaccinated.
- Obtain a negative result for the RT-PCR test taken less than 48 hours before departure, or a certified negative result for ART taken within one day of departure.
- Adhere to any other requirements set by the destination country.
- Exit travel requirements and procedures for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers:
- Any travelers who intend to exit Brunei Darussalam to any destination are no longer required to obtain Exit Approval.
- Citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam are permitted to travel out of Brunei Darussalam if they have received either: two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine with the second dose administered not more than three months previously, or a booster dose for Covid-19 vaccine.
- Unvaccinated travelers may exit Brunei Darussalam if they have a certificate of medical exemption for Covid-19 vaccination.
- Any foreign nationals who are currently residing in Brunei Darussalam under employment pass, visit pass (social, professional, and business), student pass, dependent pass, and intend to exit the country temporarily and re-enter Brunei Darussalam, therefore they are required to secure Re-Entry Visa before intended travel date.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Government of Brunei.
New Zealand: Entry and exit guidelines
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is a new temporary work visa being introduced on July 4, 2022. There are three steps to hiring a migrant on this new visa.
- Employers can apply for accreditation from May 23, 2022.
- An application for a job check can be made from June 20, 2022.
- Submit an AEWV application from July 4, 2022.
An AEWV may be granted up to a maximum of three years during the employment period.
Employers who do not plan to hire migrant workers on AEWVs during July 2022 do not need to apply for accreditation immediately, but they should apply when they plan to start using their accreditation.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from Immigration of New Zealand.
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Debra Jane Beynon, Regional Immigration Manager (APAC).Â
Europe, Middle East and Africa
South Africa: Entry requirements
The government has revised entry requirements for international travelers to South Africa. Now arrivals must have one of the following:
- Be vaccinated against Covid-19 and have a valid vaccination certificate.
- Produce a valid certificate of a negative PCR test, recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This must be obtained less than 72 hours before the date of departure.
- Have a valid certificate of a negative antigen test performed by a medical practitioner, registered public health authority or accredited / approved laboratory that was obtained less than 48 hours before the date of departure.
- Produce a valid certificate of a positive PCR test, recognized by the WHO, for a test date less than 90 days prior to the date of arrival and more than ten days prior to the date of arrival. This must be shown with a signed letter from a health care provider, registered in the country of origin, stating that the person has fully recovered from Covid-19, and is not experiencing any new symptoms and it fit to travel.
If an international traveler does not comply with regulations, they must undergo antigen testing for Covid-19 at the Port of Entry. If the traveler then tests positive for Covid-19, they will still be admitted into the Republic but, if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, they must self-isolate for ten days after admission into the Republic.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Government of South Africa.
Switzerland: Entry restrictions lifted
The Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) no longer have any states or regions on their Corona risk list. Arrivals are no longer required to provide any proof of vaccination or recovery when entering the country.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Federal Council (available in English, German, French and Italian).
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Laxmi Vikraman, Regional Immigration Manager (EMEA).
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