Category: Newsletter

Starting August 1: US Visa Applicants Must Collect Passports Themselves or Pay ₹1200 for Delivery From August 1, 2025, US visa applicants in India must collect their passports in person—or pay ₹1,200 to have them delivered. The US Embassy in New Delhi has officially announced this update, ending the long-standing option of passport pickup by…

Canada Cracks Down: New Immigration Document Cancellation Rules Now in Force Canada has put in place stringent new regulations regarding the cancellation of immigration documents such as visas, work permits, study permits, and eTAs. The new regulations are aimed at providing a “cleaner, quicker, and safer process”. The new changes announced by Immigration, Refugees and…

Coming 2026: Canada to Require Language Tests for Open Work Permit Applicants New IRCC initiative to reshape spousal and other open work permit streams under IMP Canada is undergoing significant updates to its International Mobility Program (IMP) that will require English or French language tests for some open work permit applicants starting in 2026. The…

New Zealand to Introduce ₹2,040 Tourist Entry Fee for Natural Sites by 2027 New Zealand plans to introduce in 2027 a visitor fee for international tourists ranging between ₹1,020 to ₹2,040 to visit several iconic natural sites. This development ties in to a major update to conservation legislation, and also opens more protected land to…

New USCIS Rules Now in Effect: Stricter Scrutiny for Family-Based Visa Petitions from August 1 The U.S. enforcement of family-based green card applications is undergoing a significant transformation. August 1, 2025, marks the end of the family visa petitions as we have known them.  That’s right, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is…

Indians Can Now Get 5-Year Schengen Visa Under New Cascade Scheme Indian travellers with a clean visa history can now experience long-term, hassle-free travel to Europe as a result of the newly implemented Cascade Visa Scheme. As a result of a major change introduced by the European Commission, eligible Indian citizens can now apply for…

Green Card Parents Must Prove Status for Child’s SSN Under Birthright Rule A major shift is on the horizon for U.S.-born children’s citizenship proof. If President Trump’s executive order (EO) restricting birthright citizenship gets court approval, simply being born in the U.S. may no longer guarantee automatic citizenship or a Social Security Number (SSN). The…

UK Goes Digital: eVisas Now Mandatory for International Students and Workers from July The UK government is requiring all international students and skilled foreign workers to apply for eVisas starting July 15, 2025. The eVisa replaces the traditional passport vignette (sticker) and is an important step towards a digital immigration system. The eVisa is part…

MakeMyTrip Expands UK Stays with 900+ Premier Inn Hotels for Indian Tourists In a major development aimed at benefitting Indian travellers visiting the United Kingdom, MakeMyTrip has announced a partnership with Premier Inn, the UK’s largest hotel chain; together,  they bring over 900 Premier Inn properties onto MakeMyTrip’s platform, providing Indian tourists with even more…

Germany’s Freelance Visa: Live & Work in Europe for 3 Years Without a Job Offer Finding work in Europe without an actual job offer being made? Germany has introduced an improved Freelance Visa. This permits eligible professionals, particularly from India, to live and work in Germany for up to 3 years, completely independent of an…