Blog · 2025-01-24

Relocation news digest - January 24, 2025

Brazil: new annual registration requirement

Brazil's Federal Revenue Service has introduced a new annual registration requirement for foreign nationals over the age of 16 who hold a CPF (Brazil's taxpayer identification number) and live outside the country. The measure is intended to improve the integrity of the CPF database.

These individuals must now update their CPF details every year by 31 December using the Federal Revenue Service's mobile app.

Foreign nationals unable to use the app must visit the nearest Brazilian consulate to update their registration.

United Kingdom: temporary ETA exemption for transit passengers

The UK government has introduced a temporary exemption from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirement for transit passengers - those who do not pass through border control - until further notice.

Thailand: changes to long-term residency programmes

Following a cabinet proposal, the Thai government is preparing significant changes to its Long-Term Resident Visa and SMART Visa programmes:

• the mandatory annual income requirement of USD 80,000 for LTR visas will be removed;
• for applicants to the "Work-from-Thailand" visa, the required employer revenue threshold will be cut from USD 150 million to USD 50 million, easing access for technology professionals;
• the cap on the number of dependants for LTR visa holders will be lifted, allowing spouses, parents, children and legal dependants to be included without the previous limit of four people;
• under the SMART Visa programme, overlapping visa categories will be phased out to reduce confusion and give priority to the LTR visa;
• the SMART-T (talent), SMART-I (investor) and SMART-E (senior executive) categories will be abolished, leaving only the SMART-S (startup) category for existing startups.

The changes are expected to take effect in March 2025.

United Kingdom: rise in immigration fees

The UK government has announced proposals to raise certain immigration fees.

The cost of the Certificate of Sponsorship - paid by employers sponsoring foreign nationals under the Skilled Worker Route - is expected to more than double.

The proposals are currently awaiting approval by the UK Parliament and other legal procedures.

Kuwait: e-visa issuance resumes

The issuance of electronic visas has resumed following an upgrade to the platform, which is now back online.

France: authorities want to abolish birthright citizenship

France's Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, wants to abolish automatic citizenship "by right of soil" for children born in France to foreign parents holding residence permits.

"There should be no automatic element here," he said. "It should be a conscious, voluntary act."

Under current rules, children of foreign parents can obtain citizenship from the age of 13, subject to certain conditions.

Kyrgyzstan: Keremet Bank restricts Visa cards over sanctions

Kyrgyzstan's Keremet Bank, which has come under sanctions, has restricted its clients' use of Visa cards.

"Due to restrictions imposed by the international payment system Visa, cards issued by Keremet Bank are serviced exclusively at devices belonging to Keremet Bank," the bank said in a notice on its website.

Clients have been advised to issue cards on the national Elcart payment system. Funds held in card accounts can be withdrawn at the bank's cash desks or transferred to settlement accounts.

United States: birthright citizenship to end for children of undocumented migrants and tourists

Immediately after his inauguration as US president, Donald Trump signed a high-profile executive order that would restrict the granting of American citizenship under the so-called right of soil.

Under this principle, anyone born on US territory automatically becomes a citizen. Birthright citizenship has been guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution since 1868 and affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1898.

Thirty days from now, the Trump administration will refuse to recognise birthright citizenship for people born on US soil who "are not subject to the jurisdiction" of the country.

According to Trump, US jurisdiction does not extend to the children of immigrants who lack a legal basis to be in the country, nor to the children of non-citizens present on a temporary work permit or a student or tourist visa.

For many years, "birth tourism" was a popular service among Russians: pregnant women travel to the US (most often to Florida) to give birth on American soil. Before Trump's order, such children automatically received US citizenship.

Murblz is monitoring the situation and will report on all related developments.

Kazakhstan: two banks suspend card issuance for foreigners

The Kazakh banks Kaspi and Home Credit Bank (a subsidiary of the Czech international financial group PPF) have suspended the opening of debit cards for non-residents of Kazakhstan.

Freedom Bank and Bank CenterCredit have announced new rules for opening cards for non-residents, but without suspending issuance.

Home Credit Bank has suspended the issuance of debit cards for non-residents indefinitely, the bank said. Kaspi halted card issuance for non-residents from 19 January to 3 February; after that date, non-residents will be able to issue cards valid for one year. All cards issued before 19 this year will remain valid until their expiry date, according to information for clients on the bank's website.

Turkey: VTB launches lira transfers to Turkish banks

From 19 January, VTB clients can open lira accounts and transfer payments directly to Turkish banks. VTB noted that it does not guarantee that funds will be credited - this depends on the Turkish banks and their willingness to accept the transfer.

"It is very important that none of the parties to the transaction are on sanctions lists. This requirement applies to the seller, the buyer, the ultimate beneficiary and the manufacturer of the goods. The goods themselves must also not be on any sanctions list," the bank's hotline explained.

Payments will be transferred within one to five days. VTB's transaction fee is 0.75% of the amount, but no less than USD 40. Clients will also pay a currency-control fee (0.15% of the amount plus VAT, no less than USD 10 and no more than USD 2,000), as well as a correspondent bank fee (1% of the payment amount).

Czech Republic: Senate approves law barring Russians from citizenship

A majority of senators did not support amendments to the law, meaning it will not be returned to the lower chamber for revision but instead sent to the president for signature.

The law, known as LEX UKRAJINA 7, is highly likely to be signed, as the president supports it. In that case, it will take effect in the first week of February.

The law introduces restrictions on Russians obtaining Czech citizenship and freezes applications already submitted but not yet reviewed. To obtain Czech citizenship, Russians will have to renounce their Russian citizenship, and they will only be able to apply once the law - which has no expiry date - is no longer in force.

Luxembourg: golden visa programme may be suspended

The programme offers two routes to a visa:

• an investment of EUR 500,000;
• proof of an annual income of at least EUR 27,000.

Despite limited interest in the programme, the Luxembourg government does not consider abolishing it a priority. However, the EU is calling for such schemes to be scrapped, citing allegations of illegal activity and their negative impact on the housing market.

Kazakhstan: digital nomad visa introduced

Kazakhstan has introduced a Digital Nomad visa, which gives foreign nationals the right to live in the country while working for a foreign employer. The visa is valid for one year and can be renewed three times, each for a further year.

Processing typically takes up to seven working days.

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