Blog · 2024-06-15

Relocation news digest - June 15, 2024

🌎 Digest of key news for relocators 🌍

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: MIR payment cards are now up and running

Cash can be withdrawn at VTB ATMs.

🇷🇺 Russia: Turkish Airlines begins refunding Russians offloaded from flights

Since late February 2024, Turkish Airlines has been offloading Russian citizens from flights out of Istanbul bound for Latin America.

The airline agrees to refund the ticket price after a pre-trial claim submitted by a lawyer.

🇭🇺 Hungary: authorities toughen penalties for illegally employing foreign nationals

Fines for the illegal employment of foreign nationals have risen fivefold - to 150,000 forints (about 390 euros) for a single violation and up to 25,000,000 forints (about 65,000 euros) for multiple violations. Previously the fines ranged from 5,000 to 500,000 forints per foreign national.

🇸🇪 Sweden: authorities look to tighten citizenship rules

Among the proposed changes:

eight years of residence for naturalization (currently five);
a Swedish language test;
a test on Swedish culture.

The government's proposal will be under discussion until 30 September 2024. If approved, the new rules will take effect on 1 January 2025.

🇷🇺 Russia: consulates to start certifying electronic documents

From 1 July 2024, Russian consulates will begin certifying electronic copies of paper documents. Applicants will now be able to transmit documents from abroad to Russia promptly.

🇨🇿 Czech Republic: applications to obtain or change employment status now accepted online only

From 1 July 2024, all applications related to employment (for example, changing employers) must be filed online rather than by post or in person.

These changes are part of a Europe-wide trend toward the gradual digitalization of bureaucratic systems.

🇨🇿 Czech Republic: authorities launch an online portal for foreign specialists

The Czech authorities have launched the Work in Czechia online portal, designed to attract highly qualified foreign specialists.

On the portal you can find:

available vacancies across various industries;
step-by-step guidance on obtaining a visa and work permit;
advice on naturalization in the Czech Republic.

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan: banks suspend transactions through Russian money-transfer systems

Several commercial banks in Kyrgyzstan have suspended their work with Russian money-transfer systems.

These banks include Mbank, Kompanion, the Kyrgyz-Swiss Bank, the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank (KICB), and Kyrgyzkommertsbank.

🇷🇺 Russia: Transport Ministry announces the launch of direct flights to several countries

The Ministry of Transport plans to launch direct flights by the end of 2024 with the following countries:

🇹🇿 Tanzania;
🇰🇼 Kuwait;
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia;
🇮🇩 Indonesia.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka: a new electronic visa is introduced

Foreign nationals must now submit an online application for an electronic visa for tourism or business, instead of an electronic travel authorization. The e-visa offers faster processing and a simplified application procedure.

The applicant will receive an email notification confirming approval of the e-visa, which must be presented on entry to Sri Lanka.

🇩🇰 Denmark: authorities introduce a simplified visa regime for the family members of Danish citizens

From 1 July 2024, dependents of certain Danish citizens will be eligible for a standard dependent permit. Previously, only dependents of foreign nationals could obtain such a permit, while dependents of Danish citizens had to apply under a more complex family reunification program.

🇨🇦 Canada: authorities raise the minimum savings requirement for Express Entry permanent residence applicants

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has published new minimum amounts of funds that foreign nationals applying for permanent residence under the Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs must have in their accounts. Detailed information on the required amount is available on the department's official website.

FAQ

How many years do you need to live in Sweden for citizenship?

For a long time the requirement was around five years of residence with no exams. The government then proposed raising it to about eight years and adding language and civics tests, in line with the wider tightening across the Nordics. The final version may differ from the original proposal, so confirm both the residence period and the test requirements with the Migration Agency before applying.

Does the MIR card work abroad?

MIR is accepted in only a handful of countries, and the list is unstable: banks switch acceptance on and off depending on secondary sanctions risk. Even within one country the card may work at one bank and fail at another, and cash withdrawals are often limited to specific ATMs. Do not plan a trip around a single MIR card, and carry cash.

What to do if you are denied boarding in Istanbul?

First document the refusal: ask for the reason in writing and keep your boarding pass, correspondence and receipts for any forced expenses. Then file a formal pre-court claim with the airline, which is often the stage at which the ticket price gets refunded. If the refusal is about transit policy rather than your documents, a lawyer familiar with that airline's practice helps.

What happens if you work without a permit in Europe?

Both sides are fined, but the employer takes the bigger hit: in some countries penalties for repeat breaches run into tens of thousands of euros. The worker risks losing their status, deportation and an entry ban, and undeclared work does not count toward residency or citizenship later. Fine levels are raised and indexed regularly.

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