On a practical level, it pays to ensure that expatriates are properly advised before travelling. Even where the nature of the visit falls entirely within the rules, it is easy for the situation to become confused on arrival at Immigration control, in particular if visitors are not confident that their situation is straightforward and appear evasive or defensive when responding to the Immigration officer’s questions. Visitors should be clear about their plans and be prepared to produce evidence (such as return airline tickets, schedules for meetings or confirmation of hotel bookings) if required to do so. A letter from the overseas employer may also be useful.
When establishing internal procedures, consideration should be given to the transferees themselves. Whatever the effect that a time-critical transfer has on the business and on the people sorting out the paperwork, the situation for the individual, especially one with a family, can be even more stressful as he or she faces a demanding set of circumstances including moving home, moving to a new country, changing job and facing new career challenges.
Of all the elements in stress-free Immigration management, timing is one of the most crucial. Applications for business-related Immigration permission can take anything from a few hours to several months to process. It is important to be fully aware of the time the procedures are likely to take in any particular case and, where possible, allow additional time for any problems which may arise. If plenty of time has been allowed for every stage, unanticipated delays should not cause a major crisis. Organizations should also make sure that everyone knows which person is responsible for obtaining permission, whether in-house or external and that he or she must be informed at the earliest possible opportunity that a transfer or non-routine visit is taking place. |
