Eid holiday will close offices, cause delays

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The Eid holiday at the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan will close many government and private offices throughout the world for two to 10 days, depending on local schedules.

What does the change mean? Companies should expect delays of one week or more in processing.

• Implementation timeframe:The holiday is estimated to start July 27.
• Visas/permits affected:All immigration processing.
• Who is affected:Companies and foreign nationals applying for immigration services.
• Impact on processing times:Delays of approximately one week.
• Business impact:Companies should factor the office closures and resulting delays into their timelines in the coming weeks.

Background: Eid, a Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, is expected to fall on or around July 27, depending on moon sightings. Many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa will observe national holidays for a minimum of two days and up to 10 days.

BAL Analysis: The closures of government offices will likely shut down all processing during the week of July 28 to Aug. 1. Some private offices will also be closed.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in the United Arab Emirates. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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