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IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? Mercosur residents may now apply for their police, criminal and judicial records through the online records system known as PIDE (Plataforma de Interoperabilidad del Estado Peruano).
What does the change mean? The online system may be used by both Peruvian citizens and foreign nationals to request Peruvian police, criminal and judicial records. Mercosur visa applicants needing to obtain and submit Peruvian criminal records will no longer need to submit them in person along with their visa application; rather, Peruvian authorities will access and verify these records through the online portal.
Background: As part of the Mercosur accord, citizens of founding and associated states, including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, are able to obtain a temporary residence permit for up to two years in member countries. In Peru, Mercosur citizens applying for a visa and/or residence permit are required to submit their police, criminal and judicial records from either the country of origin or the country of residence to immigration authorities in order to complete their application. The same process exists for Mercosur applicants applying for visas and permits in other Mercosur countries. In an effort to simplify the records request process, Peru has extended the use of the PIDE records system to Mercosur visa applicants, who are now able to request and submit their Peruvian records online.
Analysis & Comments: Mercosur visa applicants will no longer need to submit their police and criminal records in person along with visa applications, as immigration authorities will be able to access the records through the PIDE platform.
Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers have ranked Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP as a national “Best Law Firm” for a second year running. BAL is also ranked in 2017 as a “Best Law Firm” in the metropolitan areas of Houston, Texas, and San Francisco, Calif.
Firms included on the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.
The U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer listed in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© list for that particular location and specialty.
The 2017 “Best Law Firms” rankings can be seen in their entirety by visiting bestlawfirms.usnews.com.
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Law360 ranks BAL as one of the nation’s best law firms for female attorneys and partners in the recent Glass Ceiling report. The publication calls BAL a Ceiling Smasher and ranks the firm number three in the 100 Best Law Firms for Female Attorneys and number two in the 25 Best Law Firms for Female Partners.
“We are honored to be acknowledged as pace setters who recognize diversity in the workplace. BAL strives to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to excel,” stated Frieda Garcia, one of the firm’s equity partners.
Law360 surveyed over 300 U.S. firms, or vereins with a U.S. component, about their overall and female headcount as of December 31, 2015. Only U.S.-based attorneys were included in the survey.
– Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP
The Department of Homeland Security recently added six countries – the Czech Republic, Denmark, Madagascar, Portugal and Sweden – to the list of those whose nationals are eligible for H-2A and H-2B visas.
The H-2A and H-2B are nonimmigrant visa programs. The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or agents to sponsor foreign nationals for temporary agriculture jobs. The H-2B program allows U.S. employers or agents to do the same thing for non-agricultural jobs. Under both programs, employers or agents must file a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, on the employee’s behalf.
The H-2A and H-2B programs are available to nationals of countries the Department of Homeland Security has selected. Nationals from countries not specifically listed can only participate in the program if the Secretary of Homeland Security finds it in the U.S.’s interests for the applicant to receive an H-2A or H-2B visa.
Effective Jan. 18, 2015, nationals of 68 countries will be eligible without the need for special approval. Those countries are:
IMPACT – LOW
What is the change? The four countries in the Pacific Alliance – Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru – have announced a Working Holiday visa program.
What does the change mean? Nationals of the four countries who are aged 18 to 30 will be eligible for Working Holiday visas that allow them to live and work in any of the Pacific Alliance member states for up to one year.
Background: The four member states of the Pacific Alliance announced the program during a June 19-20 summit in Mexico. Each country will be allowed to issue up to 300 of the visas to qualified applicants, who will be allowed to travel and work in that country for up to one year. The countries currently have mutual visa-waiver agreements for business and tourist travel, but work permits have always been required.
The Alliance also announced its intention to negotiate with countries in the MERCOSUR bloc – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – to expand the program in those countries.
BAL Analysis: A Working Holiday program in the four countries will benefit employers with training programs in the region who hire and train student interns and others. Note that this program is separate from the Working Holiday programs in Europe, Asia and Australia.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network providers located in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.