With the beginning of the new financial year, Indians who are planning to study, work, settle, or travel abroad may now face more challenges.
Several major countries have introduced new visa and immigration rules from this month, which will make the process more expensive and stricter.
According to a report by Business Standard, changes such as new visa forms, higher fees, biometric border systems, and stricter permanent residency checks will affect the application, payment,
and entry process in countries like the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, the European Union, and Saudi Arabia.
United States: H-1B and Green Card Rules Become Stricter
From April 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made the updated Form I-129 mandatory for H-1B visa applications.
Under the new form, employers must now provide detailed information such as:
salary levels
job roles
minimum education requirements
field of study
work experience
Salary levels will now be categorized from Level 1 to Level 4, and these levels will have a bigger role in the selection process.
This change follows the stricter immigration approach of Donald Trump, which gives preference to higher-paid and highly skilled workers.
Green card applications will also face stricter scrutiny. This includes:
background checks
document verification
employer credibility checks
additional evidence requirements
review of financial records and relationships
Although the application fees have not changed yet, the tougher scrutiny may make getting permanent residency more difficult.
United Kingdom: Visa Fees Increased From April 8
New visa fees in the United Kingdom will come into effect from April 8.
The revised fees are:
Short-term visitor visa: £127 to £135
Student visa: £524 to £558
Innovator Founder visa: £1,590 to £1,693
Skilled worker visa: £719 to £769
In addition, the immigration health surcharge of £1,035 per year will continue, which will further increase the total cost of moving abroad.
Canada: PR Fees and Immigration Support Rules Changed
In Canada, from April 1, government assistance under the Economic Immigration Program has been limited to a maximum of six years.
From April 30, PR application fees will also increase:
Right of PR fee: 575 to 600 Canadian dollars
Principal Applicant fee: 950 to 990 Canadian dollars
These changes will make the permanent residency process more expensive.
New Zealand and Europe Introduce New Entry Rules
In New Zealand, open work visa rules will change from April 20.
Under the new rules, visas will allow either:
full open work, or
contractual employment
Meanwhile, the European Union will implement a new Entry and Exit System from April 10.
This digital system will replace passport stamps and will collect:
facial photographs
fingerprints
travel information
This means travelers entering Europe will go through a more technology-based border process.
Saudi Arabia Offers Relief for Expired Visa Holders
Saudi Arabia has provided some relief for foreign nationals.
People whose visas expired before February 25, 2026, will now have time until April 18, 2026, to either:
leave the country without penalty, or
regularize their visa status
Applications can be submitted through the Absher platform.
This relief measure was introduced because of travel difficulties caused by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
