Also Authored by Melvin Ng and Riduan Fattah
Clark Hill’s Outbound Immigration & Global Mobility practice guides corporate clients and individuals through complex global immigration challenges worldwide. We pride ourselves on creative, compliant and people-centered solutions – looking at global mobility from a wholistic perspective in an ever-changing immigration environment. Our team assists with short-term assignments, long-term relocations, consular processing, document procurement, document legalizations/apostilles, and business visas in 100+ countries worldwide.
Below is an overview of the major updates from May 2026 in the Asia-Pacific region.
India
Changes to the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Program
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has overhauled the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) program, and the revised rules are as follows:
- Eligible foreign nationals can now apply for an OCI card without the need to complete six months of stay in India. Provided they have a valid long-term visa and the required documents are in order, they can submit the application immediately upon arrival in India.
- Those who do not update their new passport details on the OCI portal within three months of its issuance will be subject to a fine of USD 25 (or equivalent in local currency).
- Fifth- and sixth-generation Indian Origin Tamils in Sri Lanka are now eligible for an OCI card. This allows a broader group of Sri Lankan diaspora to apply, particularly those from communities with limited historical documentation.
Indonesia
Directorate General of Immigration Now Requires One-time Password for Every Portal Login
The Directorate General of Immigration (DGI) has implemented a system access change requiring a one-time password for every portal login. All portal logins now require a password verification sent to the registered email address. Accounts linked to invalid or inaccessible email addresses are blocked, preventing login and submission of immigration applications on the system.
With this change, foreign nationals may experience delays in visa applications, limited stay permits (ITAS), and passport or data updates, if their registered email accounts are invalid or inaccessible, as they will be unable to submit applications.
Accordingly, foreign nationals and their employers are advised to review all registered email addresses linked to DGI portal accounts and update any email addresses that are no longer valid or accessible.
Japan
Immigration Services Agency (ISA) Announces Updated Photograph Requirements
The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) has announced updated facial photograph requirements in relation to the issuance of the newly formatted residence cards and special permanent resident certificates which go into effect June 14, 2026. Under the new rules, residence cards and special permanent resident certificates issued to eligible children will include a facial photograph.
Applicants between the ages of 1 to 16 who applied before June 14, 2026 may be requested to submit a facial photograph, even if the application was filed before implementation. ISA offices have already begun requesting or recommending the submission of facial photographs for applicants who will be at least one year old as of June 14, 2026 and are expected to receive their new residence cards on or after that date, even if they are under one year old at the time the application is filed.
Similarly, individuals submitting notifications or applications for special permanent resident certificates between June 10 and June 13, who will be at least one year old as of June 14, 2026, must also submit a facial photograph. Officers may also request applicants to provide a facial photograph even if their application or notification was submitted before the above dates.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation Issues Reminder on Endorsement Payment Deadline
Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) issued a reminder on endorsement payment deadline and the requirement for applicants to remain in Malaysia throughout the endorsement stage. As part of the endorsement process, government fees for pass issuance must be made and applicants must remain in Malaysia for the entire duration of the final endorsement stage until the pass sticker is issued. This stricter enforcement currently only applies to MDEC-managed applications under the eXpats system.
Employers must complete endorsement payments within one month from either one of the following, otherwise it will result in the lapse of endorsement, requiring a fresh application to be filed:
- The date of the applicant’s entry into Malaysia
- The date of approval of new or renewed passes
Applicants must remain in Malaysia throughout the endorsement process until the pass sticker is issued. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the cancellation of their application, and a fresh application will need to be filed. This is because existing pass applications in the endorsement stage cannot be amended to include “Visa with Reference” information to accommodate applicants who require a single-entry visa to enter Malaysia. For pass renewals, if travel is required due to urgent circumstances while the application is in progress and if applicants will re-enter after the expiry of their current pass, the company must notify MDEC immediately. MDEC will then assess whether any workarounds can be granted to enable endorsement to continue under the existing application, provided the endorsement stage has not entered the final stage of pass issuance.
Revised Deadline for Appeals for Employment and Professional Visit Pass Rejections
The deadline to submit online appeals has been revised to 14 days (previously 6 months). This only applies to ESD registered companies.
For rejected Employment Pass (EP) and Professional Visit Pass (PVP) applications, appeals must be submitted online at ESD within 14 calendar days from the date of rejection. The appeal facility will only be accessible within this 14-day period. Once an appeal is initiated, the application fee is non-refundable. Appeals submitted after the 14-day period will not be accepted by the system.
Manufacturing and Selected Services Sectors to Submit Applications Through the MIDA Expatriate System (MES)
Starting June 1, 2026, companies operating in the manufacturing and selected services sectors under MIDA’s purview will be required to submit expatriate applications (EP, PVP, DP and LTSVP) via the MIDA Expatriate System (MES) in place of the existing Expatriate Services Division (ESD) portal. This follows the launch of the MES on March 16, 2026. These applications are expected to be processed within 15 working days.
In addition, MIDA has introduced a new pass, the Employment Pass–Foreign Graduate (EP-FG), which allows international fresh graduates of higher education institutions within Malaysia to seek employment in the country for up to 2 years. This pass category is limited to international graduates who can contribute to one of the five key sectors (electrical and electronics, specialty chemicals, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices) identified under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030). EP-FG applications are only granted where there is a demonstrated shortage of suitably qualified Malaysian talent. Employers must show that reasonable efforts have been made to hire local candidates before considering international graduates. The EP-FG is open to all nationalities and needs to be applied via the MES portal.
Thailand
Deadline for Acceptance of Manual Work Permit Applications Extended
The Department of Employment has extended the deadline for the acceptance of manual submissions to July 28, 2026 for work permit applications, including initial applications, renewals, cancellations, and amendments. Applicants must provide proof that there is a technical issue with the e-Work Permit system before they are allowed to proceed with manual filing.
Changes to Visa Exemptions and Visa on Arrival
Thailand has approved a substantial revision to the country’s visa exemption and Visa on Arrival (VOA) framework. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the approved package will:
- Revoke the current 60-day visa exemption for all 93 affected countries and territories
- Reduce the 30-day tourism visa exemption list from 57 to 54 jurisdictions
- Introduce a new 15-day tourism visa exemption category for three jurisdictions
- Reduce the Visa on Arrival list from thirty-one jurisdictions to four
The government also intends to adopt a “one country/territory, one scheme” approach to eliminate overlapping arrangements regarding nationals who benefit from both the VOA and visa exemption.
These approved changes are not yet in effect and the exact lists of countries, effective date, and any transitional or grandfathering provisions are currently not available. The details will be issued through three Ministry of Interior announcements, with the new framework taking effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.
These changes create immediate planning considerations for travelers relying on the current 60-day visa exemption route—particularly those entering Thailand for short-term business meetings, technical visits, or urgent work. While the official 2024 guidance for the current scheme extends beyond tourism, the newly announced replacement categories have so far been described as tourism schemes only. If this narrower definition is adopted, it will create a bigger impact on travelers.
Vietnam
Work Permit and Work Permit Exemption Certificates Issued Electronically
The Department of Home Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City has announced the implementation of electronic issuance of Work Permits (WP) and Work Permit Exemption (WPE) certificates. From June 15, 2026, applications for Work Permits and Work Permit Exemptions will be issued electronically in HCMC. These electronic documents will have the same legal validity as physical ones. Employers and individuals can obtain the said electronic documents through their registered account via the National Public Service portal.
For additional information, please contact Clark Hill’s APAC team at apac@clarkhill.com.
For further information on any of the updates in this bulletin, reach out to one of the members of our Outbound Immigration & Global Mobility team.
To view May’s updates for the EMEA and Americas regions, click the respective region.
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