The conditions for granting a stay permit to foreign personnel with a Multinational Headquarters Company (SEM) Permanent Staff Visa and their dependents following the termination of the employment relationship have been modified

The National Immigration Authority, through Resolution No. 4887 of February 18th, 2025, published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, February 27th, 2025, stipulates the following:

• Duration of the stay permit:
  • The stay permit will be granted for a period of six (6) calendar months to all foreign personnel holding a Permanent Staff SEM Visa, as well as their dependents, whose employment relationship has ended.
• Deadline to apply for the stay permit:
  • The stay permit must be requested by the company with a SEM license, through a legal representative via the INFOSEM platform of the One-Stop Window of the National Directorate of Investment Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, within a period of five (5) business days from the termination of the employment relationship.
  • After this period, the National Immigration Authority will not accept stay permit applications.

• Requirements to apply for the stay permit:
  • Power of attorney granted by the legal representative or authorized person for this purpose, along with a request addressed to the National Immigration Authority.
  • Valid immigration card through which the SEM Visa was granted.
  • Letter issued by the SEM-licensed company, signed by the legal representative or the authorized person, duly authenticated by a Notary Public. The letter must be addressed to the National Immigration Authority and include (i) the general information of the foreign personnel applicants and their dependents; (ii) the exact date of termination of the employment relationship; (iii) the request for cancellation or renunciation of the visa; and (iv) the requested duration for the stay permit, which cannot exceed six (6) calendar months.
  • Certification issued by the General Directorate of Multinational Company Headquarters, confirming the submission of the stay permit application.

• Conditions for the issuance of the stay permit:
  • The stay permit may be granted for a period of six (6) calendar months, provided that the card issued with the SEM Visa has a validity of no less than this period. If the card has a validity of less than six (6) calendar months or is a temporary (in process) SEM Visa card, the stay permit will be granted until the expiration date of the respective card.

• Cost of the stay permit card:
  • To obtain the stay permit, the foreigner and their dependents must obtain a new card, with a validity period not exceeding six (6) calendar months, at a cost of one hundred dollars (US$100.00) per card.

• Deadline to leave the country or regularize stay:
  • Upon the conclusion of their stay in the national territory, the foreign personnel will have five (5) calendar days to leave the country or regularize their immigration status, to avoid a fine for overstaying.

• Changes in the stay permit regulations:
  • The Resolution No. 21479 of November 11th, 2011, which initially regulated the stay permit, allowed foreigners and their dependents who had been granted a SEM visa card to continue using it during the stay permit period for six (6) months.
  • With Resolution No. 4887, significant changes are introduced. Under this new regulation, foreigners and their dependents will no longer be able to retain the previously issued card. Instead, they will be required to obtain a new stay permit card, which will be valid for no more than six calendar months. Additionally, a deadline for applying for the stay permit is established.

• This resolution came into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette, on February 27th, 2025.