Global migration rules continue to change, becoming more complex and digitalized. From Kazakhstan to the USA and Europe, there is a trend towards stricter controls, increased integration requirements and a departure from outdated procedures. We have collected the key news that is important to know.
Kazakhstan simplifies registration, but tightens controls
New rules for registration of foreigners will come into force in Kazakhstan on July 1. The main change is the complete transfer of the procedure online through the Migration Police System (IP IP).
Who needs it: Citizens of countries with a visa-free regime for up to 90 days (for example, many CIS countries, Turkey, the UAE, etc.).
Deadlines: You need to register no later than the 30th day from the moment of entry.
How it works: A foreign citizen fills out an application online, entering their details and the address of their stay. The key novelty is confirmation through the receiving party. The homeowner (or the hotel) receives a push notification in eGov Mobile and must confirm the fact of the stay. Only after that, an electronic registration certificate is automatically generated in the foreigner’s personal account.
Spain is on its way to serious restrictions
Spain is preparing to join a number of European countries that are tightening the rules for holders of old-style Russian passports.
What’s the point: Entry and registration of a residence permit for Russian five-year non-biometric passports are highly likely to be restricted. Previously, such measures were taken by Germany, France, the Czech Republic, the Baltic States and others.
The reason: Formally— security issues and compatibility with the new automated EU Border Control System (EES), which will be fully launched in April 2026. EES requires scanning a passport with a chip. Unofficially, as diplomats point out, this is a form of visa pressure.
What to do: Russian citizens planning trips to the EU are strongly advised to issue a biometric passport (10-year) in advance. The Russian Consulate in Madrid, for example, notes the huge demand for this service.
A more alarming initiative in Spain is a bill registered in parliament to abolish the legalization of “settlement” (arraigo). If it is adopted in its current form, the possibility of obtaining a residence permit after a long (from 2 years) illegal residence in the country on social, labor or educational grounds will be completely excluded. This blocks one of the last “loopholes” and socio-humanitarian ways of legalization. The bill also tightens the requirements for criminal records. The document has not been reviewed yet, and experts have hope for its mitigation.
Against the background of these changes, we remind you that for financially independent individuals and entrepreneurs, the Digital Nomad Visa remains one of the most popular and transparent ways of legalization in Spain.
USA: A high-profile initiative to ban dual citizenship
In the United States, discussions are heating up around the radical bill Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, introduced by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno.
The essence of the bill: It obliges US citizens with a second citizenship to give up a foreign passport within a year.
The scale of the problem: Millions of Americans could be affected by the law, including those who were born abroad, have foreign parents, work for international companies, or live in two countries. Interestingly, both Melania and Barron Trump, who have Slovenian citizenship, formally fall under the rule.
Reaction: The initiative has provoked a flurry of criticism from lawyers and experts pointing to constitutional risks, the practical difficulty of renouncing citizenship in some countries, and the negative impact on Americans’ global mobility. The bill is at the very early stage of discussion, and its fate is unclear, but the very fact of its appearance speaks to the mood in some political circles.
The United States launches the Trump Gold Card program
Against the background of stricter migration policy, a fundamentally new way to obtain permanent resident status has appeared in the United States — the Trump Gold Card program (immigration for a contribution of $ 1 million), which officially opened applications on December 10, 2025.
The program offers wealthy foreigners and corporations an accelerated path to an American green card through a direct financial contribution to the country’s budget, rather than through traditional investment mechanisms.
Conditions for individuals: Unlike the classic EB-5 investment program, there are no requirements for job creation in the United States. The contribution is considered as an irrevocable gift to the state in exchange for immigration status.
Corporate Option: Companies can sponsor a key foreign employee by paying $2,000,000 for each one. The funds can be reissued to another employee with the payment of an additional fee.
The key difference: Unlike the classic EB-5 investment program, there are no requirements for job creation in the United States. The contribution is considered as an irrevocable gift to the state in exchange for immigration status.
Additional option: The administration has also announced the Trump Platinum Card. For a contribution of $5,000,000, she will be able to spend up to 270 days a year in the United States without paying American taxes on income earned abroad. This map is still in development.
What does it mean?
This step fully fits into the administration’s general rhetoric aimed at reorienting the immigration system in favor of wealthy foreigners. Simultaneously with the discussion of the ban on dual citizenship and the introduction of a fee of $100,000 for H-1B, the United States is creating an exclusive but extremely expensive “express corridor” for global capital and talent.
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Japan: Complicating the path to a passport amid growing popularity
Japan, experiencing a surge in popularity among expats due to the weakened yen and cultural trend, plans to make obtaining citizenship even more difficult.
The main change: The authorities want to increase the minimum period of permanent residence for applying for citizenship from 5 to 10 years.
Additional requirements: The applicant’s fiscal discipline will be more strictly checked: timely payment of taxes and contributions to state insurance funds will become a prerequisite.
Context: This is a continuation of the general policy of Japan, where the rules for foreigners (“Gaijins”) have always been among the strictest in the developed world. The country is balancing between attracting foreign labor and maintaining strict integration requirements in order to gain full-fledged membership in society.
The general trend is obvious: the world is moving towards total digital registration of migrants (EES in the EU, online registration in Kazakhstan) and at the same time raising the bar for permanent residence and naturalization.
Countries are less inclined to forgive violations of the migration regime (as in the potential Spanish reform) and increasingly value legal, economically beneficial immigration routes for them — through investments, work in sought-after areas or the status of a financially independent person.
When planning a move, it is now more important than ever to choose legal grounds from the very beginning and keep your documents up to date.
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