Immigration rule changes in 2020
13 dated rule changes recorded in 2020, from 2020-01-01 to 2020-11-01. Each item links to the programme page and the official source we recorded it from. This is a record of what we captured, not a complete legislative history.
← All updates & policy changes
November 2020 (1)
Malta Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment: Programme renamed from Malta Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) to Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment (CES). MIIP closed to new applications. Contribution thresholds revised: €600,000 for 36-month residency, €750,000 for 12-month residency. Legal Notice 437 of 2020.
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September 2020 (2)
Egyptian Citizenship by Investment: Law 190 of 2020 formally established Egypt's citizenship-by-investment framework, creating the legal basis for the real estate, bank deposit, business investment, and donation routes.
source →Austrian Citizenship by Descent (§58c Victims of National Socialism + §10 Jus Sanguinis): §58c entered into force, granting descendants of NS persecutees a declaratory right to Austrian citizenship with no generational cap and no renunciation requirement.
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August 2020 (1)
Estonia Digital Nomad Visa: Estonia introduced the Digital Nomad Visa as one of the first in the EU, allowing remote workers to legally reside and work in Estonia for clients or employers outside Estonia.
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July 2020 (2)
Albanian Citizenship by Origin: Albania enacted Law 113/2020 on Citizenship, fundamentally reforming the descent / origin route. Provides expedited naturalisation for persons of Albanian origin globally without generational caps. Replaces the previous 1998 Law on Albanian Citizenship.
source →US TN Visa (Trade NAFTA / USMCA Professional): USMCA replaced NAFTA, continuing the TN professional-worker category essentially unchanged in occupation list and structure (now Appendix 2 to USMCA Chapter 16, previously NAFTA Annex 1603).
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June 2020 (1)
Jordanian Citizenship by Investment: Jordan published updated ministerial instructions clarifying eligible investment routes, minimum thresholds, and documentation requirements for citizenship by investment under the existing nationality law framework.
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February 2020 (1)
Norwegian Citizenship by Descent: Restoration (re-acquisition) notification pathway opened. Former Norwegian citizens who lost their status before 1 January 2020 may reclaim by simplified notification to UDI.
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January 2020 (5)
Irish Citizenship by Descent / Foreign Births Registration: Following Brexit, demand for Irish FBR surged significantly from British residents with Irish-born grandparents, contributing to the multi-year processing backlog.
source →Greek Citizenship by Descent / Registration of Homogeneis: Greece updated its Citizenship Code under Law 4674/2020, introducing streamlined procedures for ethnic Greeks abroad to apply for citizenship. The reform also clarified requirements for the "special naturalization" route under Article 14, and modernized the documentation standards expected from applicants in diaspora communities.
source →Norwegian Citizenship by Descent: Norway amended the Nationality Act effective 1 January 2020 to permit dual citizenship. Norwegian citizens acquiring a foreign nationality no longer lose their Norwegian status.
source →Puerto Rico Act 60 (Individual Resident Investor & Export Services): Act 60-2019 (the Puerto Rico Incentives Code) consolidated dozens of prior incentive laws — including Act 20 (Export Services) and Act 22 (Individual Investors) — into a single unified code, effective January 1, 2020. Decrees issued under the earlier Acts 20/22 remain grandfathered under their original terms.
source →Vietnam DT Investor Visa: Law No. 51/2019/QH14 on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam took effect, formalising the DT investor visa tier structure and extending maximum validity periods for DT1 holders to 10 years
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