Immigration Considerations for Individuals and Employers During Periods of Conflict or Civil Unrest

At a Glance

• Periods of conflict or civil unrest can disrupt international travel, airspace access, and immigration processes with little notice. 
• Travellers may experience visa expiries, border restrictions, or limited commercial transport options when attempting to leave affected regions. 
• Employers with staff overseas should review crisis response procedures, immigration status, and potential remote working or relocation arrangements. 
• Maintaining access to travel documentation and monitoring official government guidance is essential for both individuals and organisations.

Recent developments in the Middle East highlight how quickly geopolitical events can disrupt international travel and global mobility. Escalating conflict, airspace closures, and security restrictions may leave travellers unable to leave affected regions or return to their home country as planned.

These disruptions may affect both individuals travelling for business or leisure and employees living and working in the region on longer-term assignments. In serious situations, governments may advise their nationals to leave affected countries or organise assisted departures where commercial travel is unavailable. 

Beyond immediate safety considerations, travel disruption can also create immigration challenges. Individuals may face visa expiries, difficulties exiting a country, or delays in residence permit processing. Employers may need to manage immigration compliance issues, remote working arrangements, and potential relocation of staff.

This article outlines some practical steps for individuals and employers navigating immigration issues during periods of conflict, civil unrest, or other crises.

Preparing for Potential Disruption

While crises are often unpredictable, both employers and individuals can take steps in advance to reduce disruption to international travel.

Review Insurance and Duty-of-Care Arrangements

Before travelling, it is important to understand what protection may be available if travel plans are disrupted.

Individuals should review the terms of their travel insurance policies, while employers should assess their corporate travel insurance and duty-of-care coverage to understand the support available to employees travelling in higher-risk regions.

Standard travel insurance policies frequently exclude losses arising from war, military activity, or government-mandated airspace closures. As a result, some costs associated with travel disruption, evacuation, or extended stays abroad may fall outside the scope of cover.

Individuals and organisations should therefore confirm:

• what assistance their insurer may provide in the event of travel disruption
• whether emergency evacuation or crisis support services are included
• what exclusions may apply in situations involving conflict or political unrest

Monitor Official Travel Advice

Travellers should monitor travel advice issued by their home government prior to departure and throughout their time abroad. For example, for British nationals, guidance published by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides country-specific security updates and travel restrictions.

Employers sending employees overseas should ensure that relevant governmental travel advice is reviewed before approving travel. From an insurance perspective, failure to comply with government guidance may also invalidate certain travel insurance policies.

Guidance for Individuals in Affected Regions

Individuals currently located in areas experiencing unrest should prioritise staying informed and ensuring their home government can contact them if necessary.

Register with Your Embassy or Consulate

Individuals should register their presence with their home country’s embassy or consulate as soon as possible.

Consular registration allows governments to identify and contact their nationals during emergencies and provide updates on security conditions, evacuation arrangements, and available assistance. Registration typically involves submitting basic personal details and contact information through an online government portal. 

In many cases, registration also enables individuals to receive alerts and safety guidance during rapidly changing situations.

Individuals should also stay informed by closely monitoring updates from:

• their home country’s foreign ministry or consulate
• local authorities in the host country
• airlines or transport providers

Planning Departure from an Affected Country

When arranging travel out of an affected country, individuals should follow official guidance carefully.

In particular, travellers should:

• only travel to airports or border crossings once they have confirmed departure arrangements
• comply with any movement restrictions or shelter-in-place orders issued by local authorities
• prepare for delays, cancellations. and congestion at transport hubs

Immigration requirements in transit or destination countries should also be checked before travelling, as entry restrictions or visa policies may change quickly in response to evolving security conditions.

Governments may also introduce temporary operational measures to assist nationals seeking to leave affected regions. For example, the UK government recently confirmed that dual British nationals are generally required to enter the UK using a valid British passport rather than a non-British passport.

However, in response to recent developments in the Middle East and the resulting travel disruption, the UK government has issued temporary guidance to airlines to facilitate travel to the UK. Under this guidance, carriers may, at their discretion, accept an expired UK passport (issued in 1989 or later) when presented alongside a valid passport from a visa-free country, provided the biographical details match. This temporary measure is intended to assist dual British nationals who may not have access to a valid UK passport but need to return to the UK during the current disruption.

Safeguard Travel Documentation

In addition to their physical documentation, individuals should ensure they have secure digital copies of key documents, including:

• passports
• visas or residence permits
• work permits
• other official identification

Securely stored digital copies can assist with replacement processes if documents are lost or damaged. 

Where travel documents are lost, individuals should report the loss to the local authorities where possible and contact their embassy or consulate to request assistance. This may include issuing emergency travel documentation.

However, travellers should note that emergency travel documents may not always be accepted for entry into third countries and may only permit direct travel to the issuing country.

Managing Immigration Status

Travel disruption may create immigration complications, including visa expiry or delays in residence permit processing. In some situations, immigration authorities may temporarily suspend in-person services, biometric appointments, or document collection processes. This may delay visa renewals, residence permit issuance, or exit permit approvals.

Overstaying a visa can carry penalties in some jurisdictions, including fines, administrative sanctions, or restrictions on future entry.

Where individuals are unable to depart a country before their visa expires due to circumstances beyond their control, it is advisable to retain evidence demonstrating why travel was not possible. This may include documentation such as flight cancellations, immigration and other related office closures, government announcements, or other travel restrictions.

Where possible, individuals should seek immigration advice to understand the options available to them and to mitigate potential compliance issues once normal operations resume.

Considerations for Employers

Employers with employees located in affected regions should take proactive steps to understand the situation and support their workforce.

Activate Crisis Response Protocols

Organisations should activate internal crisis response procedures and coordinate across relevant teams, including HR, global mobility, legal, and corporate security functions.

Employers should also conduct an immediate review of the location of all personnel in the region, including:

• employees on business travel
• expatriate employees
• contractors
• accompanying family members.

Maintaining accurate information about employee location and immigration status can assist employers in responding quickly if evacuation or relocation becomes necessary.

Monitor Immigration Status

Employers should review visa expiry dates for employees located in affected countries and assess whether extension applications may be required.

Where immigration authorities remain operational, employers should consider submitting extension applications or other filings where possible. Maintaining evidence of attempted filings or system outages may also be helpful if authorities later review immigration compliance.

In previous crises, governments have sometimes introduced grace periods or amnesty arrangements for individuals who were unable to depart before their visa expired. However, such measures are discretionary and cannot be assumed in advance.

Remote Working and Temporary Relocation

Where employees cannot return to their usual place of work, employers may consider temporary remote working arrangements or relocation to another country.

However, cross-border remote working can raise several legal and compliance issues, including:

• immigration permission to work in the country where the employee is located
• local employment law requirements
• individual tax residency risks
• potential corporate tax or permanent establishment exposure

Employers should seek cross-border legal and tax advice where employees may be working from another jurisdiction, especially if it may be for more than a short period.

Managing Immigration Documentation

Employers may wish to ensure that copies of key immigration documents are retained securely for employees travelling to or staying in higher-risk regions. Having access to copies of passports, visas, and residence permits can assist with replacement processes where documents are lost.

Conclusion

Periods of conflict or civil unrest can quickly create complex challenges for individuals travelling or working overseas, as well as for employers responsible for supporting an internationally mobile workforce.

Recent global events have highlighted how disruptions to travel, government services, and immigration systems can arise with little warning. Individuals may face cancelled travel plans, visa expiries, or limited access to consular services, while employers may need to address employee safety, immigration compliance. and potential relocation arrangements across multiple jurisdictions.

While such situations are often unpredictable, practical steps can help mitigate disruption. Individuals should remain informed about official guidance and maintain access to key documentation, while employers should review contingency planning, travel policies, and crisis response procedures for staff travelling internationally.

Taking a proactive and well-informed approach can help both individuals and organisations respond more effectively to periods of uncertainty while minimising potential immigration and compliance risks.