Nomadic, the global immigration technology company, is revolutionising short-term immigration and visa compliance – with an Aberdeen businessman playing a pivotal role in the start-up’s growth strategy.
 
Nomadic’s next-generation application is transformational for employers sending their employees abroad to work, including those in the energy sector, says Neil Thomson, the founder of The Visa Team, an Aberdeen headquartered company which was acquired by US firm Nomadic in February last year.
 
Launched at the start of 2020, Nomadic was founded by experienced figures in the global immigration industry to bring an automated technological approach to the immigration compliance side of short-term travel.

Nomadic is uniquely positioned in this specialist market as the only provider of an end-to-end solution for international compliance, as companies contend with Covid-19, Brexit and continual changes to travel and immigration rules. The digital platform is used by oil and gas firms, including one with more than 50,000 staff worldwide.

Neil said: “Many companies are looking for the end-to-end solution for the whole immigration compliance ecosystem of business travel, and our technology fills that void.

“The consequences of non-adherence with immigration rules can range from fines and detention to employer sanctions, and our technology - allied to the capabilities of a team of leading professionals – is transformational in terms of managing risks.”

Nomadic ensures users are ‘travel-ready’, meeting stringent immigration, documentation, and health criteria. The assessment tool can flag Covid-19 vaccination status and quarantine rules. In addition, its optional GPS capabilities take it to another level, supporting traceability of staff for on-going compliance support, risk management and duty of care responsibilities. The app can also integrate with third-party post-trip tax reporting systems and multiple other applications.

Aberdeen-born Neil, a director at Nomadic and responsible for integrating The Visa Team’s UK and Middle East offices into the new organisation, launched his visas firm after being made redundant along with thousands of oil and gas workers in 2015.
 
With 30 years’ personnel logistics expertise, he says Nomadic is providing what business has long sought – a global technology-led, streamlined and cost-efficient immigration compliance hub.
 
Neil, who is based in Westhill, is supported by a network of professionals for Nomadic’s European, Middle East and Africa operations. He said: “The Visa Team, with its market footprint and specialist expertise, was a perfect fit for Nomadic and the acquisition was a logical step forward. Aberdeen and the wider energy sector represent incredibly important market opportunities for Nomadic and our game-changing solution.”
 
Nomadic’s cloud-based application encapsulates an end-to-end traveller profile, from pre-trip compliance assessment and visa requirements through to health data and live updates. The innovation is aimed at all traveling abroad to work. Clients include those in the energy, maritime, media and entertainment sectors to name a few.

Nomadic is also at an advanced stage of incorporating additional immigration and maritime regulations into the assessment tool to provide automated immigration advice around offshore projects. It is also developing a more automated solution for Iraqi oilfield security pass processes, and other similar country-specific innovations are in the pipeline.    

Using the portal online or via their smartphone, the user simply selects their proposed destination to bring up all relevant documentation, with a previously created traveller profile automatically populating sections. The completed documents are sent by the traveller to the relevant embassy, global Nomadic hub or Nomadic in-country partner for lodging.

Nomadic is engaging with global travel management companies, governments, non-government agencies and international business partners. It is further partnering with global crew scheduling platforms and tax and payroll providers, as well as risk, security and emergency response providers. 

Neil said: “The challenge is that different rules apply for every national going to a country to work, and the rules further vary for a national depending on what they are doing in that country. The goalposts are changing all the time, and it’s imperative to have a verified digital identity from compliance, health, duty of care and tax perspectives. 

“Nomadic connects the dots and has the infrastructure to manage additional regulatory, documentation and health requirements as international travel begins to open up.”

Nomadic is committed to providing the next generation of business visa and other short- term immigration and document management services. The UK offices are in Westhill, near Aberdeen, and London. The company’s HQ is in New Jersey, where its CEO, Brendan Ryan, is based.

The firm has strategic plans to open additional offices in North America, India, Singapore, Australia and across Europe. Nomadic works with more than 80 partners worldwide to cover 170 countries.