IMMIGRATION HEALTH SURGHARGE TO DOUBLE ON 8th JANUARY 2019

Unfortunately students and youth mobility visa applicants will, from 8th January, need to pay £300 per year instead of the current £150. All other applicants will be charged £400 per year, double the current charge of £200. It is becoming ever more expensive to come to the UK and to stay here.

LONG-AWAITED IMMIGRATION WHITE PAPER FINALLY PUBLISHED

The Immigration White paper, published by the Government on 19th December 2019, has perhaps attracted most media attention with its proposal that future skilled workers- to include those from the EU- will be expected to earn £30000 pa. This is  not set in stone and there will be a period of consultation. For a period […]

WIDENING OF EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME TESTING PHASE

From 21st January 2019 a much wider group of people will be able to apply for the post-Brexit immigration “ settled status”. Earlier pilot phases seem to have been successful and from January 21st eligible EU nationals with a valid passport and their eligible  non- EU family members with a valid biometric residence card will […]

MORE PAPER APPLICATION FORMS SCRAPPED

The Home Office is continuing  the process of replacing paper applications with compulsory on-line applications. Applications to extend stay in the UK as a partner of dependent child using Form FLR(M) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-extend-stay-in-the-uk-as-a-partner-or-dependent-child-form-flrm/apply-online-form-flr-m and applications on the basis of long residence using Form FLR(LR) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-extend-stay-in-uk-long-residence-form-flrlr/apply-online-form-flr-lr are two of the applications which must now be made on-line.

RECENT CONFUSION OVER INVESTOR VISA APPLICATIONS CLARIFIED

Contrary to recent information published in the press, the Tier One Investor route has not been suspended. Please watch this space as concerns about the source of funds /money laundering means that changes are very likely to be  on their way.

New Immigration Application Systems

New in-country application procedures are being introduced from today ( 2nd November 2018) meaning that many more applications will be completed on-line with paper application forms gradually being withdrawn . A new UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service ( UKVCAS) has been established and will open 57 centres across the UK including centres in Gloucester, […]

Pilot EU Settlement Scheme Expanded to Include EU Staff of Higher Education Institutions

The post-Brexit “Settlement Scheme” is being piloted to see how effectively it will work. From 15th November 2018 eligible EU staff members of higher education institutions will be able to apply for “settlement” using the new online application process which requires access to an android device.   For further information on the pilot or on other […]

EU Settlement Scheme – Information for Employers

The Home Office has published a “toolkit” for employers and suggests that employers “cascade it” to their employees. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/728672/EU_Settlement_Scheme_Introduction_To_Employer_Toolkit.PDF EU employees cannot yet apply for “settlement” – although the application scheme is now being piloted – but the information is a useful summary of how it will work. There are some useful reminders for employers: […]

Relaxation of Rules on Absences Calculation

Certain visa categories including Tier 1 entrepreneurs and  Tier 2 (General) workers require an Applicant to show “continuous residence” for a 5-year period when applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK. “Continuous residence” can be broken by absences of 180 days or more in 12 months. This used to mean that an Applicant […]

Some Positive Changes for Students

As of 6th July 2018, students from an additional 11 countries including China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand will be able to produce a reduced level of documentation when applying for Tier 4 Visas. The minimum length that a postgraduate course needs to be in order for a Tier 4 student to bring dependents to the […]