News

31.10.2023 - What happens when biometric residence permits expire in 2024?

Biometric residence permits, due to expire at the end of December 2024, are to be replaced with “eVisas“. Home Office guidance explains that people will need to register and set up an online account so that they can view and share relevant information about their immigration status with third parties, such as employers or landlords. The guidance states:

You can do this by generating a share code in the view and prove service, which will give them time-limited access to your immigration status information. You can get a new share code whenever you need one – you do not have to remember a single...

23.10.2023 - Immigration health surcharge rise to come into effect no earlier than 16 January 2024

On 16 January 2024 or later, the immigration health surcharge will increase from £470 per year to £776 per year for children, students, their dependants and youth mobility workers. The charge will increase from £624 per year to a whopping £1,035 per year for everyone else. 

The increase will come into force on the later of 16th January 2024 or the twenty-first day after the day on which it is made. The Order needs to be approved by both Houses of Parliament.

The original announcement of the fee increase said that it would be used to fund public sector pay increases but that reason appears to h...

12.10.2023 - Court of Appeal upholds deprivation of citizenship decision

The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision made the Home Secretary to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the basis that it was obtained by dishonest concealment of a material fact. Namely, that the appellant did not disclose what appeared to be an ongoing relationship between he and his wife in Pakistan at the time he obtained leave based on his relationship with an EEA national.

Background

The appellant came to the UK as a student in March 2006. In December 2006 he started a relationship with a Polish national, Ms Lebkowska. A divorce deed was signed by his wife, Ms Sbuhi, in Pak...

29.09.2023 - Immigration update as regards changes in the immigration system in Autumn 2023

BRP Card Deliveries via Royal Mail 

As of Monday 18th September 2023, the Home Office has shifted to using Royal Mail for BRP card deliveries. A signature is no longer required. In case of delivery issues, redelivery can be arranged, or the BRP card can be collected from the local Royal Mail delivery office. Ensure your address details with UKVI are accurate since changes after BRP production are not possible. 

The introduction of Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from 25 October 

  ETA will be introduced on a phased basis starting from 25 October 2023. 

  •  Applicable to Non-Visa Nation...

15.09.2023 - New visa fees set to come into effect next month

Increases to immigration and nationality fees to pay for vital services and allow more funding to be prioritised for public sector pay rises are set come into effect on 4 October, following legislation being laid in Parliament today (15 September).

The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 to £115, while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK will rise by £127 to £490, to equal the amount charged for in-country applications.

In July, the government announced a 15% increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and an incr...

12.09.2023 - UK Introduces Transit Visa Requirement for Georgian and Russian Nationals

Summary

The United Kingdom has amended the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014, now requiring Georgian and Russian nationals to secure a transit visa when passing through the UK without formally entering the country. The change aims to counter asylum claims made by individuals from these countries, which have reportedly misused the UK's existing transit provisions.

Fast-Tracked Legislation

Contrary to typical procedures where a statutory instrument takes at least 21 days to come into force after being presented before Parliament, the amendment was implemented just a day after its i...

07.09.2023 - Statement of changes of the immigration rules HC 1780

A new statement of changes has been published along with the explanatory memorandum and a written statement from the immigration minister. The biggest change is the removal of administrative review from decisions made under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Below we summarise the main changes. The vast majority of changes take effect on 5 October 2023, with some changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme only taking effect from 31 January 2024.

Administrative review removed for the EU Settlement Scheme and the EUSS family permit

Changes are being made to Appendix AR and Appendix AR(EU) to remove the right o...

07.08.2023 - Tripling of fines for those supporting illegal migrants

Fines are to be more than tripled for employers and landlords who allow illegal migrants to work for them or rent their properties, in the biggest shake up of civil penalties since 2014, the Home Secretary announced today (Monday 7 August).

The civil penalty for employers, which was last increased in 2014, will be raised to up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach from £15,000, and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches from £20,000.

For landlords the fines will increase from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for a first breach to up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier. Re...

03.08.2023 - Interest rate in the UK rises to 5.25%

The UK's interest rate has been raised to 5.25% by the Bank of England, as it continues trying to control soaring prices.

This means the Bank has increased the rate by 0.25% from 5% - the 14th hike in a row.

The last time the base rate was this high was in April 2008.

The Bank's base rate influences the cost of borrowing - meaning an increase can lead to more expensive mortgages. But it can be good news for savers, as banks may offer greater returns on savings accounts.

Higher interest rates are designed to cut inflation, by reducing borrowers' spending power.

While the UK inflation rate is fa...

31.07.2023 - Home Office changes immigration rules on receiving citizenship in case of long-term prison sentence

Serious criminals will be barred from claiming British citizenship under tough new rules that came into force on Monday (31 July).

Changes to the so-called ‘good character’ requirement of citizenship applications will see “stricter and more specific rules” applied to anyone who has received a 12-month prison sentence.

The changes remove the previous rules where some criminals could be granted British citizenship after a certain number of years had passed since the end of their sentence – regardless of the type of crime or where it was committed.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “British c...

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