News

13.10.2013 - Immigration Rules to be simplified for Chinese national visitors

Chancellor George Osborne, during his trade trip in China, announced plans to relax the visa rules for Chinese nationals visiting the UK. The plans include:

  • Chinese applicants will be able to submit just one visa form covering them for both visits to the UK and the EU Schengen agreement countries through selected travel agents;
  • From summer 2014 there will be a new 24 hour ‘super-priority’ visa service;
  • The VIP mobile visa service, currently operating in Beijing and Shanghai, could be expanded to the rest of China.

09.10.2013 - The Immigration Bill was introduced into the House of Commons

The Bill contains the following measures:

  • Significantly reducing the number of rights of appeal;
  • Further reducing the number of work visas and student visas;
  • Foreign criminals to be deported from the UK first and then their appeals to be heard later.
  • End the abuse of Article 8.
  • Private landlords will be required to check the immigration status of their tenants – so as to prevent those with no leave to be in the UK from accessing private rented accommodation;
  • Banks will no longer be able to open current accounts for migrants who have no leave to be in the UK;
  • Driving license’s will no longer b...

07.10.2013 - Home Office refusals and “innocent mistakes” – recently published Home Office instructions

There are many cases where applicants make mistakes on their application form. The implications of this can be massive and can even lead to a ten year ban from the UK, if the application were for Entry Clearance.

The two rules that the Home Office use to refuse applications if they believe there was an attempt to mislead or deceive are as follows :

  • If false representations are made in an application for Entry Clearance to the UK, then there is a mandatory refusal under paragraph 320 (7A) of the Immigration Rules;
  • If there has been a previous immigration breach or a refusal under paragraph 320...

30.09.2013 - Theresa May unveils Tory immigration plans

At the Conservatives Party Conference, Home Secretary Theresa May gave a lengthy speech in which she outlined the Conservatives future plans for immigration in the UK. To summarise they are as follows:

  • To remove the Human Rights Act 1998 – this will mean that migrants would no longer be able to rely on right to private and family life in the UK;
  • Potentially leaving the European Convention of Human Rights;
  • Significantly reducing the number of rights of appeal;
  • Further reducing the number of work visas and student visas;
  • Foreign criminals to be deported from the UK first and then their appeals ...

05.09.2013 - Changes to the Immigration Rules – October 2013

The Home Office have announced some significant changes to the Immigration Rules that will come into effect on 1st October 2013, to summarize they are as follows: 

General and business visitors

  • General and business visitors will be able to undertake up to 30 days of recreational, English language or academic study provided it is not the main purpose of their visit. Recreational study means holiday-type and leisure course such as horse-riding or pottery. Any other study, including English language, can only take place at an institution that hold a sponsor licence under Tier 4 PBS or that i...

04.07.2013 - Minimum income threshold for family migrants

The High Court delivered its judgment on a legal challenge to the minimum income threshold for spouses/partners applying in the family route.

The Home Office has paused decision-making on some spouse/partner and child settlement visa and leave to remain applications to consider the implications of the judgment.

The pause applies to applications which would be refused solely because the rules relating to the minimum income threshold are not met.

Applications which meet the Rules or which fall to be refused on other grounds, such as requirements for English language or a genuine and subsistin...

30.06.2013 - Croatia became a member of the European Union

With effect from 1 July 2013 Croatian nationals will be able to move and live freely and unrestricted for the first 3 months following their arrival in the UK. After 3 months they will be entitled to continue residing legally in the UK provided they are exercising a Treaty right as a student, a self-employed person, or if self-sufficient (and not economically active).

They will not have an automatic right to reside as a worker or a jobseeker in the UK and will need to obtain work authorisation (permission to work) before starting any employment, unless they are exempt from this requirement.

Cr...

09.06.2013 - Changes to the Immigration Rules (2013)

The Home Office introduced further changes to the Immigration Rules that will come into effect on 1st July 2013.

The changes include:

  • updated list of approved English language tests for the English language requirement including the documents required with the application;
  • clarification regarding maintenance funds, ‘regulated financial institution’ refers to institutions regulated for the purpose of personal savings accounts and/or student loans;
  • further legal courses (Law Conversion Course, the Legal Practice Course, Bar Professional Training Course) are now exempt from the time ...

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