News

15.11.2022 - Developments in third party financial support for spouse or partner visa applications

The minimum income requirement for a spouse or partner visa is well known. Broadly speaking, applicants must show that their sponsor has a gross annual income of at least £18,600. Alternatively, they can rely on savings or, if they are already in the UK and working legally, on their income.

But what happens if the applicant and sponsor don’t have enough income or savings and instead propose to rely on support from a willing relative or friend who does

The rules now permit reliance in certain circumstances on “a credible guarantee of sustainable financial support to the applicant or their partn...

09.11.2022 - Home Office Guidance for sponsors updated: work start dates, working hours, and pay

The Home Office has made several changes that businesses sponsoring overseas workers should be aware of. 

The below changes have come into force as of 9 November 2022.

Changing work start dates

An individual can now start working in their sponsored employment as soon as they have permission to enter or stay in the UK. They no longer have to wait for the start date given on their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). 

There is no need to report the change on the SMS system if the start date has been brought forward after an individual has been granted permission to enter or remain in the UK.

Consid...

03.11.2022 - Bank of England sets biggest interest rate hike in 33 years

The Bank of England has increased interest rates to three per cent in the biggest hike in 33 years as it tries to curb inflation.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the base rate by 0.75 percentage points this afternoon to 3 per cent after warning last month that growing inflationary pressures will require a “stronger response” than previously thought.

The decision has pushed the interest to its highest amount since 2008.

This is the eighth time in a row that the Bank has hiked interest rates. Less than a year ago the rate was 0.1 per cent.

A leading trade union has warned that a hike ...

31.10.2022 - 10-year long residence for getting Indefinite Leave to Remain: limit of absences extended to 548 days

Where a migrant can show that they have lived in the United Kingdom for at least a continuous, lawful 10-year period, they may be eligible for apply for indefinite leave to remain (‘ILR’).

However, one potential sticking point is whether they have been outside of the United Kingdom for too long. That is because the Immigration Rules say that for the period to be “continuous”, the applicant cannot have spent more than 18 months in total outside of the country during those 10 years, or any single absence of six months or more.

The Home Office guidance states that six months is calculated as 180 ...

21.10.2022 - New independent complaint investigation service launched by Home Office

The Home Office has set up a new independent complaint investigation service. Now, if you are unhappy with the Home Office’s final response to a complaint, you can make a further complaint to the Independent Examiner of Complaints (IEC).

However, complaints can only be considered in certain circumstances:

  • If a final response has been received that explains that you can bring it to the Office for the Independent Examiner of Complaints if you are unhappy with the outcome.
  • Contact has to be made within three months of receiving the final complaint response.

Complaints about certain busi...

20.10.2022 - Government borrowing rises in September

Sterling dropped 1% against the dollar to $1.11, after rallying on Thursday as Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned.

It came as official figures showed government borrowing rose to its second highest September on record.

Meanwhile, people are shopping less than they did before the coronavirus pandemic, according to figures from the Office For National Statistics (ONS).

Retail sales volumes fell more than expected by 1.4% last month, continuing their slide from August, the ONS said.

The pound's latest slide comes after a period of volatile trading for the currency.

It plunged to a record low again...

19.10.2022 - Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and EUSS family permit

The main changes in respect of the Immigration Rules for the EUSS in Appendix EU and for the EUSS family permit in Appendix EU (Family Permit) are as follows:

• to provide that, where a joining family member arrives in the UK with other limited leave (e.g. a work or study visa) or as a person exempt from immigration control, the deadline for them to apply to the EUSS is linked to the end of that status, rather than within three months of their arrival in the UK.

19.10.2022 - Changes to grant non-visa national status to Colombia, Guyana, and Peru

Citizens of Colombia, Guyana, and Peru are being made non-visa nationals to enter the UK as visitors.

This means they will no longer have to obtain a visit visa before coming to the UK and can be examined and granted entry on arrival.

The risk of immigration abuse and criminality from these countries has consistently fallen in the last five years. Additionally, there are significant potential rewards for granting these nationalities non-visa national status, such as improved trade, diplomatic relations, and tourism.

19.10.2022 - Abolition of the police registration scheme

The Home Office announced this summer that it would abandon the requirement for individuals of certain nationalities to register with the police from 4 August 2022. The provisions have now finally been removed from the relevant sections of Part 10 and Appendix 2 of the rules.

19.10.2022 - Changes to the Domestic Workers in a Private Household route

Updates are being made to Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household to:

• remove the requirement to demonstrate continuous employment as a domestic worker throughout the applicant’s time on the route. This reflects the practical challenges domestic workers may face in the event they are forced to leave unsuitable employment at short notice and recognises there may be a short gap until new employment is secured.

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