News

17.02.2020 - Coronavirus: immigration guidance if you're unable to return to China from the UK

Due to travel restrictions because of coronavirus some individuals may be facing uncertainty in relation to the expiry date of their current visa or leave to remain in the United Kingdom. The Home Office understands that in many cases this is because of circumstances outside of your control.

Subject to the below guidance, most people in the UK whose immigration status is affected by the coronavirus outbreak will get an automatic extension of their visa until 31 March 2020.

Read the guidance below to find out if your visa will be automatically extended or if you need to contact the Home Office’

13.02.2020 - Surinder Singh route still requires genuine residence abroad

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that in order to benefit from the Surinder Singh principle, the family involved must have genuinely resided in another EU country and have created or fortified their family life there.

In Kaur & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] EWCA Civ 98 it rejected the argument that, as a result of the Court of Justice decision in C-202/13 McCarthy No.2, anyone with a residence card from another member state is entitled to have their family come and live with them in the United Kingdom.

The facts of this case are not attractive. Mr Singh and Mrs Kaur ...

06.02.2020 - Somaliland marriages are valid

The case of MM v NA (Declaration as to Marital Status) [2020] is very niche, but may be of interest to practitioners with clients who got married in Somaliland (or in other non-recognised countries) and wish to rely on that marriage for immigration purposes.

Immigration lawyers must think about a marriage’s validity whenever they are making a visa application on the basis of a relationship. Although more often than not the answer is straightforward, there are some tricky cases. Examples we have seen include whether a marriage is valid if it was entered into relying on a fake identity, or wheth...

02.02.2020 - New EU visa rules

New EU rules on short-stay visas apply worldwide from 2 February 2020. They make it easier for legitimate travellers to apply for a visa to come to Europe, facilitating tourism, trade and business, while providing more resources for countering irregular migration risks and threats to internal security.

Which non-EU countries do the new rules apply to?

The changes apply to travellers from all countries which need visas to travel to the EU. Currently, citizens from 105 non-EU countries or entities are required to have a visa. Nothing changes for countries benefitting from visa-free travel to th...

31.01.2020 - How things will look like in the United Kingdom from 31 January 2020 because of Brexit

What has changed

 

1. The UK's passports have changed colour

Blue passports have made a return, more than 30 years after they were replaced by the current burgundy design.

Announcing the change in 2017, then Immigration Minister, Brandon Lewis, praised the return to the "iconic" blue-and-gold design, first used in 1921.

The new colour will be phased in over a number of months, with all new passports issued in blue by the middle of the 2020 year.

Nevertheless, existing burgundy passports will continue to be valid.

 

2. Brexit coins

About three million commemorative 50p Brexit coins bearing the ...

31.01.2020 - Free movement continues past Brexit day, but only until the end of the year

From 11pm today, the United Kingdom will no longer be a member of the European Union. This momentous event has both geopolitical and psychological ramifications, but for now some narrow legal points on what it means in practice.

The transition period during which free movement continues can be extended until either 31 December 2021 or 31 December 2022, but this must be agreed by 1 July 2020. The UK legislation that implements the divorce deal says that British ministers cannot agree to an extension, although that section could be repealed if the government changed its mind.

People who move to ...

31.01.2020 - Coronavirus

As was reported today by the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA), due to the actively spreading Coronavirus, the Home Office are preparing some short-term interim guidance on the implications for immigration of the Coronavirus outbreak.  The aim is to issue the guidance by the end of next week (to be issued by 07 February 2020). 

Therefore, the Home Office have advised that Chinese nationals whose leave to remain in the UK is expiring today (on 31 January 2020) and cannot return to China because of the Coronavirus, do not need to take any action and should wait inside the UK for ...

30.01.2020 - Global Talent visa category will replace the existing Tier 1 Exceptional Talent category

This new visa category has been enshrined into law by way of introducing the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules on 30 January 2020.

 

The new Global Talent category has been created for talented and promising individuals in specific sectors wishing to work in the UK, replacing the existing Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category.

 

When it will come into force

 

  • The new visa category provisions shall take effect on 20 February 2020.
  • If any application for endorsement, entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain has been made before 20 February 2020, such applications will b...

30.01.2020 - EU Settlement Scheme appeal rights introduced

The Immigration (Citizens’ Rights Appeals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 come into force on Brexit day — tomorrow, 31 January.

They create a right of appeal to the immigration tribunal for people refused pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Note that this only applies to applications “on or after exit day”, which is 31 January 2020, but does allow people to appeal a grant of pre-settled status up to full settled status.

There are also appeal rights for various scenarios where settled status is being cancelled or revoked.

Appeals go to the First-tier Tribunal, unless certi...

27.01.2020 - Boost for UK science with unlimited visa offer to world's brightest and best

A new, fast-track visa scheme to attract the world’s top scientists, researchers and mathematicians will open on 20 February 2020.

This follows a commitment by the Prime Minister last summer to put science, research and innovation on the top of the Government’s agenda.

The bespoke Global Talent route will have no cap on the number of people able to come to the UK, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to supporting top talent.

The Global Talent route replaces the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route and for the first time UK Research and Innovation will endorse applicants from the scientific ...

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