The Immigration Rules allow some people to apply to stay in the UK based on long residence. Under the 20-year rule, you need to have lived in the UK continuously – not necessarily lawfully – for 20 years.
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By April 2025, all non-visa nationals will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK. The scheme is part of the UK government’s plans to digitise the border and immigration system. This is a significant change for non-visa nationals including European and US nationals who do not currently need advance permission to travel to the UK.
The UK government is digitising the immigration system. Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and Biometric Residence Cards (BRCs) are no longer being issued. Anyone granted a visa will now receive instructions from UKVI confirming how to access or set up an eVisa account. Anyone with an existing visa or Indefinite Leave to Remain should apply for an eVisa before 31 December 2024.
The Home Office has announced that as of 18 December 2024, time spent in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes will no longer be permission that can be counted towards the 10 years of continuous residence necessary to settle on the basis of long residence.
In the recent Statement of Changes, the government has added Colombians to the list of nationalities who require a visit visa when visiting the UK. This change is effective from 26 November 2024.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (“IHS”) is a fee which most visa applicants will need to pay when apply for a UK visa. The healthcare charge has been controversial since it was first introduced in 2015 as many argue that it is a form of double taxation since migrants already contribute to the NHS through taxes in the same way as British citizens do. Alongside other immigration costs, IHS has risen steeply over the years from £200 per year of visa in 2015 to £1,035 per year today. Application fees and IHS are paid upfront for the duration of a visa which means that a large sum has to be paid regardless of the visa outcome – so what happens when an application is refused or withdrawn, or an applicant leaves the UK early or switches visa category?
Following the recent election, there has been a sharp uptick in queries from US citizens about their options for immigrating to the UK. Although there are no US-specific immigration categories, there are a number of options that American citizens can use to move to the UK.
Home Office Sponsor Compliance is under increased scrutiny. Recent statistics show a significant rise in sponsor licence suspensions and revocations. Ensure your business is compliant. Read our latest article to learn more.
Due to some of the issues cropping up with the eVisa rollout, the Home Office has introduced a new form for reporting eVisa errors.
The new list of top universities that qualify graduates for the UK’s High Potential Individual (“HPI”) visa has been published. The HPI visa route provides a unique opportunity for eligible graduates to move to the UK without a job offer.
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