Immigration News

The government has announced that the new Windrush Scheme will come into operation on Wednesday, 30 May.  The purpose is to save the government’s face before Commonwealth citizens who came to the UK in the wake of the Second World War and settled before 1January 1973. The scheme may also benefit people from outside Commonwealth

On Friday, 9 December, the rights of EU citizens and their family members in the UK and the rights of British citizens staying in Europe post Brexit have finally become a little clearer and the Report has some good news. Below is a summary a common understanding reached by the Negotiators in relation to citizens’ rights.

The Home Office has announced changes to the income requirements of Appendix FM. It is expected that the amendment will mainly benefit families with children who do not meet the standard financial or evidential requirements.

The Government has published a policy paper outlining UK’s “fair and serious offer” in relation to the rights of EU citizens remaining in the UK after Brexit. Until UK actually leaves the EU, EU citizens will continue to enjoy the same rights as they do now. The outlined changes: Once UK has left the EU,

New Home Office fees have been announced with effect from 6 April 2017. The worst affected categories are as follows: applications for indefinite leave to remain: previous fee £1875  – new fee £2297; extension of leave to remain for spouse visa holders and other non PBS categories: previous fee £811 – new fee £993; applications

These days good news is when bad news is revoked. From today Immigration Tribunal fees will be charged at the old rate as set out in the Tribunal Fees order of 2011. In an unprecedented move the government has confirmed that from today tribunal fees will be charged at the level set before the infamous

The Immigration Act 2016 introduces a new practice in the appeal procedure, known as “remove first, appeal later”. Until now immigrants applying for extension of leave to remain as the spouse or parent of a British citizen had the right to challenge refusal of their application without having to leave the UK. This is about

At last there is some good news from UKVI. The Home Office has confirmed that a new priority service for Tier 2 and Tier 5 sponsors of migrant workers is available from 7 November 2016 at a cost of £200 per request. The new service is only available to A-rated Tier 2 and Tier 5

The government has published a consultation paper proposing to raise tribunal fees in the First tier immigration Tribunals from the present £140 to £800 per appellant for an oral hearing, or from £80 to £490 per appellant for paper considerations. Appeals in the Upper Tribunal, until now not charged separately, are proposed to incur a fee of £455 for an application for permission at the first stage, further £350 for applications for permission at the second stage, and further £510 for an appeal hearing where permission is granted (£1315 in total).

The deal offered to the UK following negotiations in Brussels will significantly compromise free movement rights of EU nationals with third country national family members. The proposal is drafted primarily along the lines of fighting abuse of the system by those who receive immigration advantage through marriage with an EU national. In effect, the proposal offers exclusion of third country nationals from the benefits of the EU Regulations.