Home office visa fees increase announced According to the Home Office press release on 15 th September 2023: Increases to immigration and nationality fees to pay for vital services and allow more funding to be prioritised for public sector pay rises are set come into effect on 4 October. The changes mean that the cost for a visit visa for less than six months is rising by £15 to £115,…
Read MoreFines for employing & renting to illegal migrants to triple
In their press release today, 7th August 2023, Home Office announces large increases in fines for employing or renting properties to illegal migrants. The higher fines will start to apply from the next year (2024). The move is designed to deter employers and landlords from helping illegal migrants. That, in turn, is aimed at deterring illegal migrants from coming to the UK. The Home Office announcement is widely publicised in…
Read MoreUpcoming immigration changes to limit numbers of student dependant family members
Immigration is important on the UK government’s agenda. UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has recently told the BBC that he was “considering a range of options” to bring down legal migration to the UK. He has been facing pressure to deliver on a 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment to bring down levels of net migration. In their 2019 manifesto, the Conservatives pledged to bring down overall numbers of migrants coming to…
Read MoreWhat UK spring 2023 budget says on immigration
UK spring 2023 budget immigration update In the Spring Budget published on 15th March 2023 the government states that it will ensure the UK labour market has access to skills and talent from abroad where needed, to help businesses tackle immediate labour shortages and ease business visits to the UK. At Thaxted Legal we focus on assisting clients with immigration matters and any publication from the UK government is useful…
Read MoreChanges to Shortage Occupation list – some construction/building jobs added but no hospitality
Shortage Occupation List currently under review Shortage Occupation List is a hot topic in the UK immigration and attracts significant media and public attention. You can read more information relating to Shortage Occupation List in our other article ‘What is Shortage Occupation List for UK visa’ The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent, non-statutory, non-time limited, non-departmental public body that advises the government on migration issues. On 23rd February…
Read MoreIndia Young Professionals Scheme visa ballot finally there
India Youth Mobility Visa scheme ballot Home Office has officially announced the date for the ballot in the India Young Professionals Scheme. July ballot for India Young Professionals Scheme visa has been announced. It has started now and will be running until 1:30pm India Standard Time on 27 July 2023. Go to Home Office webpage to enter. The ballot will open at 2:30pm India Standard Time on 28 February 2023,…
Read MoreCan work start date be delayed for Skilled Worker visa – helpful changes to the 28 days rule
In June 2022 we published an article about the troublesome ‘28 days rule’ requiring migrant Skilled Workers to start work in the UK within 28 days of whichever was later: the date their visa was granted, the start date stated on their visa or the work start date stated on their COS. There was only one exception to this rule, allowing delay beyond the 28 days when migrant worker had…
Read MoreComprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) no longer a problem for British citizenship application
In our blog in early February 2022 we outlined how lack of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) could cause problems for certain categories of EU nationals and their family members when applying for Naturalisation (British citizenship). We are glad to now provide an update that the new Home Office guidance published in late June 2022 no longer requires comprehensive sickness insurance for Naturalisation applications to prove lawful residence. Lawful Residence and…
Read MoreSkilled Worker visa – rules on minimum salary
What can be included in Skilled Worker’s minimum salary On 1/12/2020 the Skilled Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 General visa regime. The rules on what can be included in the minimum salary for Skilled Worker visa are different to what could be counted towards minimum pay for the Tier 2 General visa. To start with, the minimum pay for Skilled Worker has to be the highest of the following:…
Read MoreSole responsibility for child UK
What is Sole parental responsibility in UK immigration ‘Sole responsibility’ is a legal term used in UK immigration law when there is a child’s visa application and only one parent is applying for a UK visa (or has an Indefinite Leave to Remain/is Settled) and the other parent is still alive but remaining outside the UK. In family visa applications this usually occurs when the parents relationship broke down permanently…
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