Category: Blogs – Immigration
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Return of the UK Investor Visa?
The UK government’s reported plans to introduce a new UK investor visa represent a potentially important development in the country’s economic and immigration strategy. As the government seeks to address the fiscal consequences of tax reforms and increased restrictions on work migration routes, the reintroduction of an investment-based visa could provide a valuable source of targeted foreign capital…
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Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) Cost To Increase By 66%
On 13 October 2023, the UK Government announced a substantial 66% increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Originally set to take effect from 16 January 2024, since a delegated legislation committee of the House of Commons will be debating the draft Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2023 on Wednesday, 10 January at 4.30pm, the IHS fee increase…
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Returning Resident Visa
If you previously had indefinite permission to enter or stay (settlement) in the UK and this has now lapsed, you may be eligible to return to the UK to settle on the basis of a Returning Resident visa. An application for a Returning Resident visa must be made from outside the UK. If your application…
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How to Check Your UK Visa Application Status
If you’ve applied for a UK visa, waiting for a decision can be a stressful experience, particularly if you have a travel deadline or other important plans. Fortunately, the UK visa application process allows applicants to track the progress of their UK visa application and check their UK visa application status. In this post, we’ll…
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Priority Visa Service Resumes For New Family Visa Applications
With effect from 20 February 2023, the Priority Visa Service has now resumed for new Marriage and Family Visa applications submitted from outside the UK. This change means that individuals applying for the following settlement visas can now receive a faster decision on their applications: Spouse Civil Partner Unmarried Partner Fiancé(e) Proposed civil partner Child Adult dependent relative…
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UK Government Announces Measures to Speed Up Immigration Decisions
As many UK visa applicants and those with appeals pending before the Immigration Tribunal continue to face delays in the immigration system, the UK Government has announced two measures that it hopes will speed up some immigration decision-making. Priority Service Reinstated for Pending Partner and Family Visa Application The published Home Office service standard for…
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How to Apply for a UK Creative Worker Visa
If you want to work within the UK’s bustling arts and culture industry, you may be interested in the Creative Worker Visa. In this article I will discuss the basics of this immigration route as well as briefly cover some alternatives. What Is the Creative Worker Visa and Am I Eligible? The Creative Worker Visa is a short-term…
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Sponsor Licence Applications for Start-ups: Frequently Asked Questions
This article will provide guidance for Start-up businesses that wish to apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence from the Home Office. Full details of the eligibility and suitability criteria for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence are discussed in our previous post How To Apply For a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence. What type of organisation can be considered…
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Sponsor Licence Holders – Latest Changes to Sponsor Duties
Sponsor licence holders have a number of duties and responsibilities that they must comply with to maintain their licence. It is very important that sponsor licence holders understand the duties that come with holding a licence, and have adequate systems in place to ensure compliance. A failure to comply can have serious consequences for the…
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UK Visa Decision Waiting Times: Frequently Asked Questions
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has published service standards for waiting times for decisions on visa and immigration applications. UKVI also publishes up-to-date information on current processing times for visa and immigration applications submitted both within the UK and outside the UK. In this post we take an in-depth look at UK visa processing times,…