Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026: First Draft Published
Section A: What is the Immigration and Asylum Bill? Introduced to Parliament on 30 June 2026, the Immigration and Asylum Bill proposes reforms across UK immigration, asylum and modern slavery law. Its provisions cover immigration appeals, asylum decision-making, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, immigration enforcement, age assessments, modern slavery […]
UK Service Supplier Visa: Requirements & Costs 2026
Section A: What is the UK Service Supplier Visa? The UK Service Supplier visa is one of five Global Business Mobility (GBM) immigration work routes introduced in 2022. The Service Supplier route allows employees of an overseas service provider (or contractual service suppliers) and self-employed people established outside the UK (or independent professionals) […]
Student to Skilled Worker Visa: Employer Guide 2026
Section A: International Graduate Recruitment UK employers are permitted to employ student visa holders within certain restrictions and where the individual’s visa conditions allow. For example, where the visa holder is still studying, they may carry out paid employment up to 20 hours per week during term time if studying at degree level […]
eVisa UK: How to Access, Check & Use Your Status 2026
Section A: What is an eVisa in the UK? The UK eVisa is a secure digital record of an individual’s immigration status and the conditions attached to their permission to be in the UK. It records whether a person has the right to live, work or study in the UK, or rent in […]
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) Cost & Rules 2026
Section A: What is the Immigration Health Surcharge? The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is an upfront charge paid as part of most UK visa and immigration applications for time-limited immigration permission, including most grants exceeding 6 months and in-country applications to extend or vary permission. It applies each time limited leave is granted, […]
Biometric Residence Permits & Proof of ILR 2026
Section A: How Do You Prove ILR After Your BRP Has Expired? The expiry of a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) does not mean that Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) has expired. Many people who previously relied on a BRP as evidence of their immigration status continue to hold valid ILR even though their […]
Immigration Compliance, Audits & Sponsor Licence Support
Sponsor Licence Compliance Support UKVI expects sponsors to maintain effective systems and controls, keep prescribed records, monitor sponsored workers and meet their reporting obligations. In practice, compliance risks rarely arise because an organisation deliberately ignores its responsibilities. More often, issues develop over time as businesses grow, staff change roles and compliance responsibilities become […]
Which Immigration Costs Can Employers Recover? 2026 Rules
Section A: Recovering Immigration Costs from Workers Questions about recovering immigration-related costs arise regularly in the sponsorship context. Employers may fund visa application fees, Immigration Health Surcharge payments, relocation expenses, training costs and other expenditure associated with recruiting workers from overseas. Where significant costs have been incurred, attention often turns to whether those […]
10 Year Passport Rule Explained for UK Travellers
Section A: What Is the 10-Year Passport Rule? The 10-year passport rule has become a growing source of confusion for UK travellers heading to Europe. Despite the name, it is not a new passport policy introduced by the UK Government or a recently announced European measure. Instead, it reflects the passport validity requirements […]
Home Office Compliance Visits & UKVI Compliance
Section A: What is UKVI Compliance? UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is the division of the Home Office responsible for managing the UK’s visa system, sponsor licensing and immigration compliance enforcement. A UKVI compliance inspection can be a cause of real concern for employers. The Home Office has powers to investigate organisations to […]