Student Visa Dependant Rules From 1 January 2024
With effect from today, 1 January 2024, most international students are now no longer allowed to bring family members with them to the UK as dependants. Changes to the UK Student route were announced in July 2023 and are now applicable to anyone applying for a UK Student visa on or after 1 January 2024, […]
Minimum Income for Spouse, Partner & Family Visas Revised to £29,000
The UK Home Office has revised plans announced earlier this month for raising the minimum income requirement for Spouse, Partner, and Family Visas. At the start of December, the Home Office announced a significant increase from the current £18,600 income threshold to £38,700. This was to take effect in Spring 2024. However, the announcement was […]
5 Point UK Immigration Plan Announced
On 21 December 2023, the Home Office issued a revised plan in relation to the salary threshold for family visas, superseding corresponding sections of the below announcement. Read our summary here for the latest on the new threshold for family applications. The UK government has announced a new 5-point immigration plan, with the aim of […]
UK Visitor Visa Rules to be Relaxed in 2024
Following a change in the UK Immigration Rules, visitor visa permissible activities are to be relaxed from 31 January 2024 as follows: Individuals can undertake activities relating to their employment overseas remotely from within the UK, providing this is not the primary purpose of their visit. An employee of an overseas based company may: (a) […]
eVisas to Replace Biometric Residence Permits in 2025
The UK Government has announced that biometric residence permits (BRPs) will no longer be issued from 1 January 2025. The current BRP system is being replaced with a new digital system for confirming immigration status, to be known as eVisa. What is eVisa? eVisa will act as an online record of an individual’s immigration […]
Immigration Health Surcharge to Increase No Earlier Than 16 January 2024
The planned increase is now scheduled for debate in the House of Commons on 10 January 2024. It is therefore unlikely that the increase will be implemented by 16 January 2024, and instead the earliest this could take effect will now be 31 January 2024, or potentially early February 2024. Read our latest alert here. […]
MAC Proposes Reforms to Shortage Occupation List
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its latest review of the UK’s Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The review was originally commissioned in August 2022 and covers information from the MAC’s own research as well as input from wider stakeholder engagement through a Call for Evidence. In its report, published on 3 October 2023, the […]
Changes to Ukraine Extension Scheme
The UK currently operates three different Ukraine Schemes designed to support those who wish to either come to or remain in the UK: Ukraine Family Scheme – for those with family members who are already settled in the UK Homes for Ukraine – for those sponsored by a UK household for 6 months Ukraine Extension […]
Increase in Fees to Assign Certificates of Sponsorship
Among the latest increases in Home Office fees announced last week, the cost of assigning Certificates of Sponsorship will rise from 4 October 2023. The change impacts sponsor licence holders assigning all types of CoS to sponsored workers. Most notably, the cost of a Certificate of Sponsorship for a Skilled Worker is rising to £239 from […]
Increase in UK Visa Fees from 4 October 2023
The Home Office has announced increases in UK visa, settlement and nationality fees that will take effect from 4 October 2023. The increases are affecting a wide range of applications, covering UK entry clearance, indefinite leave to enter, indefinite leave to remain as well as applications for leave to remain in the UK including many […]