Do EU Citizens Need a UK Visitor Visa?
With reports of surges in the number EU nationals being denied entry to the UK as visitors, we are currently advising EU business travellers and their employers of the importance of being prepared when travelling to the UK as a visitor. Since the end of EU free movement, EU citizens are permitted to visit the […]
Changes to Immigration Rules 2021 (HC 1248)
The Home Office published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, HC 1248, on 4th March 2021. The majority of the amendments affect UK work and study visas under the points-based system, with most due to take effect on 6th April 2021, unless otherwise stated. Graduate route From 1 July 2021, student visa […]
Latest UK COVID Restrictions & Business Travel
New immigration COVID restrictions are now in effect in England as the Government moves to suppress transmission of the coronavirus. Travel corridors closed All quarantine-free travel corridors for people arriving into the UK have been closed indefinitely, and all arrivals from anywhere outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man must now present […]
Tier 2 Cooling Off Period: New Rules 2021
With the Skilled Worker visa now open, replacing the Tier 2 (General) visa, a number of changes have taken effect impacting points-based skilled workers and their sponsors. One significant area of change is in relation to the Tier 2 cooling off period. Tier 2 cooling off period abolished for skilled workers Under the UK’s […]
Skilled Worker Visa Replaces Tier 2
The UK’s Tier 2 visa for skilled workers has been replaced by the Skilled Worker visa. With effect from 1 December 2020, visa applications from skilled workers are to be made under the new route which forms part of the UK’s new points-based immigration system. The new route goes live in advance of the end […]
Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules 2020
Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules 2020 – HC 813 In its Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 813, the UK Government has set out the legal framework for the country’s new immigration system. The document, at 514 pages, is far-reaching in its reform of the routes and regulations which allow individuals to […]
UK’s New Immigration Rules from 2021
The UK’s new immigration rules take effect from 1 January 2021. How will the new system impact employers? Post Brexit Immigration Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK officially left the European Union on 31 January 2020. A transition period was agreed until 31 December 2020, to allow the UK government to […]
What is the UK Office for Talent?
The UK’s visa and immigration system has historically been a source of significant bureaucratic frustration for those wanting to live and work in the United Kingdom, as well as for UK employers looking to recruit from the international talent market. With this in mind, the UK government has recently announced new immigration measures to reduce […]
Comprehensive Sickness Insurance Rules
To apply for British citizenship, applicants must show they meet an extensive range of eligibility criteria. Proof of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) is one such requirement for some, but not all, UK naturalisation applicants. In particular, EU citizens with settled status may, depending on their circumstances, have to show they held CSI during their period […]
Applying for a UK Visa from Hong Kong
If you’re a Hong Kong citizen and want to apply for a visa to visit the UK, the following guide looks at the different types of UK visa, when these are needed and the application process for obtaining a visa. UK visa Hong Kong for BNO citizens For a citizen who holds a British […]