News
Apr 17, 2024 - eVisa rollout begins today with immigration documents replaced by 2025
Millions are being invited to switch from physical immigration documents to an eVisa – a key step in creating a modernised and digital border.
The next stage in the government’s plan to modernise the border and introduce a digital immigration system is under way, as the Home Office moves closer to the implementation of eVisas for nearly all visa holders living in the UK by 2025.
From today (17 April 2024), the Home Office will begin to send emails to all those with physical immigration documents, called biometric residence permits (BRPs), inviting them to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKV...
Apr 11, 2024 - The new ILR 10-year long residence guidance: cancellation of the absences limit of 548 day and other amendments
On 11 April 2024, Appendix Long Residence replaced the rules on the long residence which were previously contained in Part 7 (rules 276A-276D) of the Immigration Rules.
The below requirements are applicable to long residence settlement applications made on or after 11 April 2024.
Among the key amendments and clarifications introduced into the Appendix Long Residence are the following:
- New qualifying period requirements for settlement on the long residence route
No periods of overstaying (disregarded or otherwise) are included in the calculation of the continuous residence for the qualify...
Apr 08, 2024 - Those travelling to the UK with a Family Permit must be joining the EEA citizen the application was based on
The Upper Tribunal has found that Appendix EU (Family Permit) requires those coming to the UK under these rules to be joining the relevant EEA national, and that it is not enough to be in the same country and joining their spouse only. The case is MD and Others (‘joining’, Appendix EU Family Permit) [2024] UKUT 00064.
Background
The appellants are siblings, children of Mr Duah. Mr Duah was married to Ms Opoku, a Dutch national. In July 2019 Mr Duah was issued with an EEA Residence Card as the family member of an EEA national. On 22 August 2020 Ms Opoku was granted settled status under Appendi...
Apr 08, 2024 - UK Border Force introduces fines for failing to provide information on private flights to or from the UK
Pilots, owners and operators of private aircrafts will now be liable for fines of up to £10,000 if they do not provide Border Force with advance passenger information online before they depart to or from the UK, under new regulations to strengthen border security.
The new regulations – which were laid in Parliament at the end of November 2023 and came into force on 6 April 2024 - will mean that Border Force and the police can better identify potential security threats, prevent and detect crime, and monitor immigration status. Previously, advance passenger information could be submitted by ema...
Mar 28, 2024 - British nationals going to EU caught out by 10-year British passport rule
Nationals of the UK travelling to the EU are being warned not to get caught out by the "passport 10-year rule".
UK passport holders used to be able to carry up to nine months from an old passport over on to a new one. But post-Brexit, EU countries will not accept passports issued more than 10 years ago.
Up to 32 million people applied for passports before the new rules, but it is unknown how many have been affected.
One of them is Nathan Barnes who was refused boarding on a flight to France.
Mr Barnes, a 31-year-old paramedic from Norwich, was on his way to Limoges with his fiancée to visit fa...
Mar 25, 2024 - Taxpayers will start to use GOV.UK One Login
From May 2024, taxpayers accessing HMRC’s online services for the first time will be asked to create a GOV.UK One Login account.
HMRC has announced that from May 2024, some taxpayers who do not have a Government Gateway account will be prompted to create a GOV.UK One Login account. At this stage GOV.UK One Login will not be offered to agents.
Agents and taxpayers who already have a Government Gateway account should continue to access HMRC’s services in the normal way. They will be asked to create a GOV.UK One Login at a later date.
What is GOV.UK One Login?
GOV.UK One Login is a new way o...
Mar 21, 2024 - UK passport prices set to increase in April 2024
The government is set to introduce new UK passport application fees which will rise by more than 7%.
The cost of online applications made within the UK for people aged 16 and above will increase from £82.50 to £88.50 under new proposals.
The price hike is subject to parliamentary approval but it is due to come into force next month.
Passport fees will increase on April 11, 2024, if the price changes are approved.
How much does it cost for a British passport?
The new proposed passport application costs are as follows:
- a standard online application made from within the UK will rise to £88.5...
Mar 20, 2024 - UK inflation falls to 3.4% - lowest level for almost two and a half years
The slower pace of food price rises helped push down inflation, along with soft drinks, restaurants and hotels, the Office for National Statistics stated.
This effect was partially offset by petrol prices and rental costs. Overall, the cost of living is not falling but prices are rising less quickly than they were previously.
Inflation was running at 4% in the year to January, the same as December's rate.
The drop was driven by a slowing in the growth of food prices with the report showing prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages rising by 5.0% in the year to February 2024, down from 6.9% i...
Mar 18, 2024 - Sponsors no longer need to report changes to hybrid and remote working
Employers who sponsor migrant workers must comply with a number of sponsor duties to avoid breaching the conditions of their licence.
As we reported on 15 May 2023 in our previous news article (available here), the reporting obligations for sponsored workers working from home were abolished but working in the hybrid mode was still eligible for reporting purposes. However, now the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) announced it has abolished the reporting obligations for the hybrid mode of work as well.
UKVI’s reasoning
The updated Sponsor Guidance explains UKVI’s reasoning:
We recognise that ma...
Mar 15, 2024 - Home Office immigration database errors hit more than 76,000 people
Major flaws in a huge Home Office immigration database have resulted in more than 76,000 people being listed with incorrect names, photographs or immigration status.
Leaked internal documents reveal the scale of the database fiasco at the Home Office, which has recently been criticised for delays in immigration application processing, long queues at borders and the distribution of incorrect identity cards.
The Home Office has been relatively silent about the database failures, referring vaguely to them as “IT issues”. Ministers have denied there is a “systemic” problem with Atlas, the tool use...
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