UK Visas and British Citizenship

#1 How long can I be out of the UK?  #2 Difference between 5 and 10-year route?  #3 Does having a British child exempt from the Financial Requirement £18,600?  #4 English language: A1, A2 or B1?  #5 When to apply for British Citizenship: 3 or 5 years?  #1 How long can I be out of the UK? By far, most common question ever! You might have heard 6 month or 90 days or 6 months per year.  The ruth is: there is no rule. Each case is considered individually. The only rule is “you live permanently with your partner in the UK”.  In practice, with the new online application forms, you will be asked about your trips abroad and reasons, such as holiday or work.  It will attract attention if you spend more than 50% of your '‘visa time” outside the UK.  We recommend to go by the same rule as for work visas: 6 months per year and your main home has to remain in the UK.  If this affects you - please contact us for an individual assessment.  #2 Diffe

Would you prefer to know a decision within 2 working days or wait (and worry) for several months? Most in-UK visa types are eligible: - Indefinite Leave 10 years residence - Spouse/Partner visa: switching, extension, Indefinite Leave - Tier 2 work visa: switching, extension, changing sponsor, Indefinite Leave - Tier 4 and 5 visas: switching, extension, changing sponsor - Ancestral visa: extension, Indefinite Leave - PBS Dependant: switching, extension, Indefinite Leave - Renewal of Indefinite Leave (new visa card) Categories that are not eligible: - Tier 1 - EEA applications, instead you can register under EU Settlement Scheme that often gives immediate decision - British Citizenship - All applications outside the UK, instead there is premium service. It’s not next-day but still faster than standard service Why choose 1st 4Immigration? - OISC-accredited company at the highest level 3, ref F200800152 - 10+ years of immigration experien

We love UK immigration law! We enjoy explaining it in plain language, even with humour. There is plenty of stress involved in this process but it can also be fun learning about it. #1 My passport expired, do I need to get a new visa? #2 Can I get a British passport and keep my current nationality? #3 What is my status while waiting for decision? What if my visa expired before decision? Can I keep working? #4 Can I have my passport while waiting for a visa? #5 How does Brexit affect me? #1 My passport expired, do I need to get a new visa? The answer is both Yes and No. No, because you can travel with both passports. UK visas don't expire even if passport has expired. Also No, if you have a biometric visa card (BRP), you don’t have to apply for a new one until it expires. If, however, you have an old Indefinite Leave sticker in the passport (the one that says ‘Date of expiry – Indefinite’), you will have to apply for a new biometric ILR if you are wor

New rules for UK business visas will come in force on 29 March 2019 and apply if you are planning to apply for Entrepreneur visa for the first time.    If you prefer the current Tier 1 Entrepreneur rules, you need to submit the online form and  pay UK Government fees by 28 March 2019. You can submit the actual documents after that! Summary of changes from 29 March 2019:  #1 New categories:   Start-up and Innovator visas replace Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur and Tier 1 Entrepreneur respectively. Start-up is for those starting a business in the UK for the 1st time. Open to all, not just graduates on Tier 4 visas.  Innovator visa is for experienced business people, and it will lead to settlement after minimum 3 years (or any time later when you have met the criteria).  #2 Endorsement: is required for all applications, from initial visa to extension and ILR. The biggest change is your business plan won’t be assessed by the Government officials (who never run a bu

The UK Government has published the new rules for UK business visas, in force from 29 March 2019. These changes only apply if you are planning to apply for Entrepreneur visa for the first time. If you already have a Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Graduate Entrepreneur visas, you will be able to continue to settlement under the current ‘old’ rules.  If you are planning to apply under the current Tier 1 Entrepreneur rules, you need to submit the online form and  pay UK Government fees by 28 March 2019.  Summary of changes from 29 March 2019:  #1 New categories:  Start-up and Innovator visas replace Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur and Tier 1 Entrepreneur respectively. Start-up is for those starting a   business in the UK for the 1 st time. Open to all, not just graduates on Tier 4 visas.  Innovator visa is for experienced business people, and it will lead to settlement after minimum 3 years (or any time later when you have met the criteria).  #2 Endorsement: is required for

Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) is for people who are high-achievers in the fields of science, arts, engineering, architecture, digital technology and others. It also covers those who aren’t experienced yet but show exceptional promise. This visa allows to work in the UK  or set up a business, It also leads to settlement after 3 or 5 years.  This category can be an answer to a pressing question of Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer migrants on how they could achieve a permanent residency status in the UK.  Annual limit: Every initial application must be endorsed by a ‘designated competent body’. There is a limit of 2,000 endorsements per UK financial year. It is usually divided in 2 parts, some are given in the 1st half of UK tax year and the other half in the next half.    Endorsements can be from the following designated bodies: Royal Society,  Arts Council England, British Academy and Royal Academy of Engineering, Tech Nation.    Initial application – Stage 1 – Talent: Ini

Before 29 March 2019 From 29 March 2019 Categories Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), open to   all migrants. Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) for graduates from UK universities, who completed a degree on Tier 4 visa and obtained an endorsement from their university to support their business idea   Start-up and Innovator, both open to everyone.   Start-up – your 1 st business in the UK (but not first ever – you can have had a business outside the UK). Innovator - for experienced business people.   Endorsement is needed for all. Visa duration Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) – 1 year, extension for another year.   Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – initially 3 years, extension – 2 years. ILR can be after 3 years (accelerated route) or after 5 years. Start-up visa - 2 years. After that can switch to Innovator (or to another category, such as Tier 2 or Spouse visa). Innovator – 3 years, then extension for another 3 years. No limit on how many extensions, every tim