UK Visas and British Citizenship

This question seems to create confusion because there are different rules for including spouses in the ILR and Citizenship applications. With ILR applications some can include spouses, even if a spouse has only arrived in the UK ‘yesterday’ (Work Permit or Ancestral). Applicants under the Points-Based System can include a spouse in an ILR application if the spouse has spent 2 years in the UK, this is if a Dependant visa was issued before 9 July 2012. In this case the main PBS applicant can apply for Citizenship 1 year after an ILR while the spouse would need to spend his/her own 5 years in the UK. In this case the Citizenship timing will be different for a dependant spouse from the point of application for an ILR. However, PBS applicants can include a spouse in an ILR application if the spouse has spent the whole 5 years in the UK, if a Dependant visa was issued before on or after 9 July 2012. In this case husband and wife may have to apply up to 5 years apart for either an ILR...

The wait is over! This is a most requested training course and you can now download our OISC Level 1 training course to your computer and study in your own time - to prepare for your OISC accreditation and Level 1 Assessment. No need to travel to a classroom, no need to wait for the next date. You can start your immigration training right now! As we are a practicing OISC-accredited immigration company, we have designed this basic level course to be of practical help for those who are preparing for OISC accreditation at Level 1 (Initial Advice) and for compulsory Level 1 Assessment. Or perhaps to those who are planning to open a UK immigration consultancy based overseas. It would also be of interest for practicing advisers and immigration lawyers as well as for community group advisers, council or Citizens Advice Bureau workers, volunteers etc. This is not a boring coverage of the Immigration Rules! We tried to keep the language as simple and entertaining as possible. S...

“Happy to report we got the visas! Sometimes just two words can have a lot of content behind them: THANK YOU. Fantastic job.  I will write back with some questions about the future a little later, after we drink some Champagne. :)” This came from Mr N who applied for Entry Clearance in Israel for his Spouse and 2 children. This case was very interesting because we were able to combine earnings of the Sponsor from self-employment in Israel with a job offer in the UK. Furthermore, self-employment earnings were from the Sponsor’s limited company in Israel, meaning we could use the salary earnings in the last 12 calendar months, rather than in the last ‘financial year’ as the case would have been for owners of the UK-registered companies. We did not need to wait for the company accounts or tax documents.    For an individual advice or to make an application please contact us:  info@1st4immigration.com  or visit  www.1st4immigration.com ...

A very welcome change in the Rules: it is now possible to switch while in the UK from any visa (other than a visitor)   to a PBS Dependant visa for spouses and partners. For example, to switch from a Tier 4 visa to a Tier 2 Dependant partner visa. Or from a Tier 2 visa to a Tier 1 Dependant partner visa. Or, a very common situation, from a Tier 2 main visa to a Tier 2 Dependant visa. Before 1 October 2013 it was not possible, a 1 st Dependant visa had always started from abroad, then the partners could follow the main applicant as dependants all the way to an ILR (but they had to apply from outside the UK for the 1 st Dependant visa). This is a welcome change, plus such applications can be processed on the same-day service at the UKBA, which we can help with. For an individual advice or to make an application please contact us:  info@1st4immigration.com  or visit  www.1st4immigration.com   If you are an Immigration Adviser or a Solicitor ...

This seems to be the most confusing subject at the moment – which level of English language is needed from 28 Oct 2013 for those applying for a Spouse/Partner/Fiancee visa? The short answer is “Still the same – A1 level in Listening and Speaking”. Yet why is there such confusion? First of all, this article only relates to spouses/partners of British citizens and spouses/partners of permanent residents (or ILR holders). This article is not applicable to partners of Points-Based System Migrants and to partners of EU (non-UK) nationals. I had already written in this blog, back in December 2012, about 2 meanings of a term ‘Settlement’ when it comes to the UK visas, so this is what has created the current confusion. The Rules on English are changing indeed from 28 October 2013, however, the new Rules will apply to those applying for ‘Settlement and Citizenship’. The term ‘Settlement’ here represents ‘Permanent Residency’ in the UK, known as an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). So, ...

It is useful if you need to travel abroad and cannot be without your passport. But the main benefit in our opinion is, although more expensive, it allows the applicant to know result right on the day, including if there are any problems, rather than waiting for 3-4 months postal service and then possibly being told there is a problem or even that application has been refused. We at 1st 4Immigration are authorised by The UK Border Agency to submit clients' visa applications using this service in Croydon, south London. Same-day service is available for applications: - Indefinite Leave to Remain for those holding Tier 1 General, Tier 2 General, Work Permit, Ancestral visas - SET (O) form. - Indefinite Leave to Remain for those holding a Spouse/Partner visa - SET (M) form. - Tier 1 General extensions. - Tier 2 General and Intra-Company Transfer. - Tier 4 Student. - Extensions for domestic workers. - Ancestral visa extension. - Visas for dependants of Points-Based S...

1st 4Immigration is an accredited CPD distance learning provider, o ur online training courses are accepted by the OISC and SRA, CPD provider ref number EJE/14IM. Current online courses:   What’s Next after Post-Study Work and Tier 4 Visas? 4.5 hours CPD credit.   British Citizenship - a Dream for Many! 7 hours CPD credit.   OISC Level 1. 16 hours CPD credit     Download from our website, study in your own time on any computer, iPad or iPhone, complete the test and we will award your CPD hours and send you a certificate. Visit website now: http://www.1st4immigration.com/training The courses are offered by our company, 1 st 4Immigration Ltd, which is a practising immigration company, registered by The OISC at a highly respectable Level 2, based at the Royal Mint in Central London. We are also accredited by the UK Border Agency in Croydon and submit applications using Premium service for accredited representatives. We provide biom...