UK Visas and British Citizenship

For our colleagues Immigration Advisers and Solicitors: Our online training course is accepted by The OISC and SRA, CPD ref number EJE/14IM. Spouse/Partner Visas - Case Studies and FAQs. 6 core hours CPD credit. This course provides case studies and answers to most frequently asked questions from our practice.   Case studies include meeting the Financial Requirement via employment, self-employment (including 'umbrella company', sole trader, limited company owner), savings, pension. Plus case studies including issues with English (including using the same evidence in the last visa application), Life in the UK Test as well as accommodation, translations etc. We also included cases where the Sponsor was exempt from the Financial Requirement (£18,600) and where a couple applied under Exception plus the difference between exemption and exception. 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 ...

“We have accomplished obtaining my settlement right together. Not only have you made this highly complex process very easy for us but you also have taken all the stress and anxiety away from us. I appreciate that you always replied our e mails quickly regardless of time and place you were. It was a great opportunity to have been able to ask any question anytime. You have generated different alternatives in accordance with our circumstances which were very practical as well as money saving tips. As for the application day, Russell was a great help for us in every respect. My husband and I just sat in the café and enjoyed our coffees. Russell dealt with everything which was a really huge relief. To have worked with you for my settlement application was of the best decisions I have ever made. Thank you!” This came from Ms U A who applied for an ILR after 2 years in the UK on a Spouse visa. The main issue in this case was the new English requirement, which a...

Have you applied for an Entrepreneur visa? Or switching to it from Post-Study Work where you need to already have a business? If Yes, it is very likely you will be invited for an interview. If you have not been invited yet then it is very likely you will be invited. In many cases we had, the UKBA invites for a face-to-face interview in Sheffield, although sometimes with a very short notice. In this case the applicant has a chance to prepare for the interview. However, invitation letter does not say what exactly is needed, only something standard, like ‘bring anything related to your case’. You may even be phoned by a caseworker and asked questions, effectively conducting a phone interview right at that moment. It may happen on a Saturday. Here are some examples of questions we have seen our clients asked. Please remember you may be asked different questions but you may still find it useful: “I looked at your website, you say (this) or (that) . Can you provide more inform...

If you submitted your application before your current visa expired then your previous visa automatically extends for as long as it takes to make a decision on your new application, however long it will take. This happens under Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. In this case all conditions of the previous visa continue to apply until decision has been made on the new application. Switching from Tier 2 to a Spouse/Partner visa , such as if you don’t want to work for your Tier 2 Sponsor anymore. Until decision has been made, your status remains Tier 2, so you have to continue to comply with its conditions. Many choose same-day service for such switches because there is no risk of an employer finding out earlier than you want them to. Switching from Tier 4 to another visa: your conditions of stay remain as on Tier 4 until decision has been made on your next visa. If your Tier 4 visa allowed to work then you could keep working, same as before (usually part-time during the te...

For our colleagues Immigration Advisers and Solicitors: Our online training course is accepted by The OISC and SRA, CPD ref number EJE/14IM. British Citizenship - a Dream for Many! 7 hours CPD credit. The course includes criminality changes from 13 December 2012 and rules for EEA nationals including Bulgarian / Romanian (EU2) whose applications can be submitted from 2013 onwards.  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 to download or to read a detailed table of contents, objectives and extracts:   http://www.1st4immigration.com/training/british-citizenship-a-dream-for-many-cpd.php   The course is 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’ve had 100%...

This seems to be the most confusing subject at the moment – which level of English language is needed from 28 October 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. The reason is 2 meanings of a term ‘Settlement’ when it comes to the UK visas. The Rules on English were changed indeed from 28 October 2013, however, the new Rules only 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, those spouses and partners who are applying for Permanent Residency from 28 Oc...

Of course everyone would like an ILR! The aim of this post is to point out most common reasons for delaying applying for an IRL because of the circumstances or not meeting the requirements (or thinking so):   Reason 1 and most common: driving offences. We are not using a word ‘criminality’ as the Rules because it usually tend to be specifically driving offences: drink-driving (most common by far!), driving without insurance and related. These offences are not considered minor, even though they usually end up with a fine. They therefore prevent a migrant from applying for an ILR for 2 years since the date of conviction.   Reason 2: fines. This is a part of a criminality rule but we’d like to explain the difference between a fine and fixed penalty notice (FPN). An FPN is not an offence and does not form a part of one’s criminal record. If you pay it on time then the matter does not go to court and FPN remains an FPN. Most common examples of receiving an FPN are...