UK Visas and British Citizenship

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and (Graduate Entrepreneur) visas are closing to new entrants on 29 March 2019. New Innovator and Start-up categories are respectively succeeding them. They are not under Tiers or Points-Based System. This post is focusing on the dates and deadlines, on what happens to those who have the migrants on these visas in the future.    #1 Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – closed to new applications on 29 March 2019. Last applications are accepted on 28 March 2019, date of application being date of online payment.  #2 New Start-up and Innovator visas will be open from 29 March 2019.  #3 Existing Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants - extensions will be open until 5 April 2023, and settlement applications until 5 April 2025. Both will be under the ‘old rules’, ie under the rules as before 29 March 2019.  #4 Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)  -  endorsements will be open until 5 April 2019, still subject to the usual annua...

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa is closing on 29 March 2019; a new Innovator category is succeeding it. This post is focusing on its criteria for extension of Innovator visa.  Initial Innovator visa is issued for 3 years. After that, you can either apply for extension or for ILR, depending on what criteria you have met.  Either way, you need another endorsement. If you haven’t met ILR criteria after 3 years, you need to obtain an ‘extension endorsement’, and apply for a visa based on it. Visa extension visa is for 3 years. There is no limit on how many extensions you can make, so if you need more time to qualify for ILR, you can apply for more extensions, every time for 3 years and every time with a new endorsement.  In the past, during Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, we had 4 main requirements: registering a business within 6 months, continuing to be active in a UK business, investing the whole £200,000 and creating 2 jobs.  Now, under the new Innovato...

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa is closing on 29 March 2019; a new Innovator category is succeeding it.     This post is focusing on its criteria for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain, IRL). Even though ILR applications won’t happen until at least March 2022, it makes sense to research now what is expected while you are in the UK as an Innovator.       During Tier 1 visa, we had a fairly short exhaustive list of requirements, and had to meet all of them.  Now, under the new Innovator category, you are given a choice of 7 criteria and you can apply when you have met any 2 of them (but minimum 3 years in the UK on this visa). Some are familiar rules on investment, turnover or creating jobs for settled workers, albeit with the different details, such as investment of £50,000 and not £200,000; or creating 5 jobs with a salary of £25,000 (instead of 2 jobs on unspecified salary).   Then there are new ones, such as on creating intellect...

IMPORTANT  if you are planning to use next-day service for a UK visa in March 2019 You can submit and pay for your application before that – and save £190 per person! Dear customers, The Government has published UK visa fees that will come in force on 29 March 2019. The main difference is increase by £190 per person for next-day service for applications inside the UK. It goes up from £610 per person to £800 per person.  This is in addition to a standard consideration fee and applies if you choose to use next-day service to speed up the decision (doesn’t apply if you choose to use standard ‘slow’ service). This surcharge is levied per applicant, £800 for the main migrant and £800 for each dependant. If you are eligible to submit your application and pay by 28 March 2019, you can avoid this increase. Examples of eligible visa categories: - Indefinite Leave to Remain if you hold a Spouse/Partner, Tier 2, Ancestral visas. - Switching to a Spouse/Partn...

This Tier 1 sub-category is one of the options for foreign students to remain in the UK after completing a UK degree on a Tier 4 student visa. It requires an endorsement from their university (the Tier 4 sponsor). If the university is impressed with your business plan, they could choose to support you to qualify under the Graduate Entrepreneur route. The visa is for 1 year and can then be extended for a further year.  Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa does not lead to settlement. So, the next pressing question is What’s Next? How do I switch to a visa that leads to Indefinite Leave?   If a migrant has exhausted the 2 years in this category, they have the following options: - Switch to Tier 2 General if they have a sponsor (employer). There is a special exemption from advertising a job to settled workers. If an employer wants to sponsor a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) migrant, they don’t need to conduct Resident Labour Market Test.  - Switch to Tier 1 En...

Dear Colleagues! Our new immigration law training as the subject of UK immigration is becoming ever so exciting! To keep up with the ever-changing Brexit and non-Brexit rules, our classroom and livestream training has never been in so much demand. After many years of experience – and hundreds of successful cases – we are offering to share our experience with you to help you prepare for your OISC Level 1 assessment and accreditation. The 2-day weekend course is conducted at our office in the City of London (Monument/Bank) and presented by our very own Senior Immigration Lawyer, Jules Motcho, who is practicing at the highest OISC Level 3. Unlike most traditional courses, ours is conducted using plain language and does not simply contain quotes from the Immigration Rules. We include case studies from our practice, answers to most common questions and a mock Level 1 assessment.  We know you love immigration law as much as we do, so we try to keep it as entertaining as...

Dear customers of  1st   4 Immigration and Multi  T ravel Visas , Sooner appointments- officially accredited agency with French Consulate!   We offer fast processing of Schengen visas for your travels, using special appointments reserved exclusively for only 10 accredited agencies in the whole of the UK (ours being one of the oldest covering last 10 years).  In most cases, we can provide an appointment in  next  few working days  and it takes maximum 1 week from then for most nationals. Biometrics aren’t always needed! If your previous Schengen visa shows  "VIS", you wouldn’t need to submit biometrics again for the next 5 years!  It means you can simply apply through us without travelling to London for biometrics. Just bring or send your documents to us and we’ll do the rest - quickly and efficiently.  Saving you time, hassle and most importantly, money! Schengen visas to Europe: We can assist with S...