UK Visas and British Citizenship

Most UK visas say “No public funds”, but the National Health Service (NHS) is not public funds, and the migrants can use it. It is free at the point of use, such as when you come to a see a doctor. Of course, it is not really “free”, as most visa applicants pay Immigration Health Charge (IHS). Although not all have to pay IHS. Those applying for Indefinite Leave or to EU Settlement Scheme don't have to pay it.  So, most UK visas have the endorsement, what does it mean? There is a list of benefits that are included in the Public Funds list. Examples: Child benefit, Universal Credit, Council tax reduction, Carer’s allowance,  Housing benefit, Personal Independence Benefit (PIP) etc.  There are some contributory benefits that aren’t public funds. Examples: maternity allowance, statutory sick pay, unemployment benefits based on contributions from the previous work, state pension (but not Pension Credit).  Note on Child Benefit:  it is not uncommon for the Register O...

If you have a BRP visa card that expires on 31.12.2024, you can now create a UKVI account and transition to eVisa. From 2025 there will be no physical cards or visa stamps, only online status from Government system.  You can create a UKVI account here:  https://www.gov.uk/get-access-evisa If you need help, follow this video:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-immigration-status-evisa-help-video/how-to-create-a-ukvi-account-and-access-your-evisa When you have your eVisa ready, you can prove your immigration status for work and renting, by creating and sharing a code from here:  https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status You can book online consultation with a lawyer here.  Over WhatsApp, Zoom or email. We currently have a discounted fee £100 for advice over email. Alternatively, a video call over Zoom or WhatsApp costs £150 if you prefer to talk to a lawyer. The consultation fee counts towards our future services with a visa a...

  Here we cover the rules on combining various income sources when meeting the Financial Requirement for a UK Spouse, Partner and a Fiancee visa. There are rules on everything, so there are rules on that. For example, savings can be combined with the current employment (known as Category A) but not with the past employment (Category B). Self-employment can be combined with everything except savings. Property income can be combined with everything unless self-employment is involved.  Popular example #1: employment and savings. The current Financial Requirement for new applicants is £29,000. If one has a salary of £20,000, they could add savings. But it’s not £9,000 and not even £16,000, as the Government website appears to suggest (it doesn’t, it confusingly says “over £16,000, but not how much exactly). The shortfall of £9,000 can be made up with savings of £9,000x2.5+£16,000=£38,500. In this example, the current employment must have lasted for 6 months for the same employer, ...

Dual nationality for German citizens is now allowed, thanks to the recent changes in the German law. In our case, a German citizen can now apply to become a British citizen while retaining their German passport. Contact us now to make it happen! Apply for British citizenship now.   1st  4 Immigration  is one of the most experienced UK immigration law companies, OISC – accredited at the highest Level 3. We have been in business for over 15 years, our OISC reference is 200800152, in which 2008 stands for the year accreditation. Office: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HN. Website  1st4immigration.com You can book online consultation with a lawyer here.   Over WhatsApp, Zoom or email. We currently have a discounted fee £100 for advice over email. Alternatively, a video call over Zoom or WhatsApp costs £150 if you prefer to talk to a lawyer. The consultation fee counts towards our future services with a visa application, so the final fee i...

This post relates to the rules for a UK Spouse Partner and a Fiancée visa. It is for partners of UK citizens, of those with ILR, and of those with a pre-settled status in the UK.      #1 Most common - submitting “everything I have’.  Payslips, a tax return, some savings plus a property deed for a good measure. Surely, should work? It may sound logical to provide as much as possible, but this is a nightmare scenario for immigration lawyers and often a direct path to a visa refusal. Financial Requirement is strictly based on the ‘rules’: what income can be used; how various sources can be combined and what documents are needed. The Government produced a 78-page guidance just on this matter, so they have to use it. And that was before the elections, so it remains to be seen whether income threshold will go up to £38,700 or not.   #2 Savings - it’s not £16,000.  The official website says “savings over £16,000” and this is where the major confusion happens....

  Here we cover the status for a child born after Brexit.  Children born to EU citizens after Brexit (born outside the UK): A child born from 2021 onwards to a person with a settled or pre-settled status in the UK, what is the child’s status? It depends on the parents’ status.    If  both  parents have an EUSS status  (settled or pre-settled), the child could also apply under EUSS. Would start from a pre-settled status and would get a settled status after 5 years in the UK. Same rules on absences apply as for adults, i.e. 6 months per year etc.     If only  one  parent has an EUSS status  (settled or pre-settled), the child would have to apply under Appendix FM, same as the child’s other parent. So, the other parent would apply for a Spouse visa (Appendix FM) with English, Finances £29,000 etc. The child will be on a Dependant visa. It is basically the same scenario as a family of a UK citizen. Starts from a visa for 2.5 y...

  UK Spouse and Partner visas: how is Financial Requirement changing? From 11 April 2024 the income threshold has been increased from £18,600 to £29,000 per year. Savings amount has been increased to £88,500. And we used to think the old amount of £62,500 was too high!  It has never been £16,000, as some pages on Government website say (confusingly).    There were plans to further rises to £34,500 later in 2024, and eventually to £38,700 in early 2025. Now that we have election on 4 July 2024, we don’t know what will happen to these changes. Regardless, the changes do not happen quickly.    You can apply now and avoid any potential increases! If you do not wish to take a risk, the time to apply is now!    The above changes apply to those applying for a Spouse/Partner visa for the first time. If you already had a visa in this category before 11 April 2024, you can continue under the old £18,600 threshold. For your next application and eve...