UK Visas and British Citizenship

From 14 June 2012 Tier 1 applicants will need: - if applying within the UK - £900 held for 3 months; - if applying outside the UK (where applicable) - £3,100 held for 3 months; - dependants will need £600 per person if the main applicant has been in the UK for 12 months or more; - dependants will need £1,800 per person if the main applicant has been in the UK for less than 12 months. From 14 June 2012 Tier 2 applicants will need: - main applicants - £900 held for 3 months; - dependants will need £600 per person if the main applicant has been in the UK for 12 months or more; - dependants will need £1,800 per person if the main applicant has been in the UK for less than 12 months. From 14 June 2012 Tier 5 applicants will need (for Youth Mobility Scheme this will apply from 6 April 2012):  - main applicants - £900 held for 3 months; - dependants will need £600 per person if the main applicant has been in the UK for 12 months or more; - dependants will need £1,800 per person

If you cannot get an appointment we can help, we have worked with the French Consulate in London for years! We submit applications using separate system of appointments for representatives. It takes 4 working days from the appointment date for most nationals (S.African, Indian, Russian, Thai, Chinese, Turkish etc), takes 2-3 weeks for some nationals. We can also apply via Portuguese Embassy. Contact us: www.multitravelvisas.co.uk

"I got the extension for another 3 years. I greatly appreciate the assistance you have provided me. Home office representatives was happy with the overall documentation and they did not find any difficulty in approving my case (as they told me so). So well done and thanks to you . It could not have been possible without your help. " Sourabh, Indian national. In this case the client was claiming points for the earnings from his own limited company (working as a contractor for an IT company). For more Testimonials or to make your application as successful as above please contact us via www.1st4immigration.com

"I just wanted to thank you for the great service you provided with my visa renewal. All the help and guidance you provided is much appreciated. We (client and family) were a bit stressed by the time we arrived but having (one of our staff) there to walk with us through the process immediately help me to relax. The service you provide is good value for money and I would happily recommend it". Waldo, South African. For more Testimonials or to make your application as successful as above please contact us via www.1st4immigration.com

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for these great news! I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you for your great support and assistance!" This is from Boris, a Bulgarian national from Varna, we helped him, his partner and children to obtain Blue Registration Certificates using HSMP programme.  It is a common knowledge that Bulgarian/Romanian nationals (also known as A2 nationals) need  authorisation if they wish to seek employment in the UK. One of the ways is obtaining a Blue Registration Certificate. However, it is less known that Blue Registration Certificate can be obtained by applying under the HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Programme) under the rules in place before January 2007, ie before Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union. This programme awards points for Age, Qualification, Earnings and if you have scored 75 points then you would qualify. You don't need a proof of English language or Funds. Other ways of obtaining a Blue Registration Certifica

All visa categories are now biometric (require fingerprints) including Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as a PR or Permanent Residency. We can still assist with fast Premium service, as an accredired representtatives at the UKBA in Croydon we book appointments using separate slots for representatives. We get appointments every week for an ILR, Tier 1 General, Tier 2, Spouse/Partner FLR M and others. Www.1st4immigration.com

As usual, the Home Secretary Theresa May makes an announcement, which is not what it seems once you've read the small print. The £35,000 minimum income threshold will only apply to Tier 2 General visa holders (also commonly known as Work Permit). And it will only apply from 2016 to those Tier 2 General visa holders who joined Tier 2 from 6 April 2011. Since £35k threshold is applicable for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) applications only for those who joined Tier 2 after 6 April 2011 the first such applications will be made in 2016. For those Tier 2 visa holders who joined Tier 2 before 6 April 2011, or those who still have a 'Work Permit' the rules remain the same (at least for now). Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer already has restrictions on settlement and they will remain. Tier 1 General applicants won't be affected by this announcement at all, they still need to pass the points test, as now. Spouses of UK or EU citizens or those with UK Ancestry won't

If you stay in the UK and do not get ‘caught’ then you will be allowed to leave the UK. In theory it is up to the UKBA whether to fine you or even detain you but in practice you would not probably face any punishment. However, you may well have a problem in the future. Normally, overstaying within 28 days and leaving the country voluntarily is more or less OK, though you have to declare it on the visa forms when asked. Overstaying does not matter at all for some categories, such as a Spouse/Partner of a UK citizen or of a person settled in the UK. Visas under the Points-Based System (Tier 1 -5, ie for work or study in the UK) have strict rule of the applicant not to fall under the General Grounds of Refusal. This means that even if you meet all the visa rules but have some adverse immigration history you may not get a visa. These General Grounds include overstaying for more than 28 days, so if you overstay for less than that and leave the UK voluntarily you should be OK in the future

This is a dilemma faced by people who are approaching the end of their 2 year Spouse/Partner visa in the UK as a Spouse/Partner of a UK citizen or of a settled person. Most should qualify for Settlement on SET(M) form, ie for the permanent residency. But what if you have some concerns that you won't qualify? Can you extend and get another 2 year visa using an FLR(M) form? The normal process is applying for a Permanent Residency. Extending a Spouse visa (ie getting another Spouse visa for 2 years) is not 'normal' unless you have a good reason for it, which you have to explain in your application. For example, you have not passed the Life in The UK Test, so the only option is to extend. I am often asked if absences from the UK matter and some people think they have 'too many days out' and believe they should apply for an extension because of that. Abcences from the UK matter a lot less if you are a spouse/parter of a UK citizen or of a settled person. If you heard

Apply now, before it is closed. After 6 April 2012 you would need to find an employer who is willing to sponsor you for a Tier 2 visa if you wish to remain in the UK. There will be no limit on such switching (from Tier 4 to Tier 2) for in-UK applications but there will be an annual limit for applications from abroad. We can help with Post-Study Work applications and Premium service appointments, we are officially registered at the UK Border Agency in Croydon. http://www.1st4immigration.com/