UK Visas and British Citizenship

  We are often asked about the visa options for partners of UK citizens, as well as for partners of European citizens who have a settled or pre-settled status in the UK. Fundamentally there are 3 options: Spouse, Unmarried Partner and Fiancée.    Spouse visa: As the name suggests, it is for married couples. It also includes civil partners. A civil partnership is a formal process that results in an official document, similar to a marriage certificate. For the UK visa purpose, it’s treated as a marriage. In the past, a civil partnership was only for same-sex couples but now it is available for heterosexual couples as well.    Fiancée visa: A visa for 6 months, without the right to work. It gives a foreign partner a chance to come to the UK and marry the Sponsor within 6 months (or register a civil partnership). Then he/she could apply for a Spouse visa after getting married. Then a Spouse visa would be the same as above and would allow to work in the UK. Fiancée visa is an extra step, an

    If you have a UK visa and it’s about to expire, you would, normally, submit a new application. Of the same type (extension) or a different type (switching), or for settlement. You can do it up to the last day of visa current visa and it will be 100% legal. So, you applied and waiting for a decision, what is your status? What if your old visa expired during that time? Especially if you indeed apply on the last day. Would you become an overstayer? Do you have to time your application to give the Government enough time to make a decision before your old visa expires? Should you use the more expensive Priority services? The answer is: if you applied while your old visa was still valid (even on the last day), your immigration status automatically extends by law and remains the same for as long as the Government takes to consider your new application . Doesn’t matter whether it would take a day, a few months or a year. Most visa types take 8 weeks while Settlement takes up to 6 months. I

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  Whether your next visa is coming soon or next year, it is never too soon to start planning! Coming to the UK, extending your stay, applying for Settlement or British Citizenship, sponsoring foreigner workers - we cover it all!  You can book a consultation with our lawyers now, over WhatsApp, Zoom or email: https://www.1st4immigration.com/book-a-consultation/  As always, our advice fee £150 will be counted towards our professional fees for your case in the future.  1st 4Immigration  is one of the most experienced UK immigration law companies, OISC - accredited at the highest Level 3. We have been in business for over 10 years, our OISC reference is 200800152, in which 2008 stands for the year accreditation. Office: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HN.  www.1st4immigration.com     

  We are often asked about visiting the U.K.  Many already know it’s 6 months maximum but how is it calculated? 6 months per year or what? The answer is: 6 months from each entry. Every time you cross the U.K. border, your stay starts again. For example, you spent one month here, then went to France for a weekend. Then came back to the U.K.  - and your 6 months started again. The Immigration Rules do not prevent from frequent travelling , as long as your visits are indeed genuine visits , and not de facto residence. If de facto residence is suspected , you can be questioned by the border control. This is because a Visitor status doesn’t allow to live in the U.K., only to stay temporarily. A visitor isn’t allowed to use the NHS (including register with a GP), work or study. Long-term Visitor visas : 2 years, 10 years etc. If you are a visa national and need to have a visa stamp before travelling to the U.K. , you may apply for a long-term visa. Not just 6 months , but 2, 5 or even 10 ye

   We are often asked about visas to come and work in the UK, so we made an alphabetical list. Ancestral: For Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK. Visa is for 5 years and allows to work without sponsorship. Settlement after 5 years. Global Mobility: Several temporary work visas, which don’t lead to settlement. Such as a Secondment Worker and similar categories that replaced Intra-Company Transfers. Sponsorship is required. Global Talent: For everybody, doesn’t require sponsorship but requires endorsement from an approved body, such as Arts Council or Tech Nation. These organisations assess ’talent’, then immigration authorities issue visas. Visa is for up to 5 years, allows to work without sponsorship but only in endorsed field of your ‘talent'. Settlement after 3 to 5 years. Graduate: For graduates from UK universities, who are completing a degree while on a Student visa (or old Tier 4 visa). Visa is for 2 years and allows to work without sponsorship. Doesn'

  If you have a UK visa and it’s about to expire, you would, normally, submit a new application. Of the same type (extension) or a different type (switching), or for settlement. You can do it up to the last day of visa current visa and it will be 100% legal. So, you applied and waiting for a decision, what is your status? What if your old visa expired during that time? Especially if you indeed apply on the last day. Would you become an overstayer? Do you have to time your application to give the Government enough time to make a decision before your old visa expires? Should you use the more expensive Priority services? The answer is: if you applied while your old visa was still valid (even on the last day), your immigration status automatically extends by law and remains the same for as long as the Government takes to consider your new application . Doesn’t matter whether it would take a day, a few months or a year. Most visa types take 8 weeks while Settlement takes up to 6 months. In