Category Archives: General UK Immigration News

The service will be available again from Monday 8 August, including a number of improvements. You will be able to create your own online account, and book and reschedule your appointments online without needing to phone. The improved service will bring the appointments process together with interactive application forms and online payments for UK applicants. […]

Four men appeared before Brighton Magistrates to face charges with the importation of controlled drugs and were remanded in custody. David Smith, UK Border Agency regional deputy director, said: The UK Border Agency\’s fleet of cutters play a vital role in securing the border. They are on constant alert around the UK coastline to keep […]

Under rules implemented in 1997 spouses must demonstrate that they can ‘understand everyday English’ before they are allowed to apply for permanent settlement. This is tested through a computer-based ‘Life in the UK’ test which the government claims corresponds to the level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). CEFR provides a basis […]

Rob Whiteman has lead the local Government\’s response to central Government\’s agenda for greater self-regulation and improvement. Working across Whitehall, he has supported policy discussions between the new coalition Government and local Government. The appointment has been approved by the Prime Minster and Home Secretary where Mr Whiteman will succeed Jonathan Sedgwick, the interim CEO […]

Immigration minister Damian Green said: “This consultation is about better family migration – better for migrants, communities, and the UK as a whole. We welcome those who want to make a life here with their family, but too often in the past the family route has been abused as a means to bypass our immigration […]

The form should be used by Bulgarian or Romanian nationals who want to apply for authorisation to work in the UK. The new versions have been published to clarify the types of documentary evidence required for self-employed persons and students. A new requirement has been included to provide evidence of having comprehensive sickness insurance. The […]

Mr Green said: “The proposals I am making today are aimed at breaking the link between temporary and permanent migration. Settlement has become almost automatic for those who choose to stay. This needs to change. The immigration system has got to be made to work properly. We want the brightest and best workers to come […]

Mr Green said that “Some of these cases date back more than a decade and the UK Border Agency was always clear that, because of the length of time many of these individuals have been in the country, there would be no alternative to granting them leave to remain.” This led to accusations that the […]

The latest figures from the CIPD’s Labour Force Survey show that: The number of EU 14 nationals in employment has increased by 12% The number of EU 8 nationals has increased by 25% The number of Australians & New Zealanders in employment has fallen by more than 33% The number of Americans in employment has […]

The first month of the Immigration Cap was expected to see a flood of applications from sponsors who had been unable to issue any Certificates of Sponsorship during the Interim Cap; however this failed to materialise with only 1,018 Certificates of Sponsorship allocated. In month two many expected far more applications from sponsors who had […]