Published by Admin on March 30th, 2012 in UK immigration
In a new study released this week by the UK National Audit Office it was found that up to 50,000 bogus students may have been improperly issued UK Tier 4 visas. These student admissions took place after the new points-based visa system was introduced in 2008.
The report estimates that the UK Border Agency let in between 40,000 to 50,000 bogus students to the UK. The National Audit Office estimates many of these Tier 4 visas went to individuals whose main intention was to work in the UK, not to study. The number of illegal immigrants who pretended to be in education is more than ten times higher than the previous estimates.
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Published by Admin on March 27th, 2012 in UK immigration
The High Court in the UK has dismissed a legal challenge to a new immigration rule requiring people to be able to speak English before coming to the UK to live with their spouse.
The law was implemented back in November 2010 and had recently been challenged by three couples who deemed the rules to be unfair and racist. However the UK High Court dismissed the challenges.
Justice Beatson, presiding judge over the appeals, stated, “The new language test was not a disproportionate interference with the couples’ right to family life.”
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Published by Admin on March 23rd, 2012 in UK immigration
British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Peter Beckingham announced new figures on 14 March about India’s investment in the UK over last two years.
According to Beckingham, over 100 new entrepreneurs have invested in the UK over the last two years. Beckingham visited Vadodara to speak with entrepreneurs and attract further investment for the UK. He stated that the UK has been encouraging investment from India by not making stricter UK visa rules for investors. Tier visa categories used by investors include the Tier 1 entrepreneur visa, the Tier 1 investor visa and Tier 2 visa.
He added that the UK is looking for investments specifically in areas of advanced engineering, energy sector, automotive sector and oil and gas sector. UK Trade and Investment, a company that works to encourage overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice, has already been working with around 2,000 Indian businesses in over 20 cities since 2009.
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Published by Admin on March 20th, 2012 in UK immigration
UK Immigration Minister Damien Green announced that there will be specific minimum standards for border checks. This follow concerns last year that UK immigration officers were acting without ministerial approval and allowing people into the UK without proper passport and UK visa checks.
Green said that the correct level of passport and UK visa immigration checks “for every type of passenger and all types of goods” would be detailed with guidance making clear when they could be strengthened in high-risk cases, and the circumstances wherein they could be suspended.
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Published by Admin on March 14th, 2012 in UK immigration
Unite the Union, Britain’s biggest worker’s union, has urged UK immigration to drop reforms of Tier 5 domestic worker visas that were announced by the Home Office on 29 February. They claim that such changes will disadvantage migrant domestic workers as they may become trapped working for abusive employers.
According to a consensus forged across the political parties in 1998, it was agreed that migrant domestic workers should be allowed to leave their employer and work for a new employer in the UK. But now, under the new immigration rules, domestic workers on Tier 5 visas can stay a maximum of 5 years with no ability to change employers or to settle.
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Published by Admin on March 5th, 2012 in UK immigration
UK Immigration is aiming to double the number of immigrants who will need to have a biometric residence permit (BRP) to remain in the UK. This will raise the number of individuals required to have a BRP to around 400,000 a year.
The UK is expanding the biometric system to require all applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) applying to stay in the UK for more than 6 months to register their fingerprints and digital facial image. Successful applicants will be issued a biometric residence permit as evidence of immigration status and entitlements in the UK. This includes refugees and those granted settlement.
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Published by Admin on March 1st, 2012 in UK immigration
UK immigration has announced that the new biometric enrolment centre in Christchurch, New Zealand will re-open on 5 March 2012. Following a severe earthquake in Christchurch, the UK Border Agency had to close the centre in February 2011.
Currently visa applicants have to visit the UK’s monthly mobile biometric enrolment unit in Christchurch until the new office is fully operational. The British High Commission is also collecting biometric data from UK visa applicants. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) acts as a collection agent for biometric data on behalf of the British High Commission and UK Border Agency in New Zealand. The biometric data is recorded using the British Government’s own enrolment systems.
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Published by Admin on February 23rd, 2012 in UK immigration
British High Commissioner Robert Winnington Gibson announced last week that UK Immigration will soon introduce a special business visa for Bangladeshi businessmen who have strong trade relations with the UK.
“It will be a charged-for premium service under which the processing of applications for business visitor visas and Tier 2 skilled worker visas will be expedited,” said Gibson.
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Published by Admin on February 17th, 2012 in UK immigration
UK immigration has revised the guidance notes for all Tier 1 visa categories today. The changes include revised policy guidance for all Tier 1 visa categories to include a paragraph about the circumstances under which UK Border Agency officials will contact applicants about missing or incorrect documents.
The current guidance states that if the applicant does not provide the correct specified documents for their Tier 1 visa application, UKBA may contact them to request these documents. If the applicant then fails to send the correct documents the application may be refused.
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Published by Admin on February 15th, 2012 in UK immigration
UK has announced new rules that UK immigration says will reduce abuse of the student visa route. UK Immigration Minister Damian Green announced the complete list of changes today.
We have already reported on the forthcoming closure of the Tier 1 Post Study Work Visa route on 6 April 2012. Under this visa, students are able to work in the UK for 2 years following graduation. There will be a new Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa. However, hardly anyone will qualify for this.
The new rules also require graduates applying under Tier 2 (General) to have an offer of a skilled job at a salary of at least £20,000 (or more in some cases) from a reputable employer accredited by the UK Border Agency in order to continue living and working in the UK.
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