Immigration issues

Immigration issues

FORTHCOMING DEVELOPMENTS: On 4 December 2023, the previous Conservative Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, announced a series of measures with the intention of reducing legal migration to the UK. The measures included, in relation to 'five-year route' Appendix FM applications, the increase of the standard required minimum income threshold from £18,600 to £29,000 for initial applications in Spring 2024. This rise was introduced via changes to the Immigration Rules, from 11 April 2024. There were then to be two additional rises in due course, but the new Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP announced on 30 July 2024 that the Migration Advisory Committee was to be commissioned to review these financial requirements, and any further rises would not proceed until then. For further information, see Practice Note: Immigration calendar.

Under the Immigration Rules, the partner of a person in the following categories may apply to join or remain with them in the UK:

•
British citizen
•
settled person
•
person with refugee leave or under the humanitarian protection provisions in the Immigration Rules where the applicant was not part of the sponsoring partner’s family unit prior

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