About Immigration Law
As the rules and policy on UK immigration grow more and more complex, it’s getting harder and harder to stay up to speed on the latest changes (especially when one source seems to contradict another).
EU law rights and EU Settlement Scheme
Our content deals with the mechanics of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and eligibility, as well as the citizens’ rights aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement, that broadly underpins the scheme.
Sponsored work
We deal with the key sponsored and non-sponsored work immigration routes. We have Practice Notes covering all aspects of eligibility (from the point of view of the sponsor and the sponsored migrant) and common pitfalls.
UK immigration control
How immigration law works. Submitting an application, grounds for refusal, conditions of permission, and various sources of law. Plus analysis of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules from 2013.
Policy
As the rules and policy on UK immigration grow in complexity, it’s tricky to stay up to speed on the latest changes (especially when one source seems to contradict another). We’ll help keep you up-to-date.
Topics We Cover
Latest Immigration News
The Law Society of England and Wales has announced an extension of its funding contribution agreement with the Ministry of Justice to support...
The Home Office has laid before Parliament the draft Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2025, to amend the Immigration and Nationality (Fees)...
the3million and the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) have jointly submitted a letter to the Home Office regarding ongoing...
Welcome to the 16 January 2025 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a...
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) has officially changed its name to the Immigration Advice Authority....
Latest Immigration Practice Notes
Brexit timelineOn 23 June 2016, the UK held a referendum on its membership of the EU, with a majority voting in favour of the UK leaving the EU. On 29...
Conflict in Ukraine—UK sanctions tracker [Archived]ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained.This tracker aims to assist...
Brexit—key legislation explainedBackground—EU law in the UKPre-exit dayThe European Communities Act 1972 (ECA 1972) was introduced and intended to...
Brexit legislation tracker 2017–19 [Archived]ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. It tracks the progress of UK...
Partners applying for leave to remain: application procedureThis Practice Note outlines the key procedural requirements for an application for limited...
Latest Immigration Precedents
Clauses—repayment of immigration fees1Repayment of immigration fees1.1In order to enable you to be lawfully employed in the UK, we agreed to pay the...
Skilled Worker—entry clearance—email at end of processDear [APPLICANT],Your Skilled Worker visaI am pleased to confirm that your Skilled Worker visa...
UK Expansion Worker—entry clearance—email at end of processDear [APPLICANT],Your UK Expansion Worker visaI am pleased to confirm that your Global...
Senior or Specialist Worker—entry clearance—email at end of processDear [APPLICANT],Your Senior or Specialist Worker visaI am pleased to confirm that...
Spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners under Appendix FM: grant of entry clearance—information sheetYou have now been granted entry clearance...
Latest Immigration Q&As
Featured Immigration content
Parental consent for minor child—letter
Parental consent for minor child—letter[Insert address of [parent OR guardian] in home country][Insert Home Office address where application is being...
Biometric Immigration Documents
Biometric Immigration DocumentsWhat is a Biometric Immigration Document?A Biometric Immigration Document (BID) is the key ‘document’ that evidences...
Children applying for indefinite leave under Part 8 and Appendix FM: procedure
Children applying for indefinite leave under Part 8 and Appendix FM: procedureA child may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to enter or remain...
Key contacts for immigration advisers
Key contacts for immigration advisersIP COMPLETION DAY: The Brexit transition period ended at 11pm on 31 December 2020. At this time (referred to in...
Who can give immigration advice in the UK?
Who can give immigration advice in the UK?Immigration advisers and service providers in the UK are subject to regulation.Broadly, non-legally...
Applying to confirm a Zambrano right of residence [Archived]
Applying to confirm a Zambrano right of residence [Archived]ARCHIVED: this Practice Note is no longer maintained as it covers the implementation of EU...
Passport stamps, vignettes and codes—examples and common problems [Archived]
Passport stamps, vignettes and codes—examples and common problems [Archived]This Practice Note is no longer updated as it relates to the position...
Do you need to submit a separate VAF4A (Appendix 2) form when making an entry clearance application using the new online form? On what basis can the Home Office request this?
Can you make an application for naturalisation using an expired Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) which confirms that they hold indefinite leave to remain?
Zambrano EUSS rules declared unlawful on appeal (R (Akinsanya) v SSHD)
Immigration analysis: The Court of Appeal has partially upheld the decision of Mr Justice Mostyn in finding that the Home Office’s rules for...
Where a new employee has an indefinite leave to remain endorsement in their expired passport, would an employer have a statutory excuse against a civil penalty if they obtained a positive verification notice from the employer checking service with a copy of their expired passport? If not, would the employer need to wait until the employee receives their biometric residence permit before they can commence employment?
The status of the Tier 4 sponsor
The status of the Tier 4 sponsorSTOP PRESS: This Practice Note is being updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules which replace the Tier 4...
Right to work checks: when and why
Right to work checks: when and whyThis Practice Note looks at why employers need to carry out ‘right to work’ checks and when such checks should be...
Long residence and private life
Long residence and private lifeThe long residence and private life routes within the Immigration Rules are for those applying for further permission...
Changes of law and policy, rights against retrospective legislation, and legitimate expectation
Changes of law and policy, rights against retrospective legislation, and legitimate expectationChanges to immigration law may mean that a person who...
Approval of naturalisation application—information sheet
Approval of naturalisation application—information sheetI am pleased to enclose a letter from the Home Office that confirms that your application for...
Nationality and Borders Act 2022—nationality provisions
Immigration analysis: The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. In addition to controversial provisions relating to...
Can a Tier 2 sponsor reduce a sponsored migrant’s number of weekly hours in order for them to be able to undertake supplementary employment (for another employer)? If so, is the sponsor required to report this change in employment via the sponsor management system?
Associated legal terms
Common Travel Area
An agreement between the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, which includes Hern, Sark and Alderney) permitting citizens from either country to travel freely without the need for passport checks as well as offering certain voting and welfare rights.
Human rights claim
A claim made by a person to the Secretary of State at a place designated by the Secretary of State that to remove the person from or require him to leave the United Kingdom would be unlawful under the Human Rights Act 1998, s 6 (public authority not to act contrary to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) as being incompatible with his Convention rights.
Immigration offences
Criminal offences relating to breaches of immigration controls by persons subject to immigration control and by persons assisting them in so doing.
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