Written by Mahfuz Ahmed

In a case involving a man killed by the Taliban after being deported to Afghanistan, the Upper Tribunal has ruled that an immigration appeal is over once the appellant dies.

You could be forgiven for not being aware of the circumstances around the right to appeal and whether the right of appeal under section 82 is firmly personal upon death, however a recent case sets the record straight.

In the case of a man known only as FZ (human rights appeal: death: effect) Afghanistan [2022] UKUT 71 (IAC), the appellant was an Afghan national who came to the UK in November 2000 and was granted indefinite leave to remain in December 2009.

Sadly, this is where the story of FZ begins its downward spiral. From this point, FZ committed 5 criminal offences and the Home Secretary deported him as a persistent offender in April 2016. An appeal was lodged by the appellant from Afghanistan.

In September 2018, the appellant was killed by the Taliban. His appeal was then pursued by his widow and children. The First-tier Tribunal dismissed the appeal and the appellant’s widow and children appealed to the Upper Tribunal.

Judgement by Upper Tribunal

The Upper Tribunal considered this matter and they held that as a matter of statutory construction, the right under section 82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act (NIAA) 2002 to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal against the refusal of a human rights claim would come to an end on the death of the person whose human rights claim had been refused.

Accordingly, the Upper Tribunal dismissed the appeal by the appellant’s widow and children.

Our comments:

This judgement by the Upper Tribunal makes it clear that an appellant’s right of appeal under section 82 of the NIAA 2002 is firmly personal to that person, and therefore upon death that right comes to an end.

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It can be challenging to keep up with the latest changes to the Immigration Rules especially as they have been updated a few times in recent memory, so one can be forgiven for feeling a bit left behind. However, as usual your friends at Lisa’s Law are here to help.

Think you might be a High Potential Individual and looking for help? Contact us today by emailing info@lisaslaw.co.uk or calling on 020 7928 0276.

But first, keep reading to learn more about the route itself.

In this blog we will focus on the recent announcements of the High Potential Individual route and the new Scale-Up route.

High Potential Individual Route

This route is dedicated to attracting graduates from leading non-UK universities who have the potential to work in certain fields particularly in areas such as science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, cementing the UK’s reputation as a hub for technological advancement.

To be eligible for this route, applicants must have either a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree qualification from one of the top global universities outside the UK as published in the Global Universities List by the Home Office, awarded during the last 5 years from the date of application. This list will be compiled annually and will consist of institutions that are included in the list of the top 50 universities in at least two of the following ranking systems:

1. Times Higher Education World University Rankings
2. Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings
3. The Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Permission to remain in the UK will be granted for a period of 2 years for applicants who hold a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelor’s or Master’s level degree. This is increased to 3 years where the applicant holds a qualification equivalent to a UK PhD.

Once in the UK, the applicants will be able to freely look for jobs and work for UK companies. Although this route does not lead to settlement, applicants will be able to switch to other types of visas which lead to settlement, like skilled worker visa, scale-up visas and others.

In addition, the applicants will also be able to bring their spouse and dependent children with them.

The Scale-Up Route

Before we get into this route, a Scale-Up is a company which has an average annualized return of at least 20% in the past 3 years with at least 10 employees in the beginning of the period. They have essentially passed the start-up phase and have established themselves as having a strong base from which to grow.

With this in mind, the new Scale-Up visa route is aimed at applicants who have a job offer from a recognised scale-up business to qualify for a fast track visa. Companies can register for this route by showing they meet the requirements of a scale-up as detailed in the above paragraph.

The job offer above must be skilled to graduate level (RQF 6 and equivalent).Also, the applicant will have to be paid an appropriate salary – at least £33,000 per year or the going rate for the particular occupation, whichever is higher.

In the meantime, provided that the applicants have worked for at least 12 months for a UK company on a Scale-Up route with an annual earning of no less than £33, 000, they will become unsponsored, which means that they will be free to work for any Scale-up companies in the future.

The route leads to settlement. Applicants are required to have PAYE earnings of at least £33,000 in 24 months of the 3-year period immediately prior to their application for settlement. This will be in addition to the standard settlement requirements relating to 5 years’ continuous residence and demonstrating knowledge of life in the UK.

Benefits of the High Potential Individual route and the Scale-Up route

The good news for people on both these routes is that they will be able to work full time at any skill level. The only difference is that those on the Scale-Up route will have to remain at their original employer for the first 6 months in a role at skilled to graduate level, but after that time period is up their status will no longer be tied to that company.

Successful applicants will be able to bring dependent family members (spouses/partners and children under 18), as is the case with other work routes.

Our thoughts

These two routes, in our opinion, are promising and can attract some highly skilled individuals to the UK. Blooming careers can potentially be made for the successful applicants while the country itself will reap the benefits of having such talent working here in the UK.

The fact that successful candidates can bring family members with them and settlement in the UK can eventually be achieved through these routes is also a massive positive. We look forward to seeing how the routes play out in reality, because in theory there is a lot to be excited about here.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

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Written by Mahfuz Ahmed.

A person can apply for naturalisation and become a British Citizen if they satisfy all of the requirements. Some of those requirements include suitability requirements, eligibility requirements and passing the Life in the UK test.

Under the British Nationality Act 1981, it is mandatory that all applicant must satisfy the good character requirement.

Below is a recent case which considers this requirement.

R (on the application of AHN) v Secretary of State for the Home Department

In the case of  R (on the application of AHN) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Claimant bought judicial review proceedings against the decision of the SSHD, to refuse the Claimant’s naturalisation application on ‘good character’ grounds.

The claimant was an Afghan nation born in 1973. In 1989, he joined the Hizb-e-Islami (HEI) who were fighting the Russians at the time.

The HEI was responsible for the bombardment of Kabul between 1992 and 1995. The bombardment of Kabul was characterised by the defendant Secretary of State for the Home Department as a war crime or a crime against humanity.

The Claimant entered the UK in 2001 and obtained refugee status in 2004.

The Claimant sought a mandatory order requiring the SSHD to naturalise the Claimant.

Judgement

The Court did not grant mandatory relief, however the Court granted declaratory relief in respect of the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s failure to have regard to the Claimant’s character over the period from 1996 and the failure to have regard to the 2003 adjudicator’s decision in coming to the conclusion that the claimant was ‘high-ranking.

The Secretary of State for the Home Department confirmed they would reconsider the Claimant’s case.

Our comments

The case shows that when SSHD is giving consideration as to whether an applicant meets the good character requirement, they should give sufficient consideration to a person’s length of time spent after the event, as well as any previous adjudicator decision.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

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As a law firm dealing with plenty of immigration cases, we have seen many sides to the Home Office. As reasonable and experienced legal professionals, we understand that some matters are complex and hurdles can become apparent at any time in the course of a case. However, there are times when Home Office mistakes can cause serious delays and consequences for applicants and it is in these times where simple forgiveness is not enough and proceedings must be looked into.

This blog will focus on human rights claims made by two men who faced deportation and the Home Office slip-up that added an extra layer of problems to an already complex case.

The case in question: Yilmaz & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department 

This case revolves around two Turkish nationals, Mr Yilmaz and Mr Arman, who were deported from the UK in 2017 after facing criminal convictions. They had both made human rights claims to remain in the UK, but due to their claims being certified, they could only make appeals from outside of the UK.

After waiting 5 years since being deported and lodging their claims from Turkey, the claimants still had not had their appeals heard. This is a significant delay which does not paint the UK legal system in a good light.

It was not until 2020 that the two claimants reached out to the possibility of returning to the UK to make in-country appeals, as they were of the opinion that a fair hearing would not take place in their country. However, they were told that using video-links could have been used to launch their appeals, meaning that ultimately their appeals were dismissed.

Holding information back?

The real issue here is one that the Home Office would have preferred not be publicised. The Home Office had actually been notified that video-links, like the ones suggested by the judge in response to the claimant’s appeals, would not be possible for the foreseeable future. During the pandemic video-links of this kind were very common, however in more recent months this has not been the case in many countries and in different scenarios.

When this information reared its head, the Secretary of State had no excuse to hide behind. Mr Yilmaz was permitted to return to the UK in September 2021. Mr Arman had lost contact with his family by this point and so has not yet arranged his return.

The main issues on show here

The resounding issue in this case is that the Turkish government does not allow its citizens to give evidence to a foreign Court in Turkey. This is quite common and occurs in many countries. It is an issue of sovereignty. By subjecting its citizens to be examined by a foreign Court, the relevant government may be interpreted as having bowed to that foreign country.

However, from legal point of view, if the relevant key witnesses are unable to give evidence at the hearing, there is a risk that a fair trial may not be achieved. If that is the case, the relevant persons cannot be reasonably expected to appeal outside the UK. Their appeals will have to be dealt with before they are removed, which is the reason why the appellants argue that the Home Office’s decision to request them to appeal outside is unlawful and that they should be allowed to be back to the UK to conduct their appeals.

Our thoughts

We always look into issues of fairness and what is legally and morally sound. We do not want to simply point fingers at the Home Office and say ‘we caught you’, but we do want to highlight the fact that mistakes of this kind can have serious consequences.

A big lesson to be learned here, not only for the Home Office but also for anyone in the legal profession, is to always make sure that your information is up to date, particularly before advising anyone or suggesting anything. It is very easy to fall behind the times if you do no keep your ear to the ground.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

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Use the Ask Lisa function on our website. Simply enter your details and leave a message, we will get right back to you: https://lisaslaw.co.uk/ask-question/

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The situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, and the Russian troops are moving ever further into the country, bringing with them a feeling of terror and uncertainty. The Home Office sees this, and has now opened a new route for Ukrainian’s with family members living in the UK.

The route allows eligible Ukrainian nationals and their family members to join their UK-based family member in the UK, or extend their stay in the UK, free of charge. The focus of this blog will be the eligibility requirements and process of this new visa.

Who is eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme?

It is important to remember that those applying will be subject to security checks, but as far as the guidance states to far, many people should be eligible for this scheme.

To apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme you must:

• be applying to join or accompany your UK-based family member; and
• be Ukrainian or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who is applying to the scheme; and
• have been residing in Ukraine prior to 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine)

UK-based family member

Your family member must be one of the following:

• a British national
• someone settled in the UK – for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
• someone from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who has pre-settled status and started living in the UK before 1 January 2021
• someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK

You must provide evidence that your UK-based family member is one of the following:

• an immediate family member
• an extended family member
• an immediate family member of an extended family member

Applicants will be asked to provide a copy of an official document that confirms your relationship to your UK-based family member. For example, a marriage or birth certificate if you have one.

Please note you can still apply if you are unable to provide this document, explaining why you are unable to do so. For example, it may be impossible to renew certain documents due to closures and issues in Ukraine.

What counts as an immediate family member?

An immediate family member is your:

• spouse or civil partner
• unmarried partner (you must have been living together in a relationship for at least two years)
• child who is under 18
• parent (if you are under 18)
• fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner

What counts as an extended family member?

An extended family member is your:

• parent (if you are over 18)
• child who is over 18
• grandparent
• grandchild or your partner’s grandchild
• brother or sister

Immediate family member of an extended family member

An immediate family member of an extended family is the:

• spouse or civil partner of an extended family member
• child under 18 of an extended family member
• parent of a child under 18 who is an extended family member
• fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of an extended family member

If your UK-based family member is your (or an extended family member’s) spouse, civil partner, fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner the relationship must have started before 1 January 2022.

Other family members will be considered where there are exceptional circumstances.

How long will the Ukraine Family Visa last?

Your visa will last up to 3 years. During this time applicants will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.

Fees

It is free to apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme.

You do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge for this scheme.

How long will it take to get a result?

Currently, this remains a little vague. There is no concrete timescale established as of yet, as the route is so new. However, the Home Office has said that it will prioritise applications of this kind. Hopefully some more information will be revealed on this soon.

Can you apply from inside the UK?

Further guidance on this is yet to be revealed, but we will let you know as soon as it is. What’s positive is that this seems to be an upcoming option.

Our thoughts

We are pleased to see this route opened up and hope that it can lead many Ukrainian’s to safety. It is positive that there is no cost, and with the security checks in place, we feel that there is no reason not to welcome Ukrainian’s into the UK. If it was the other way round, UK citizens would hope to be met with the same courtesy.

More data on this route will be revealed as more and more people use it, but for now we can only see positives here.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

Email us on info@lisaslaw.co.uk.

Use the Ask Lisa function on our website. Simply enter your details and leave a message, we will get right back to you: https://lisaslaw.co.uk/ask-question/

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Visa waiting times, as many applicants will know, can fluctuate. While some people will have positive experiences, many will find themselves waiting much longer than they had anticipated for a decision to be reached on their application.

This blog will delve into the latest guidelines from the Home Office on what people should expect when making visa applications to come or remain in the UK.

Let’s start with applications from outside the UK

When your application’s waiting time starts and ends

Once an application has been submitted online, the waiting time starts when you either:

• attend your appointment and provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a visa application centre

• verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app. This will depend on the visa you apply for and you will be advised if you can use this

The waiting time will end when you get an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

Visa types

Visitor visa:

The standard wait time for visitor visas should be 3 weeks, however the Home Office is currently operating around the 6 week mark. This is much longer than it should be, and the Home Office has released statements promising work is being done to reduce this wait time, but we are yet to see any drastic improvements.

Visas for: Traveling through the UK, Studying, Working or Investing in the UK:

At the moment people looking to get on these types of visas can expect at least a 3 week wait before a decision is made on their behalf, once they have either attended their appointment at the visa application centre or used the ID Check app.

Joining family in the UK / Family Reunion:

Wait times for these visa can be up to 12 weeks currently. If you are applying as the dependent of another applicant, you will get your decision at the same time.

If you are applying for an EEA family permit or an EUSS family permit you will get a decision as soon as possible after proving your identity and providing your documents.

Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa:

Again, wait times of up to 12 weeks can be expected with this visa type.

Commonwealth citizens

You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for an Ancestry visa.

Returning residents

You should get a decision within 3 weeks you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a returning resident visa.

Replacing residence cards and permits / transferring visas from passports

These processes also have a 3 week waiting time attached to them.

How about applications made within the UK?

There are some different options here, and the waiting times appear to be longer in general than those of applications made outside the country.

Switch to or extend a Student visa:

You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you have applied online to switch to or extend a Student or Child Student visa.

Switch to or extend a family visa:

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you have applied online to switch to or extend as a:

• spouse or partner (if you are on a 5-year route to settlement)

• fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner

Switch to or extend a work visa:

You usually should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you have applied online to extend or switch to any of the following work visas:

• Global Talent
• Innovator
• Intra-company
• Skilled worker
• Entrepreneur
• Investor
• Minister of Religion
• Sportsperson

Extend a Standard Visitor visa / Switch to a Graduate visa / Extend a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa / Extend a Representative of an Overseas Business visa / Switch to or extend a Temporary Worker visa:

Each of these visa types currently has an expected wait time of 8 weeks.

Switch to or extend a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa:

You should get a decision within 12 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) or when you submit your online documents after completing the ID Check app.

Applying for settlement:

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 6 months once you apply online.

Our thoughts

We hope to see a reduction in these wait times soon, as some of them are longer than they should be. The on-going situation with coronavirus, and now the added pressure of the war in Ukraine will inevitably play a part in the capabilities and priorities of the Home Office, but it is an achievable target to shave even a few weeks off some of the longer wait times you see in this list.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

Email us on info@lisaslaw.co.uk.

Use the Ask Lisa function on our website. Simply enter your details and leave a message, we will get right back to you: https://lisaslaw.co.uk/ask-question/

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The situation in Ukraine is getting progressively more serious as the days go by, with the Russian invasion claiming more and more lives, leaving the country on the verge of chaos. Understandably, Ukraine calls for aid and has so far been met with sympathy from many nations. The UK has relaxed some of its immigration rules for Ukrainians, which you can read about in our article here, and the EU is in talks with Ukrainian president Zelenskyy about fast-tracked membership into the union. The EU has already made claims that it will allow Ukrainian’s to stay and work in EU nations for up to three years in the form of a temporary protection plan.

However, what we will focus on today specifically is the possibility of Ukrainian’s in the UK claiming asylum here. Is it possible, and what has the government announced on the issue? Read on to find out.

No change of policy as of yet

While immigration rules have been relaxed for Ukrainian’s looking to extend their visas or switch to new routes within the UK, asylum claims have not been specifically mentioned as of yet. This is because, as it stands, the UK still considers Ukraine capable of taking care of its own people, however this could change at a moment’s notice given the unpredictable nature of the Russian invasion.

It may be that Ukrainians in certain areas of the country will be considered at risk by the UK, but the fact that Ukraine is fairly large country people could be safe if they relocate, according to the UK government. However, transportation is obviously very difficult at this time.

What arguments could Ukrainian’s make for asylum?

Political opinion may play a part in the fears of many Ukrainian’s, whereby being against Russian occupation could see them face serious consequences. Others may fear military conscription and the obvious dangers that come with it. They may fear being prosecuted for desertion, such as prison time or being left a social outcast. Also, due to some outdated attitudes within certain parts of the country homosexuals may fear being mistreated if forced to join the military.

The important thing to remember is that the situation is in a state of flux, constantly changing. If more violence erupts, the UK may be forced to relax even further and allow asylum to take place on a larger scale.

What do we think?

We sympathise greatly with the situation in Ukraine, and feel that the maximum amount of support should be granted. We are not against asylum claims from Ukraine or any other nation, as those who fear for their lives should not be turned away from safety, be there Ukrainian or from elsewhere in the world.

Have questions? Get in touch today!

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

Email us on info@lisaslaw.co.uk.

Use the Ask Lisa function on our website. Simply enter your details and leave a message, we will get right back to you: https://lisaslaw.co.uk/ask-question/

Or, download our free app! You can launch an enquiry, scan over documents, check progress on your case and much more!

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