Home Office broke the law by searching, seizing and retaining data from phones of migrants

Written by Mahfuz Ahmed     The Divisional Court has handed down a judgement determining the Home Office’s policy of searching, seizing and retaining data from the mobile phones of migrants arriving to the UK by boat as unlawful.   The court’s ruling occurs at a time when the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, is trying […]

Changes in place to help those who need urgent passports get them faster

Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) has had to bring in some changes to account for the fact that an increasing number of people who do not meet the urgent and compassionate criteria will want a passport more quickly as international travel restrictions continue to ease, particularly those with pre-existing bookings.   Essentially, many people have […]

Home Office update: Replacement visas available until the end of the year, with VAC’s now accepting passports

If your 30 day visa to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, you can request a replacement visa with revised validity dates free of charge until the end of this year. This does not apply to other types of visas.   This process […]

The Future of UK Immigration is here…But what does it look like?

Home Secretary Priti Patel has revealed the UK’s new points based immigration system and post Brexit visa rules in a document spanning over 130 pages, so we have broken down the key factors for coming to work, study or visit. More detailed articles on the specifics will follow, but this blog will largely cover the […]

Migrants who face imminent destitution can also apply for public funds now

The Home Office has just updated their policy on public funds. The amended policy will allow migrants who face imminent destitution, not only those who are already destitute, to apply for public funds, which is clearly another positive step forward.   Online applications for access to public funds have already been available to certain migrants […]

Time to upgrade! Short term student visa holders can now apply for regular Tier 4 visas from within the UK

New guidance has been released for Tier 4 sponsors, Tier 4 students and short-term study students in response to the outbreak of coronavirus. As always, the concessions will all be kept under regular review by the government and will likely be withdrawn once the situation returns to normal.   As always, we are here to […]

Free visa extensions for family members of NHS workers – but only if you are NOT British?

Here at Lisa’s Law, we feel very passionately about the NHS and all the people who work within it. The UK is so fortunate to have a healthcare system as strong and open as the NHS, especially during such times as we find ourselves in now. Without all of the hard-work, selfless dedication and sacrifices […]

Reasonable or Criminal? Failing to produce Immigration Documents is a serious issue

It goes without saying that the only way one should enter into any country, including the UK, is by legal and correctly organised means, which involves having all the necessary paperwork and documentation on your person at the time of your arrival.   However, we are aware that life is not always so simple, and […]

Furlough scheme set to wind down as national debt goes through the roof

At present, almost 8 and a half million people are on furlough, equating to a quarter of the total jobs in Britain.   A quarter of company directors surveyed by the Institute of Directors say they would not be able to afford to pay even 20 per cent of the furlough scheme if required – […]

Immigration News: All visas in the UK are automatically extended to July 31!

Although it was long overdue, the USCIS finally made the above announcement. This means that the identities of the following people have been automatically extended to July 31:   All those who hold a visitor visa in the UK expiring on or before July 31; and   All those who hold a student visa, spouse […]

Naturalisation Applications – Double Standards Continue

The Home Office has updated its guidance policy regarding naturalising as a British citizen. Naturalising this way requires the applicant to have been in the UK lawfully for at least 5 years before the application.   The Home Office’s policy is used to guide their caseworkers in their decision as to what residence should be […]

The Most Recent Changes to Immigration Rules – key things to be aware of

It might seem like a strange time for the Home Office to change the Immigration Rules, with a global pandemic going on which has already cast so much uncertainty over the world.   Nonetheless, they are never short of surprises. On 14th May 2020, the Secretary of the State laid down changes to the Immigration […]

Too many detainees granted bail? Judges and Home Office failing to see eye to eye.

In what appears to be a heated debate, a senior judge has rebuked claims from the Home Office about the level of bail being granted to detained migrants recently, saying that the independent judiciary deal with such cases based on the law and nothing else.   The Home Office is supposed to detain only those […]

What Protection is the Government giving to Universities during the Coronavirus Crisis?

The Home Office has today revealed new measures aimed at stabilising university admissions this autumn, with an aim to ensure “students are safeguarded at a time of unprecedented uncertainty”.   Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, announced the measures which have been based on proposals from the universities sector.   Williamson said:   “We […]

Are public funds available to migrants due to COVID-19, and how can they apply for them?

COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, and has now solidified itself as one of the largest global catastrophes to occur in recent history.   For the vast majority of people in the UK, the worries that come with the virus are universal: worrying about the health of family members and themselves, having to self-isolate, […]

Housing possession proceedings suspended for 90 days

After considerable consultation on the impact of COVID-19, the court service has suspended all ongoing housing possession proceedings until June 25th 2020 – this means that neither cases currently in nor those about to start can progress to the stage where someone could be evicted.   This suspension will apply to those in both England […]

Visa extensions and switches due to coronavirus – who can benefit and how can we help?

In response to the increasing severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Home Office have altered their immigration policy to allow those with visa’s soon to expire or without status to apply for extension or switch into other type of visas without having to leave the UK, in order to alleviate mass anxiety surrounding this issue. […]

Home Office has granted easy visa extensions until 31 May due to coronavirus

The situation for people who are in the UK on an expiring visa and unable to leave because of travel restrictions is a very serious one, which the government has now addressed.   The official guidance says:   If you’re in the UK and your leave expires between 24 January 2020 and 31 May 2020: […]

No cap on applications – UK’s new immigration system treats EU and non-EU citizens equally

Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced more details of the UK’s “brand new” immigration system today (19/02/19), which will take full effect on 1 January 2021, which the government has said will open up the UK to the brightest and the best from around the world.   Interestingly, rather than being branded as an Australian […]

Exceptional Talent now becomes Global Talent in the UK

There is a new name given to the Exceptional Talent visa category – it will be called the Global Talent route under Tier 1 from 20th February 2020 onward. This will replace the Exceptional Talent route. This category is mainly targeted for individuals in the fields of Science, Engineering, Digital Technology and Humanities with the […]

Coronavirus: immigration guidance if you’re unable to return to China from the UK

Coronavirus has been at the front of everyone’s mind over the past few weeks. It is a scary situation when an illness like this one begins to spread, and it is very easy for people to start thinking the worst and panicking.   One thing that has been done to reduce the spreading of coronavirus […]

Windrush Debate – Compensation and Crime

The Windrush Generation has once again been claiming headlines as the government continues to deport offenders who came to the UK as children, in the face of large scale anti-deportation protests.   Who are the Windrush Generation?   A quick refresher on who comes under this label:   Those arriving in the UK between 1948 […]

What’s the score with Brexit’s Transitional Period?

Whether you are for it or against it, Brexit will be officially happening at 11pm tonight (31.01.20). This means the UK will be separate from the EU from this point forward, but the effects on everyday life will not become obvious due to a ‘transitional period’ which will last until the end of the year. […]

Tonnes of Talent! New Visa Type Explained in Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules

Boris Johnson has said numerous times that he wants the UK to be seen as a country of ideas and that a major part of his time as Prime Minister will be dedicated to attracting the ‘brightest and best’ people from around the world to live and work here.   A statement of changes to […]

A new dawn for UK immigration? Here is what to expect.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is hugely influential on the Home Office and the rules they bring in when it comes to migrants coming to work and settle in the UK. Today (28.01.20), they have released their official report on how they believe the Home Office should operate in this area.   We have summarised […]

Boris Johnson signals to get rid of £30,000 threshold for immigrants by 2021

The Prime Minister is planning on wavering plans on putting a £30k minimum wage threshold for immigrants coming to work in the UK after Brexit, according to recent reports.   This comes as part of Boris Johnson’s new immigration policy post-Brexit, for which he is said to be inspired by the current Australian system.   […]

UK Immigration Rules to be Completely Overhauled!?

The Immigration Rules are the document that set out the precise criteria for granting or refusing permission to enter and remain in the United Kingdom. It is a massively important document, but often people who use it the most (legal professionals, visa applicants) complain that it is very poorly constructed and difficult to understand.   […]

Administrative review – who, what, how?

If you have been denied a UK visa, an Administrative Review is a way to challenge the decision of the Home Office. Your application will be reviewed by a Home Office official. However, you must be aware that you cannot submit any new evidence in order to challenge the decision or rectify the shortcomings at the […]

Home Office can make serious errors, but how can we deal with them?

A recent Home Office blunder meant that a man was refused leave to remain to care for his terminally ill partner.   The Home Office denied O’Neill Wallfall’s application because he could not prove that ‘travelling back to the Iraq would put his life at risk’.   However, Wallfall, as a Jamaican national who had […]

10 years continuous residency – the do’s and don’ts

After living anywhere for an extended period of time, immersing yourself in the surroundings and carving out a place for yourself the community, you will begin to think of that place as your home. It is with this in mind that the Home Office offers the 10 year continuous residency route to indefinite leave to […]

Lower paid workers have their say on the Brexit madness

Brexit has a lot of people worried for all sorts of reasons. Many of those who voted to leave the EU back in 2016 are now feeling an uncomfortable twang of uncertainty in their stomachs, although of course there are the staunch leavers who just want Prime Minister Boris Johnson to see Brexit through even […]

A unique case study: the rights of family members of EU citizens is often a grey area

The rights of family members of EU citizens is a topic that we have visited frequently in recent months, with issues surrounding this area of law becoming something of a theme in news reports around the continent. The case we will be focusing on today again brings up some new issues, and highlights that the […]

PSW is back – international students can now stay in UK for two years after graduation?

An increased focus on genetic research and the prevention of illnesses and disease means that the Home Office is planning to increase the amount of time international students with successful degrees have to find work in the UK after graduating.   Students will need to have successfully completed a degree from a trusted UK university […]

EU & non-EU: there have been important changes to the UK immigration rules

The Home Office have just announced some changes to the UK’s immigration rules. They will be of particular interest to those wanting to access the EU Settlement Scheme in the wake of Brexit.   These changes are fairly extensive, but are definitely worth knowing!   Amendments to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS):   The Home […]

Losing a British Passport abroad – consequences and solutions

For a lot of people airports can bring on feelings of nervousness and nausea for a vast array of reasons. You want everything to go swimmingly when you are at the airport so that you can get to where you’re going without any hassle, and the cost of plane tickets and the desire to get […]

Right to buy schemes – it’s not always Easy Street!

First things first, what is a right to buy scheme?   A right to buy scheme helps eligible council and housing association residents in England buy their home with a discount of up to £110,500 (£82,000 outside of London). This is an option only open to certain people and there are certain criteria that must […]

Overstaying may have an effect on your potential UK citizenship! Find out why now

Evidence of overstaying in the last 10 years will have a significantly negative impact on people applying for UK citizenship, as new rules are introduced by the UK Home Office. Essentially, all people who have stayed on in the UK after their visas have expired will be refused citizenship apart from in certain circumstances. The […]