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Immigration Law Blog

Can I get a UK fiance visa?

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If you and your fiancé want to relocate to the UK to begin your new life together, and your partner is based in the UK already, you may be eligible to apply for a fiancé visa overseas. The fiancé visa allows foreign nationals to enter...

THE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC COST OF A NEW WAR IN EUROPE

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Russia ratified, and thereby became bound by, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1998 which makes its recent military incursion into neighbouring Ukraine even more disturbing. The United Kingdom has made the following immigration law changes...

Health & Care Worker Visa Opening to More Carers and Social Care Staff

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In December 2021 the Home office announced new measures would be brought in to address the acute shortage of carers and social care staff in the UK.  The new immigration rules for this change were published last month and came into effect this week. ...

Last call for EU Settlement Scheme

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There is an important deadline approaching for the family members of qualifying British citizens to apply for pre-settled or settled status in the UK in line with the EU Settlement Scheme following Brexit.  Are you the family member, or extended...

The Right to Work in the UK

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There is an abundance of opportunities in the United Kingdom to grow one's career and expand one's professional horizons.  What a person needs, however, to access these opportunities in the UK labour market and society is either a qualifying...

The new immigration rules: deadlines you need to know

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The UK’s new immigration system will come into effect on 1st January 2021 and will apply to both EU citizens and non-EU citizens. This means that citizens of EU member states (with the exception of Ireland) who want to move to the UK on or after 1st...

NEW: Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5)

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As of today, 1 December 2020, the Home Office has introduced a new visa category allowing employers in the edible horticulture sector to source EEA workers for seasonal work in the UK. The new route appears to give these UK employers access to a capped pool...

Illegal working in the UK: what employers need to know about Civil Penalties

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With the UK immigration landscape constantly shifting you may be concerned about unknowingly employing someone illegally. All UK employers have a duty to prevent illegal working by checking that their employee has the right to work in the UK. With the end...

EU CITIZENS LIVING IN THE UK - WHAT YOU NEED TO DO NOW

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The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020 and it is now less than 100 days until the transition period – and freedom of movement – come to an end. EU, EEA or Swiss citizens (and their close family members) who reside in the UK on or...

COVID-19 Office Closure

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COVID-19 CLIENT NOTICE Chattertons are open and we are working hard to provide our usual high standard of service to our clients. We are now able to see clients for essential meetings, by appointment only.   Most of our advisors are working...

Coronavirus COVID-19 Chattertons Update

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Chattertons Solicitors  are open for business.  However we are following government recommendations and would encourage you not to visit any of our offices except by prior arrangement. We are closely monitoring the developments of COVID-19 and are...

Applying for EU Settled Status: 'Voluntary Test Phase'

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EU Citizens, and their family members, may now apply for EU Settled Status through the new application system for post-Brexit residence rights. ‘Settled Status’ or ‘Pre-Settled Status’ is the new system of immigration rights being...

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM UK IMMIGRATION NEWS: (2) BREXIT

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In part one of this series, we considered the lessons to learn from Windrush. In part two we are turning our attention to Brexit, the rights of EU nationals in the UK and the reciprocal rights of British citizens living in the EU. Read more about our UK...

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM UK IMMIGRATION NEWS: (1) WINDRUSH

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The last few months have been tumultuous for the Home Office, and the UK Government overall, to say the least. The issue of UK immigration has been a ‘hot topic’ on the lips of politicians and the general public for quite some time, but the...

Business Sales: The Immigration Perspective

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When buying or selling a business, or even re-organising the structure of group companies, both sides to the transaction need to have a very good understanding of exactly what the business owns and does not own. Identifying and restructuring the business...

Meghan Markle: British Citizenship the long way round?

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With another royal wedding now on the cards, the press spotlight is now firmly fixed on Meghan Markle. Much like her character on the US show ‘Suits’, she must now navigate a new series of legal challenges; this time being in the form of UK...

Proving an employee's right to work - can you dismiss for lack of documentary evidence?

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It is unlawful under immigration laws for employers to employ individuals that do not have current leave to enter or remain in the UK, or individuals who have leave but are not allowed to work in the UK. A breach of the law makes employers liable to a civil...

Brexit Update: PM's open letter on new 'Settled Status'

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As contradictory reports on the progress of Brexit negotiations fly in left, right and centre, the Prime Minister has published a statement for EU Citizens to try and provide some clarity on the process of obtaining ‘Settled Status’ post-Brexit....

Naturalising as a British Citizen - where to start, and a few taster tips

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Choosing to naturalise as a British citizen is undoubtedly an important, life-impacting decision that requires thorough consideration. It may involve renouncing one’s nationality of birth and personal heritage, may have an impact on your family...

IMMIGRATION UPDATE: FINANCIAL RULES RELAXED FOR FAMILY SETTLEMENT VISAS

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Recent changes to the Immigration Rules confirm that the Caseworkers should now give more consideration to wider sources of income and financial support when assessing family visa applications against the strict £18,600 minimum income requirement. ...

EU Citizens in the UK post-Brexit: the Government's offer.

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The Government recently published their proposals setting out what they hope to offer European Citizens living in the UK, in lieu of their Free Movement rights, after the UK has formally left the European Union. We have prepared a report on what the offer...

European workers depart Brexit Britain for certainty on the Mainland

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The Numbers One year on from the European Union Membership Referendum, and the latest UK migration figures released by The Office for National Statistics paint a somewhat unsurprising picture – EU workers are choosing to leave the UK. The numbers...

ILLEGAL WORKERS: WILL YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE AN INSPECTION?

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The Home Office have at their disposal an arsenal of penalties that they can deploy against employers found to be hiring illegal workers, such as fines of up to £20,000 per illegal worker, criminal prosecutions and the revocation of Sponsor Licences....

Hiring and firing - International workers

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Hiring Most businesses will already have a set procedure for hiring new members of staff. This may include the following broad steps: Advertising Preparing a Job Description and Person Specification Reviewing CV’s Invitations to interviews ...

Divorce and Immigration: the issues

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When making the decision to file for a Divorce, everyone involved will have concerns and there will be many issues to consider.  For many people the difficulties of managing and mitigating any impact this will have on the children will be key, along...

New English Language Requirements for Public-Sector Workers

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On 21 November 2016, new requirements come into force, which require public sector workers in customer-facing roles to be sufficiently fluent in English language.  The new requirement follows publication of provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 and...

Is it the beginning of the end for UK immigration?

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The Government has made a number of important proposals in recent weeks and months relating to the overhaul of immigration in the UK. This article aims to round up and summarise some of the key immigration changes that have taken place so far in 2016, along...

Immigration Act 2016 - Employers beware!

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The provisions of the new Immigration Act 2016 (IA 2016) relating to offences of illegal employment and working in the UK illegally come into effect on Tuesday 12 July 2016 .  Given the serious consequences attached to the new offences,...

Brexit results are in, what next for Immigration Law?

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The result of the EU Referendum is now confirmed and the nation has voted 51.9% in favour of leaving the European Union. It is still too early to tell exactly what will happen next, but we now have a better indication of the direction we will be moving in....

Brexit: will we see employment laws exit stage left?

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For the first time in a generation, we are facing the real possibility of the UK leaving the EU. When we consider its potential impact on UK employment law, there are many differing opinions and we wait with interest to see the outcome for ourselves. The EU...

Tier 2 Visa Reforms for Skilled Non-EU Workers

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Early this year we reported that the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) had published a review of Tier 2 (Skilled Worker) migration which had recommended, amongst other things, a minimum salary uplift for future visa applicants. The Home Office have...