A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to six months. The Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine visitor: you will leave at the end of the trip, will not make the UK your main home through frequent or successive visits, are coming for a permitted purpose and can fund the…
If you hold settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you can normally apply for British citizenship after holding that status for 12 months. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can usually apply as soon as you have settled status, provided you meet the other naturalisation…
Not every UK visa refusal carries a right of appeal. Appeal rights generally arise where the Home Office refuses a protection claim, a human rights claim or certain decisions under the EU Settlement Scheme and related routes. Deprivation of British citizenship also carries a right of appeal. Work, study and visitor refusals usually do not…
Holding a sponsor licence means keeping the Home Office informed when your organisation changes. Many significant business changes must be reported through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) within 20 working days. Mergers, takeovers and changes in direct ownership can go further: because a sponsor licence is not transferable, a new sponsor licence may be required….
Every sponsor licence application must nominate an Authorising Officer, a Key Contact and at least one Level 1 User. These roles can be held by the same person or different people, provided each individual meets the Home Office’s eligibility and suitability requirements. The detailed framework is explained in key personnel on a sponsor licence. Who…
Sponsor licence compliance is ongoing. The Home Office can monitor sponsors through document requests and announced or unannounced visits. The four-year renewal requirement was removed on 6 April 2024. Most Worker and Temporary Worker licences remain valid until surrendered, made dormant or revoked, although UK Expansion Worker and Scale-up licences can only be held for…
A UK Student visa normally depends on a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), meeting the financial and English-language requirements, and satisfying the Home Office that you are a genuine student. Current maintenance figures are £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 outside London, for up to nine months. Where funds must be shown,…
Strong immigration appeal grounds should answer each refusal reason directly, explain why it is wrong in law or fact, and identify the evidence supporting that position. First confirm that the decision actually carries a right of appeal. Under section 82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, the main appeal rights cover refusal of…
Choosing the right Authorising Officer and Level 1 User is central to a sponsor licence application. The Authorising Officer must normally be a paid member of staff or office holder within your organisation and must be the most senior person responsible for recruiting sponsored workers and ensuring sponsor duties are met. Key Personnel must generally…
If your UK Student visa application is refused, the first step is to read the decision letter carefully. Most Student visa refusals do not carry a general right of appeal. Depending on the decision, the realistic options may include an administrative review, a fresh application or, in limited cases, judicial review. Administrative review is designed…
