Genuine Founder-Led Businesses Should Not Be Refused by Default Garth Coates Solicitors has recently achieved successful outcomes in three separate self-sponsorship Skilled Worker cases, where previously refused Home Office decisions were withdrawn and overturned following legal challenge. The cases involved genuine UK companies and genuine investor-entrepreneurs whose applications had been refused despite evidence that the…
The UK asylum system has entered a new phase following the Home Office’s decision to reduce the standard period of refugee leave for many new applicants from five years to 30 months. The policy applies mainly to people who claim asylum or make further submissions on or after 2 March 2026. Under the new framework,…
Self-sponsorship has become an increasingly discussed option for entrepreneurs, directors, shareholders and businesspeople who wish to establish or grow a company in the United Kingdom. However, it is important to understand the route correctly. “Self-sponsorship” is not the name of a separate UK visa category. It is a practical term used to describe a structure…
The Home Office’s information booklet for asylum applicants was updated on 30 April 2026. This is the document given to people who have registered, or are considering registering, an asylum claim in the UK. It explains the asylum process, the applicant’s rights and responsibilities, what support may be available, and what can happen after a…
If you have been researching the Innovator Founder visa over the past year or so, you will have noticed that the landscape keeps shifting. The endorsing body list — the GOV.UK page that confirms who can endorse applications — has been updated several times since the route launched in April 2023. The latest GOV.UK version…
By Tamer Ulay – Senior Consultant/ 18 April 2026 For years, Turkish ECAA applicants built their lives in the United Kingdom on the basis of a route that was supposed to reward genuine self-employment, lawful trading, and long-term contribution. They established businesses, paid tax, supported their families, renewed their leave, and lived on the understanding…
If you are planning to study in the UK and hope to move with your partner or children, this is one of the first things you need to check. A lot of people still talk about student dependent restrictions as if they are only being planned. In reality, the main restriction is already in force….
If you are in the UK as a visitor and your circumstances change, it is natural to ask whether you can stay and switch into a different visa route without leaving. You may meet a partner, receive interest from an employer, find a course you want to study, or simply decide that you want to…
On 20 November 2025, the UK Government launched a major public consultation on reforming Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also called “settlement”, under a new “earned settlement” model. The consultation paper – A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (CP 1448) – runs to 60 pages and sits alongside the 2025 Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over…
The UK Government has introduced another set of important changes to the Skilled Worker visa route, further tightening eligibility criteria and reshaping the landscape for both migrants and employers. Under the revised rules, the minimum salary threshold has been raised to £41,700 per year, a substantial increase designed to prioritise higher-earning roles. At the same…
