About Immigration Law
As the rules and policy on UK immigration grow more and more complex, it’s getting harder and harder to stay up to speed on the latest changes (especially when one source seems to contradict another).
EU law rights and EU Settlement Scheme
Our content deals with the mechanics of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and eligibility, as well as the citizens’ rights aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement, that broadly underpins the scheme.
Sponsored work
We deal with the key sponsored and non-sponsored work immigration routes. We have Practice Notes covering all aspects of eligibility (from the point of view of the sponsor and the sponsored migrant) and common pitfalls.
UK immigration control
How immigration law works. Submitting an application, grounds for refusal, conditions of permission, and various sources of law. Plus analysis of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules from 2013.
Policy
As the rules and policy on UK immigration grow in complexity, it’s tricky to stay up to speed on the latest changes (especially when one source seems to contradict another). We’ll help keep you up-to-date.
Topics We Cover
Latest Immigration News
The House of Commons Library has published a research briefing on the impact of the 2016 EU membership referendum, prepared for a Westminster Hall...
The Public Law Project (PLP) has published two reports finding that demand for immigration and asylum legal aid exceeds available provider capacity,...
The Home Office has laid a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 584, before Parliament on 3 September 2026, together with an Explanatory...
Welcome to the 3 September 2026 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a...
The Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp MP, wrote to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC), Rt Hon Dame Karen Bradley...
Latest Immigration Practice Notes
This Practice Note considers the statutory provisions in relation to right to work checks and specifically the categories of individual who must be...
This Practice Note provides a summary of the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025), which received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025...
This is an archive of Sponsor Guidance for the Worker and Temporary Workers categories, which replaced Tiers 2 and 5 from 1 December 2020. It also...
ARCHIVED: this Practice Note is no longer maintained as all extension applications under the route had to be submitted before 17 February 2026.This...
ARCHIVED: this Practice Note is no longer maintained as all extension applications under the route had to be submitted before 17 February 2026.This...
Latest Immigration Precedents
This information sheet outlines some of the main points to consider about applying for naturalisation as a British citizen. Note that while the...
All applications for naturalisation as a British citizen require an applicant to demonstrate knowledge of the English language, unless an applicant is...
eVisasThe Home Office has introduced a digital immigration system to replace the previous physical document-based system. Under this system, most...
Dear [Applicant],Your Senior or Specialist Worker visaI am pleased to confirm that your Senior or Specialist Worker visa has been approved. [The visas...
Dear [APPLICANT],Biometric appointment instructionsThe visa application[s] for you [and your dependants] has[/ve] now been submitted and a biometric...
Latest Immigration Q&As
Featured Immigration content
Parental consent for minor child—letter
Parental consent for minor child—letter[Insert address of [parent OR guardian] in home country][Insert Home Office address where application is...
Can an applicant have two applications pending with the Home Office at the same time, where one application has been made under the Immigration Rules, and the other under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016?
Changes of law and policy, rights against retrospective legislation, and legitimate expectation
Changes of law and policy, rights against retrospective legislation, and legitimate expectationChanges to immigration law may mean that a person who...
Biometric Immigration Documents
Biometric Immigration DocumentsWhat is a Biometric Immigration Document?A Biometric Immigration Document (BID) is the key ‘document’ that evidences...
If an individual is a student holding an Asylum Registration Card (ARC), and (1) the ARC does not confirm any restriction on working hours, and (2) the Employer Checking Service check simply confirms ‘ARC Student: Student restrictions (no self-employment)’, will the 20-hour work week limit apply to this individual or are they permitted to work full-time within a Shortage Occupation role?
Passport stamps, vignettes and codes—examples and common problems [Archived]
Passport stamps, vignettes and codes—examples and common problems [Archived]This Practice Note is no longer updated as it relates to the position...
When a skilled worker is about to go on maternity leave, does the employer have an obligation to top up any statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in respect of— a) the employee’s continued employment as a sponsored worker, in order for the employer to meet its sponsor obligations b) the employee’s ability to extend their visa, to ensure they meet the salary requirements for an extension, and/or c) the employee’s ability to apply for settlement?
Applying for a sponsor licence under Workers and Temporary Workers: eligibility and suitability
Applying for a sponsor licence under Workers and Temporary Workers: eligibility and suitabilityThis Practice Note summarises the eligibility and...
Do you need to submit a separate VAF4A (Appendix 2) form when making an entry clearance application using the new online form? On what basis can the Home Office request this?
What is the right of abode?
What is the right of abode?The right of abode—statusThe right of abode in the UK is an immigration status. A person who has the right of abode is free...
Is there a positive legal obligation for an employer to report to the Home Office where they discover that an employee, or ex-employee, does/did not have the right to work? Is the position different where the employer is a licensed sponsor?
Examination, entry, search and seizure powers of immigration officers
Entry, search and seizure powers of immigration officersIP COMPLETION DAY: The Brexit transition period ended at 11pm on 31 December 2020. At this...
Retention of documents by the Home Office [Archived]
Retention of documents by the Home Office [Archived]Important note—Archived Practice Note: this Practice Note is no longer updated as it relates to...
Children applying for indefinite leave under Part 8 and Appendix FM: procedure
Children applying for indefinite leave under Part 8 and Appendix FM: procedureA child may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to enter or remain...
Adequate maintenance
Adequate maintenanceFor partners and children applying under Appendix FM where the sponsoring partner is receiving one or more specified benefits,...
Approval of naturalisation application—information sheet
Approval of naturalisation application—information sheetI am pleased to enclose a letter from the Home Office that confirms that your application for...
Appendix FM: the suitability requirements and the general grounds for refusal
Appendix FM: the suitability requirements and the general grounds for refusalThe suitability requirements in Appendix FM mirror, to a certain extent,...
Is it possible to add further branches to a sponsor licence where all of the entities have the same parent company, but the parent company or head office itself is not the licence holder? Also, what is the situation if one operating company applies for the licence, but the intention is to subsequently form a parent company and other subsidiaries which will also need to sponsor workers?
Associated legal terms
Illegal entrant
A person unlawfully entering or seeking to enter the UK in breach of a deportation order or of the immigration laws, or by means which include deception by another person, and includes also a person who has so entered.
Immigration issues relating to children
Matters pertaining to persons subject to immigration control who are under the age of 18.
Removal directions
Directions given by an immigration officer or by the Secretary of State to the owners, agents or captain of a ship or aircraft or to the operator of the international service of the Channel tunnel system to remove a person from the United Kingdom in any ship or aircraft specified or through the tunnel system.
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