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Latest Immigration News

Immigration weekly highlights—30 July 2026

Immigration weekly highlights—30 July 2026

Welcome to the 30 July 2026 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up...

UN Special Rapporteur on torture publishes position paper on non-refoulement obligations in removal proceedings

UN Special Rapporteur on torture publishes position paper on non-refoulement obligations in removal proceedings

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, has published a position paper warning that no government policy, bilateral...

Refugee organisations publish blueprint for reforming the UK asylum system

Refugee organisations publish blueprint for reforming the UK asylum system

An open letter signed by 219 organisations and 289 individuals calls on the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to adopt a new approach to asylum policy...

Supreme Court clarifies requirements for illegal working civil penalty notices under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (Akbars Restaurant (Middlesbrough) Limited v Secretary of State for the Home Department)

Supreme Court clarifies requirements for illegal working civil penalty notices under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (Akbars Restaurant (Middlesbrough) Limited v Secretary of State for the Home Department)

The UK Supreme Court has unanimously allowed the appeal in Akbars Restaurant (Middlesbrough) Ltd v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026]...

Featured Immigration content

Parental consent for minor child—letter

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 being...

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?

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?

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,...

Changes of law and policy, rights against retrospective legislation, and legitimate expectation

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 Documents

Biometric Immigration DocumentsWhat is a Biometric Immigration Document?A Biometric Immigration Document (BID) is the key ‘document’ that evidences...

Q&As

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?

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)...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
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Produced in partnership with Kathryn Bradbury and Rhona Azir of Payne Hicks Beach
30th May
Q&As

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?

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...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
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30th May
Q&As

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?

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...
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Produced in partnership with Nick Nason of Edgewater Legal
13th Oct
Practice notes

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...
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Produced in partnership with Adrian Berry of Garden Court Chambers
13th Oct
Q&As

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?

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...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
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Produced in partnership with Bijan Hoshi of Garden Court Chambers
30th May
Practice notes

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...
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Produced in partnership with Christopher R. Cole of DG Legal and Nathan Woodcock LL.B. of Woodcock Law
13th Oct
Practice notes

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...
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30th May
Practice notes

Adequate maintenance

Adequate maintenanceFor partners and children applying under Appendix FM where the sponsoring partner is receiving one or more specified benefits,...
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Produced in partnership with Jo Renshaw of Turpin Miller
13th Oct
Precedents

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...
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30th May
Practice notes

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,...
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Produced in partnership with Jo Renshaw of Turpin Miller
13th Oct
Q&As

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?

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...
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30th May
Practice notes

Sponsoring a Skilled Worker

Sponsoring a Skilled WorkerThe Skilled Worker route enables UK employers with an appropriate sponsor licence to recruit or continue to employ skilled...
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2nd Jun
Practice notes

Locating guidance and using archives for immigration research

Locating guidance and using archives for immigration researchThis Practice Note explains how to locate current Home Office guidance relating to...
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30th May

Popular documents

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

What is the difference between an appeal and a review?

What is the difference between an appeal and a review?What is an appeal?An appeal in insolvency proceedings is no different to an appeal in normal litigation. An appeal will be allowed only if the appeal court is satisfied that the decision of the lower court was 'wrong' or 'unjust because of a

Late payment penalties—inheritance tax

Late payment penalties—inheritance taxWhile interest often accrues on overdue tax, the late payment of certain taxes may also attract a penalty. For information on the interest accruing on overdue tax, see Practice Notes: IHT—payment deadlines on death—Interest on IHT and Interest on late paid

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?A limited company having a share capital may not alter that share capital, except in the ways listed in section 617 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). Shares in a company cannot simply be cancelled without following an