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
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has published a position statement on the judicial use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), setting out expectations...
The Home Office has published version 10/26 of Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors – Part 2: Sponsor a worker, which replaces version...
The Home Office has published factsheets on the Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026, introduced to Parliament on 30 June 2026. The Bill proposes reforms...
Welcome to the 8 October 2026 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up...
The Home Office has begun the phased rollout of new contactless technology at UK airport eGates, enabling eligible passengers to pass through the...
Latest Immigration Practice Notes
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...
This is an archive of Appendices A–G to the Sponsor Guidance for the Worker, Temporary Worker and Student categories (known respectively as Tier 2 and...
This is an archive of Sponsor Guidance for the Student category (known as Tier 4 before 5 October 2020). It covers guidance valid from 5 October 2009,...
This Practice Note examines the position in relation to the right to work checks for European Economic Area (EEA) citizens and their family members...
Pre-2025DevelopmentKey date(s)Further readingIllegal Migration Act 2023 (IMA 2023)Received royal assent on 20 July 2023, with certain sections in...
Latest Immigration Precedents
What is earned settlement?The Home Secretary’s November 2025 policy statement and consultation, ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, sets out...
[Insert the correspondence address, including postcode, of the person making the Freedom of Information request][Direct communications unit2 Marsham...
[To be typed on official letter–headed paper of overseas business][Address either to: Chief Immigration Officer [insert port of entry] (non–visa...
[Insert UK address of sponsor or produce the letter on official headed notepaper if the sponsor is an organisation][Insert date]Dear [insert...
eVisasThe Home Office has introduced a digital immigration system to replace the previous physical document-based system. Under this system, most...
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
Certificate of Sponsorship
A unique electronic reference number that is assigned to each non-EEA migrant worker. The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) contains both personal information about the migrant and information about the role. The CoS is used to support an application under Tiers 2 or 5 of the Points-Based System.
Indefinite leave to remain
Leave under the Immigration Act 1971 (IA 1971) to enter or remain in the United Kingdom which is not limited as to duration: see IA 1971, s 33(1).
Judicial review of immigration and asylum cases
Challenging by way of a claim to review the lawfulness (judicial review) of those decisions of the Secretary of State and immigration officers in immigration and asylum cases that do not constitute appealable 'immigration decisions'; also such challenges to certain decisions of the Immigration and Asylum Chambers of the First-tier and Upper Tribunals.
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