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
On 29 May 2025 the Home Office published guidance covering how the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will apply for persons who are dual...
UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) has published a blog by Professor Michaela Benson examining the long-term effects of Brexit on the estimated 1.2...
Welcome to the 26 June 2025 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 issued an updated version of its ‘Employer’s guide to right to work checks’ document, with the changes primarily related to...
Reunite Families UK (RFUK) has released a comprehensive study examining the adverse effects of the UK’s spouse and partner migration rules from 2022...
Latest Immigration Practice Notes
Minimum income threshold: Category E—pensionsThis Practice Note looks at the requirements for applications which rely in whole or in part on income...
Brexit legislation tracker 2017–19 [Archived]ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. It tracks the progress of UK...
Brexit legislation trackerThis Practice Note tracks the progress of UK legislation introduced as part of the legislative project associated with the...
UK and EU cross-border law enforcement and criminal justice co-operation under the TCA [Archived]Archived: This Practice Note is archived and no...
Illegal workers—civil and criminal sanctionsA system of civil and criminal penalties for employers who hire illegal workers exists for employment...
Latest Immigration Precedents
Approval of naturalisation application—information sheetI am pleased to enclose a letter from the Home Office that confirms that your application for...
UK Expansion Worker—entry clearance—email at beginning of processDear [APPLICANT],Your UK Expansion Worker entry clearance visaWe have been instructed...
General permission to stay application—checklistChecklist of supporting documents for permission to stayFormat for translationsAny documents not in...
General entry clearance application—checklistChecklist of supporting documents for entry clearanceFormat for translationsAny documents not in English...
Entry clearance pre-appointment emailDear [APPLICANT],Biometric appointment instructionsThe visa application[s] for you [and your dependants] has[/ve]...
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
Immigration officers
Officers appointed by the Secretary of State under the Immigration Act 1971, Sch 2, para 1 to assist in the administration of immigration control.
Resident Labour Market Test
The advertising process undertaken by an employer to demonstrate that the role was offered to the settled workforce in the UK, when making an application under the Tier 2 (General) category of the Points-Based System.
UK ancestry
A Commonwealth citizen who is able to provide proof that one of his grandparents was born in the United Kingdom and Islands and that any such grandparent is the applicant's blood grandparent or grandparent by reason of an adoption recognised by the laws of the United Kingdom relating to adoption can qualify for admission to the United Kingdom in order to work.
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