5 April 2017
Immigration Update: Government announces immigration fees increase with effect from 6 April 2017
On 3 April 2017, the government published details of the new fees payable for visa, immigration and nationality applications and associated premium services, which will come into force from 6 April 2017.
15 March 2017
Immigration update - How will triggering Article 50 impact employers of EU nationals?
The House of Commons has voted to reject the House of Lords amendment which sought to guarantee the rights of EU nationals resident in the UK before Brexit negotiations begin. This paves the way for Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty to be triggered later this month, when the two year negotiation process will begin for the UK to leave the European Union. Although this two year period can be extended with the agreement of all 27 members, it is unlikely in reality that this will be achievable. Whilst the government has stated that negotiations regarding the rights of EU citizens will be a priority once Article 50 is triggered later this month, until this issue is decided many EU nationals will remain in limbo in the UK with on-going uncertainties regarding whether or not they can continue to reside in the UK.
7 March 2017
What is behind the so called “tit-for-tat” EU and US visa spat?
Media outlets picked up a story that US nationals are going to need Schengen visas to travel anywhere in the EU. This is not (entirely) fake news. In this blog, Elspeth Guild and Nicolas Rollason explore the issues and explain the background to the situation.
1 February 2017
Immigration Update: Immigration skills charge & apprenticeship levy to be introduced in April
In March 2016 we updated you regarding the Home Office announcement of the introduction of an immigration skills charge for all sponsors of Tier 2 migrants. This measure was included in the Immigration Act 2016 which passed into law in May 2016. Whilst no firm implementation date has been confirmed, the Immigration Minister Robert Goodwin stated in his evidence to the House of Lords EU Home Affairs sub-committee on 11 January 2017 that this charge would be introduced in April.
18 January 2017
Theresa May signals an end to free movement and leaves EU citizens here and British citizens abroad in limbo
Theresa May’s eagerly anticipated speech on the UK’s starting point for negotiations on Brexit, has sketched a very broad outline of her intentions with respect to immigration from the EU moving forward. However when you get up close there is little new detail and her comments have, arguably, raised more questions than they have answered.
