Things to be Careful of While Applying for UK Visa

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Obtaining a visa is a key step for people from non EU countries to visit or move to UK. But many people fail to get a visa clearance. There are many errors made by people while filing their application. To avoid these errors it is best advised to consult legal experts while filling in the application.

As per top immigration lawyers in London, these are some errors made by people when they apply for a visa.

  1.  Misleading or inconsistent answers: It is essential that applicants are honest and provide a consistent answer when filling in the visa application form. A deliberately wrong and misleading answer to the visa questions is a complete no-no. But many-a-times, some applicants also make honest mistake. For example, by mistake, an applicant may not mention about a failed visa application by safely assuming its irrelevance. It is essential for the applicants to understand that this inadvertent or deliberate omission of information will invariably result in a failed application again. In addition, this may be recorded and can adversely impact the future applications.
  2.  Incomplete documentation: A visa application is merited on the basis of the supporting documents furnished with it. Immigration procedure, rules and laws are very strict and if the applicant fails to provide correct documents as specified in the form, then it may result in an administrative delay or in the worst case scenario, it can also result in a refusal of an application.
  3.  Providing unnecessary additional information: It is a common assumption that if someone provides, extra information it will work in his favour with the authorities. Adding on extra documents and information will only add to the bulk of the application and can influence delaying of decision making. Also there are chances that the authorities can ask you some questions and answers to those do not work in your favour. Before adding extra documents, it’s good to consult an immigration solicitor.
  4.  Payment miscalculation: UKBA is constantly evolving and changing and even the UKBA fee is subject to change. So there are high chances that an applicant would miscalculate the fee and not provide the right amount of few. Also they may not pay the fee in the right form of payment. For example, very few visa centres now accept cash payment.

Contact the team at Fusco Browne Immigration for proper legal counsel on UK visa application help.

UK Education Likely to Get More Expensive After BREXIT

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In case you are planning for higher education in UK, it is highly recommended to not make any hasty decision. Although there are many apprehensions and ambiguity among the international students, very less is going to be changed before the two years of negotiation is up.

For European Union students who are currently eligible to pay EU rates at UK universities, tuition could become more expensive if they are charged international student rates instead, or if they are not eligible for EU funding and loans. However, there is no clear decision on whether this will happen, and nothing will change before the two years allocated for negotiations over the UK’s exit have passed.

For international students from outside the EU who are already required to pay international rates, tuition fees will not be directly affected by Brexit, although there are various factors that could affect the cost of study. If the pound remains weak against students’ home currency, these students ultimately will find themselves better off when they pay tuition in sterling.

However, if universities suffer financially after Brexit, whether because of a lack of EU funding or because fewer EU citizens decide to study at UK universities, they might decide to increase fees for international students to make up for the deficit.

In case of getting  a better idea of regulations and laws tat would be affected, it is highly recommended to consult top UK immigration lawyers who have expertise in handling related issues.

Supreme Court’s Decision Concerning Brexit

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The British government has challenged High Court ruling that parliamentary approval is needed to begin the process of leaving the EU. The case will now be heard in the Supreme Court.

As the highest judiciary authority of Britain, the Supreme Court may now have the final say on whether the Members of Parliament get a chance to vote to trigger Article 50.

The case can last for 4 days. This will also be the first time that all 11 members of the jury will sit on the panel and the verdict will be released by January 2017.

Will the Government win?

According to the ministers, the appeal in the in the Supreme Court is “to close to call”. A source said that the chances of success are just 50-50 but there are chances of success. The legal experts on the other hand predicted a defeat for the government with 11-0 chance.

What will happen after the verdict?

If the judicial authority decides in the favour of Government, Prime Minister Theresa May can go ahead with her plans to call upon Article 50 by the end of March without seeking any parliamentary approval. If however the High Court ruling stays in the place, the parliament will get to vote on the Brexit legislation. It is also worth noting that most of the MPs have already said that they will vote to support the government.

Meanwhile, Europeans staying in England can consult leading UK immigration solicitors to discuss their prospects of staying in the country.

Meeting English Language Requirement for Entry Clearance as a Family Member in UK

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According to Immigration rules, Appendix FM, English language is mandatory for individuals applying for leave to be able to remain in UK as a parent of the child or for entry clearance. If an applicant wants to meet the requirements, the following can be done:

  1. Clearing UKVI life skills test
  2. Obtaining nationality of a majority English speaking country – as per the schedule listing
  3. Possessing an academic qualification recognised and considered by NARIC (UK) to be equal to Bachelor’s/ Master’s/ PhD degree in the UK – as taught or researched in the UK.

Additionally, some applicants can be exempted from this requirement if they are in compliance with:

  1. Applicant is over 65 years of age
  2. Applicant has a physical or a mental disability
  3. Exceptional circumstances, limiting the applicants’ ability to meet the prescribed requirements.

The visa regulation mandates that in the scenario when an applicant is unable to give evidence of meeting with English language requirements, then there are high chances of the application to be refused and also there may be the loss of entire UK visa fee to the applicant.

Thus, it is necessary to meet the English language requirement, and the complexity of the UK visa law makes it necessary to consult immigration lawyers in London UK.

Immigration is a Major Issue in the United States too

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The supporters of the newly elected President of the United States have something in common with the British who voted in favour of Brexit. They are disturbed by the issue of immigration particularly the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico (for USA) and Syria (for UK).  The hard stance of Mr. Donald Trump against terrorism and illegal immigration probably did help him to gain victory in an election that the entire world was keenly looking at.

The newly elected President has already said that he does have plans to deport 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants with criminal records from the USA straight away – and has insisted that he will construct a wall.

In his first extensive interview after winning the recent election Mr. Trump was seen reassuring his supporters that he will either deport or incarcerate up to 3 million ‘drug dealers’ and ‘gangsters’ in the USA.

This was a 60 minute interview on CBS and aired on Sunday (November 13) evening.  The US President insisted that he will build the wall on the Mexico-USA border and it was a vital part of his presidential election campaign.  He also said that once the border is secured, the immigration officers in US will ‘make a determination’ about the other immigrants staying without proper documents in the country.

The immigration lawyers in London, UK too understand the complexities of these issues and the parallel between it and the concerns in UK. They are therefore taking all care to process the immigration applications of only the genuine applicants for Britain.

UK Government to Change Stand on Student Work Visas

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In another recent development, the UK Government has decided to reject calls for a flexible post-study work visa system for international students in Scotland. As per a House of Commons Scottish inquiry concluded in February, the removal in 2012 of a scheme that allowed overseas graduates to work for 2 years post-studies had made Scotland a less attractive destination for education.

The committee’s report mentioned that there was an 80% reduction in non-EU students staying in the UK after their graduation and said that change was needed to address demographic challenges north of the border and fill skills gaps in domains that also include health and finance.

In a response by the Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill, the UK Government stated that the 4 current visa categories for non- EEA graduates from UK universities “comprise an excellent post-study work offer”. The government further said that the previous system was largely abused and had spoilt the reputation of education system. The proof for this was also mentioned – due to availability of Tier 1 (post study work) category visa there were many migrants who, to a considerable extent were unemployed or were engaged in unskilled works just to extend their stay.

The Government also took note that applications for visa to study at Scottish universities had grown by 10% from international students since 2010.

At the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and Imperial College London, there is a pilot project going on to simplify the visa application process for students of Masters Degrees. It will grant them 6 months leave to remain after the end of the course to find for themselves a graduate job under Tier 2 visa rules.

The idea is to welcome genuine students coming to our world-class universities and encourage them to bring real benefits to the country. The responsibilities of immigration lawyers in London, UK are also crucial in such a scenario.

Amnesty and Illegal Immigrants to UK

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With the Brexit decision coming through, it is anticipated that the Home staff that manages the passport and immigration system, the coming five years are bound to encounter considerable work. This is in alignment with the fact that one can foresee an impending change in the EU inhabitants, there are going to be extra applications for citizenships, visas and passports. This would essentially from people, who are already living there and hoping to stay for good. For instance, there might be couples, looking to get married and hoping to live there – between EU and non EU partners. This influx of applications, will definitely need changes in ongoing policy and additional staff to prevent any adverse consequences with the settling down of post-Brexit state.

Currently, no official figures are available on the illegal immigration of UK. According to some studies, as many as 500,000 estimated immigrants are in UK while some say to number is closer to 1 million people. And one can expect this number to increase with people overstaying their visas, entering on forged documents, absconding or entering through ports. This massive caseload would be difficult to tackle and scant resources would only highlight the difficulty in processing of documents. Also, now the office would focus more on high risk individuals and recently, government is closing down on bogus colleges proving as a front for fake admissions and having people stay longer. Thus illegal migration now with a better control can be reversed.

It becomes necessary at such time that an appropriate amnesty is introduced which can make post-Brexit system much more manageable. This will help in resource optimization and strengthening of coastline legitimate entries and focus on original cases. Thus, it is best to contact immigration lawyers who can help in drafting sterling applications which can breeze through the massive caseload and obtain visa for the applicant.

Changes That Can Change the Scene for International Students in UK

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The new changes introduced by the UK government with an aim to reduce the number of incoming international students in the country.

  • From 12 November making students at publicly funded further education colleges leave the UK before applying for Tier 2 or Tier 5 work visas, rather than being able to switch visas from within the UK; because of the added inconvenience to Tier 4 students this will have the effect of reducing the number of skilled graduates from overseas working in the UK.
  • From 3 August banning Tier 4 Students at publicly funded further education colleges from working while they study. Currently most migrant students at colleges may work up to 10 hours per week. This will impact students from poorer countries the most, as often their families will be unable to offer financial support.
  • From 12 November stopping Tier 4 college students from extending their visa after their course finishes, unless they begin studying at an institution with a ‘direct, formal link’ with a UK university.
  • From 3 August restricting new courses that Tier 4 University students may study to those which have ‘a link to their previous course’, or which ‘support their career aspirations’, as determined by their university.
  • From 12 November reduce the time that Tier 4 students may study at a further education college, from 3 years to 2 years. Many further education courses can run for more than 2 years.
  • From the Autumn banning family members of Tier 4 students (Tier 4 dependants) from taking on ‘low skilled’ work. The changes would allow dependants to take on skilled work only; effectively discriminating against students from poor countries, whose families often did not have the opportunity to gain the skills needed for this sort of work.
  • Introducing stricter English language requirements for Tier 4 visa applicants.

3 Ways a Professional Immigration Agency Can Help You

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When it comes at migrating to a foreign land, a lot of laws and regulations come into play whether it is a short time visit or for a longer span. Immigration lawyers benefit their clients and the public interest by helping to reunite families, delivering economic benefits through skilled and business migration, and protecting those in danger through humanitarian programs.

Many immigration lawyers are now helping the clients through a well webbed network of agencies due to the changing nature of the work. Establishment of professional association has prompted the actions in a favourable direction and has thus helped in advancing the level of services thus offered to the clients.

Still sceptical about the move? Here are three major reasons to go for an immigration agency for a migration consultancy or a case:

Professionalism:

Like all lawyers out there. Immigration lawyers are too bound to the principles to meet the required level of professionalism. Their profession also keep them involved with the changing rules and laws which gives a good reason to trust their counsel and proceed accordingly.

The strong presence of association also checks and monitor any such fraudulent practices which creep up and hence the clients are protected in every means possible.

Although it is highly recommended to check for the credentials and the background of the agency before making the final call.

Strong oversight:

This rigorous oversight regime ensures that lawyers adhere to high standards of service, and that there is also a strong functioning mechanism for redressing complaints, should they arise.

The result of this strong oversight, coupled with high professional standards and increasingly specialisation, is that immigration lawyers are delivering the quality services that their clients need.
Specialisation and effective solutions:

Against this backdrop, it has become increasingly difficult for any single lawyer to practice across all areas of migration law.

As a result, immigration law firms are becoming increasingly specialised, appointing legal staff to deal with various areas of immigration law, such as business migration, skilled migration, family migration and refugee law, for example.

Common Student visa questions answered

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UK has always been one of the most desirable destination for the higher education. With a variety of programs, students find the country quite appealing. Following are the few question which tend to be answered before making the final call:


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Where do I start?

You can’t apply for a student visa until you have been accepted on to a course in that country. So, if you haven’t already done so you need to submit an application for the course you wish to study. Not only that, but you must also ensure that the course you apply for meets the visa requirements of that country. Your student visa acceptance will be determined by a number of factors:
• Your country of citizenship
• Your chosen destination country
• The course you wish to study
• The institution you wish to study at
• How you plan to fund your study

To study in the UK you need 40 points to apply for a UK student visa through the UK points based system. 30 points are awarded for doing a course at an acceptable level with an approved education provider (also known as a sponsorship). 10 points are awarded for proving that you have enough money to cover your study and living costs.

What type of student visa do I need?

If you are studying abroad for your post-16 education you will require a Tier 4 visa (General Student Visa).

How much money will I need?
This is one of the most common questions and is an important factor in your visa application process. It is necessary for you to prove that you have sufficient funds for your course fees and living costs, however the money required can vary depending on country and region within that country.