The recent highlights and news in immigration law

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Important Updates to UK Immigration and Citizenship Fees

As a result of the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Amendment Order 2016, the following fees are among those expected to increase: Visitor visa for more than 12 months: £250 → £253 Route to Settlement (maximum fee): £3,600 → £3,635 ETA application: £16 → £20 British citizenship (naturalisation): £1,605 (plus ceremony fee) → £1,709 (plus ceremony fee) Certificate of Entitlement: £589 → £627 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/252/article/2/made #ukvisa #ukimmigrationn

6 days ago1 min read

Important Updates to Sponsor Guidance for UK Sponsor License Holders

The following are the key points: Employers must ensure that all workers receive clear information and guidance about their employment rights in the UK. This must be properly documented. It has been clarified that the Home Office may undertake a compliance check if it is suspected that a sponsor has failed to comply with its duties. Sponsors must maintain up-to-date knowledge of sponsor guidance and their duties. Home Office regulations can be complex. As your legal represent

Mar 111 min read

UK Immigration Updates – March 2026

The UK Government has introduced new immigration changes to strengthen border control and reduce visa misuse. Key updates include: Visa Brake – introduced from 26 March 2026 Student visas will be automatically refused for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Skilled Worker applications will be refused for Afghan nationals. Refugee status to be reviewed every 30 months Refugee protection will become temporary and limited to 30 months, with regular review

Mar 62 min read

New UK Entry Rules to Affect 1.2 Million Dual Nationals

From 25 February, British dual nationals will no longer be able to enter the UK using a non-UK passport. Instead, they must present either a valid British passport or a new digital certificate of entitlement linked to their other passport. Without one of these, they could be refused travel to the UK. These documents are not issued automatically when someone gains British citizenship, and some dual nationals have never applied for them. Both can take weeks to process and invol

Feb 202 min read

New EUSS Rules Explained: How 2.5 Years’ UK Residence Can Be Enough

On 24 June 2025, the Home Office issued a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, introducing a welcome simplification of the absence rule for pre-settled status holders under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) seeking settled status. The rules before the change Previously, if you hold pre-settled status, you had to maintain “continuous residence” in order to qualify for settled status after completing a five-year continuous qualifying period. In most cases, this qualif

Jan 292 min read

Apply for UK Citizenship ahead of upcoming changes

It is widely expected that this year will bring substantial reforms to the UK immigration system. While much of the discussion has focused on the concept of Earned Settlement, the proposed policy document also indicates that significant amendments are likely to be made to British nationality law. Based on the key points outlined in the document, the following observations can be made in relation to the concept of Earned Citizenship: 268. It has been a longstanding principl

Jan 213 min read

Changes to English Language Requirements for UK Work Visas

From 8 th January 2026 new requirements for English level are introduced. The minimum level of English has raised from level B1 to B2 for these types of visas: · Skilled Worker Visa · High Potential Individual (HPI) · Scale-up visa This change will only apply for new applications. If you extend your current visa – old rules will apply. Speak to us today to discuss your immigration case. Tel. 07523281911 Email: info@fcimm.co.uk Website: https://fcimm.c

Jan 161 min read

UK Introduces Mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for Visa-Free Visitors

Starting from February 25, 2026, the United Kingdom will strictly enforce the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, requiring visitors from 85 visa-free countries to obtain a “digital pre-travel authorisation.” The affected jurisdictions include the United States, Canada, Australia, most European countries, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and a number of Gulf countries. British and Irish citizens remain exempt from these requirements. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (

Jan 142 min read

Home Secretary has announced changes to UK Asylum System

1. Faster Deportations · Speed up removals of failed asylum seekers and foreign nationals convicted of crimes . · Create an independent fast-track deportation body , inspired by Denmark, to process cases with little chance of success quickly. 2. Single-Stage Appeals · People will be allowed to present all appeal arguments at once . · If this consolidated appeal fails, immediate deportation follows. · Intended to reduce the current backlog

Nov 17, 20252 min read

Major Immigration Rule Changes Affecting Skilled Workers and Graduates

On 14 October, the UK government released a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, introducing several updates across various visa routes, including the Skilled Worker route. These updates implement additional measures outlined in the government’s White Paper, published on 12 May 2025. Key changes include: · Skilled Worker route : From 8 January 2026, applicants must meet a higher English language requirement (B2, up from B1). · Graduate visa : From 1

Oct 20, 20253 min read