Immigration

The Home Office charged children an excessive sum to register as British citizens, a court has ruled. The Court of Appeal ruled that the fee of £1,012 charged by Priti Patel's department breached child welfare rules.

A Nigerian citizen who was refused indefinite leave to remain has successfully challenged the decision of the Home Secretary that there were no exceptional circumstances justifying the exercise of discretion in her favour. Ruth Awa was temporarily unlawfully present in the UK during a period be

Thorntons' Gurjit Pall has urged Scottish businesses to apply for a Home Office sponsor licence as the Brexit transition period draws to a close – to ensure they can still access the best overseas talent. “With the new rules looming, employers should consider applying for a sponsor

A change in the immigration guidance issued by the Home Office is likely to make it much harder for many EU citizens in the UK to become British citizens. Prior to that change, an EU citizen who had acquired “Settled Status”, which gives them “indefinite leave to remain”, cou

Stuart McWilliams details the immigration implications for businesses restructuring during the pandemic. The economic consequences we are experiencing because of the coronavirus crisis are clear. Many businesses are closed, while others are trying to reduce costs as they cope with a loss of income.

Legislation providing for the introduction of a points-based UK immigration system after Brexit has passed second reading in the House of Commons. The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2020, supported by the Democratic Unionist Party, was passed by 351-252.

In light of the police-enforced lockdown and other social distancing measures, employers face a new challenge in ensuring they comply with their responsibilities whilst trying to maintain business continuity, writes Gurjit Pall. New measures are now detailed in the Home Office’s guidance to ma

As the UK starts to grapple with the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Home Office has been quick off the mark to make a number of concessions aimed at assisting UK visa holders impacted by the spread of the virus and the associated disruption, writes Jamie Kerr. The first significant sign t

Preserving free movement in Scotland for EU citizens would not undermine the post-Brexit visa regime, according to law firm Fragomen. In a report commissioned by the SNP members at Westminster, the firm endorses the view that a devolved or tailored immigration regime could be introduced north of the

Elaine McIlroy details the recommendations for the new post-Brexit single skills-based immigration system. The topic of immigration has been front page news this week across the UK. In Scotland there have been calls for a 'Scottish visa' and devolution of immigration powers. The UK government a

Jamie Kerr provides 20 insights into what the UK immigration system might have in store in the coming years. 1. Brexit

The introduction of an Australian-style points-based immigration system in the UK must recognise Scotland’s unique needs, the Scottish government has said. The call comes in the Scottish government’s official response to a call for evidence from the UK government’s Migration Adviso

A lawyer in Aberdeen has been found guilty of sending threatening messages to a beautician after she announced her intention to leave his partner's hair salon and work elsewhere.

Legal aid for vulnerable migrant children who have been separated from their parents has been reinstated in England and Wales. Non-asylum immigration matters were removed from the legal aid scheme under major reforms in 2013, but ministers have now reinstated the scheme for under-18s who are not in

Plans for a major overhaul of the rules governing immigration have been given strong support by the Faculty of Advocates, although it fears the financial cost may be greater than anticipated. The immigration rules started life in the early 1970s as a 17-page document. They now number more than 1,100