UK Immigration News

A 2009 pilot scheme set up to help immigrants forced to leave relationships as a result of domestic violence is being made permanent, the UK Home Office has announced.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has confirmed that visas granted to visiting athletes, coaches and other officials for London's Olympics Games will bar them from forming any civil partnerships or from marrying while in the UK. A civil partnership in the UK is a relationship between two people of the same sex that is formed when they register as civil partners of each other. The UKBA announced they were imposing these restrictions amid concerns that illegal immigrants and terrorists will take advantage of the games to get into the country.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) announced that they will increase the funds required to satisfy the maintenance requirement for Tier 2 visas applicants. The changes go into effect from 14 June 2012. This follows a written ministerial statement from 15 March 2012 that outlines a number of changes to the Immigration Rules, including the closure of the Tier 1 Post Study Work route on 6 April 2012. The following changes will be made to the maintenance requirement for Tier 2 visa applicants:

Under new UK immigration visa rules non-EU artists may have an easier time obtaining visit visas for the UK. The new visa rules will allow for overseas artists to enter the UK to work without having to apply for work visas; They will be allowed to stay in the UK for up to a month if they have an official invitation from a UK organisation.

The UK Border Agency announced that from 6 April 2012, visa applicants in Pakistan must submit their initial applications online. This applies to all applicants and their dependents applying under the points-based system.

In a new study released this week by the UK National Audit Office it was found that up to 50,000 bogus students may have been improperly issued UK Tier 4 visas. These student admissions took place after the new points-based visa system was introduced in 2008.