What is a marriage of convenience and whether one is, or is not, and its current EU definition, are huge problems in UK and EU-wide immigration. The UK immigration law always went with “sham marriage” – one contracted as a facade where no real relationship is present. However, the EU definition of “marriage of convenience”, even though some experts think that it was initially meant to define the same (but suffered from mis-translation and bad judicial interpretations), is much more complicated. So much so, that it is, in my view, administratively, judicially and – importantly for lawyers – eth ..read more

***Есть полная русская версия ** My new online-only service will provide advice to those who have been REFUSED a UK visa or entry clearance FROM OVERSEAS ONLY. No services to those residing in the UK or US State of California. I will NOT deal with initial applications, refusals only – this is to save my time, as some folks know, I have been able to overcome some nasty refusals, including “10-year bans” for deception. Conditions of service are on the website. Please share/refer! http://www.visarefusal.co.uk ..read more

We were all worried that the architects of the EU settlement scheme have forgotten about, or worried little for, its least publicized future customers, about whom “Guardian reading activists” always forget – non-EU family members.  The praise it received in test phases and recently on sites like Free Movement Blog, as well as, it seems, the Inspector report, again, seemed to not ask pertinent questions based on anyone’s actual experience. Understandably since authors of the site are not actually front line practitioners. Well, spoiler, then – and it surprised even me, who gave 5 years of my li ..read more

I have been fascinated these past weeks that The Guardian, on a high from its newly acquired position as a sole resolver of immigration problems (in lieu of system working as it should, and sometimes in spite of it having worked as it should)  has dug up the long-rotten corpse of the TOEIC scandal, and falsely claims that it “has not received headline treatment”. Really? For 2 full years in 2014-2016 this was ALL there were immigration headlines about. Perhaps the current generation of Guardian journalist were still in primary school 5 years ago. Otherwise it is just unabashed shameless specul ..read more

If ever there was a more striking tale of good intentions paving a road to hell! And it all started to nice. Before 2012 we had discretionary leave that tended to be granted to spouses of British citizens who did not meet the requirements, usually because they were in the UK as visitors or unlawfully – but had a very small British child. Some women who gave birth to a British child of a man they had not been married to got it as well. In 2012, it had been brought into the Immigration Rules as a “10-year leave” – one that is available to those who fall short of ever more complicated spouse or p ..read more

I must say, one could not have thought of a worse time to abandon the helm — but then, I suppose, this is indicative of the May administration overall. Overall it did not live up to its many promises — we feared an iron fist, and instead we got deadly tornado of incompetence. The country is ravaged and nearly obliterated by the sheer force of pervasive stupidity. A lot of it started in the coalition government times – we expected May era to be distinct, but it really is not – but she did double and triple down on the worst of ideas, and then threw in a few more for good measure. I am as baffle ..read more

For those of you who were following my struggle with the California Bar exam, previously chronicled here, an update: I have learned on Friday that I passed February 2019 California Bar exam!  (therefore, on my second attempt). Which is just as well, because it caused such a nervous breakdown that I do not know whether I’d have been able to do it again. Please note it does NOT yet make me an attorney, as there are other issues left to resolve between me and the Bar. Meanwhile for those who are interested or also taking the Bar in any US state, I have written and published some advice on taking ..read more

As all of our government’s  best ideas, the “UKVAS” (actually, Sopra Steria) -led new application system, introduced universally from December and with which I once vowed not to have anything to do and yet here I am, had quickly turned from bad to disastrous, leading to complete chaos and confusion among applicants and  thousands of pounds in application fee losses (the latter being the aspect the Home office usually shrugs off as being just natural). When we all filled out applications by hand, the application date was the date of posting — old common law “postal rule” applied. When premium s ..read more