Good news for UK visa holders! You can say goodbye to physical documents and hello to the future of UK digital visas. The UK government is launching a major digital immigration initiative to transition visa holders from physical documents to eVisas. The rollout of digital status is the next stage in the government’s plan to digitalise the immigration system and streamline border control and immigration processes for everyone. From April 17, 2024, visa holders in the UK will receive an email from the Home Office, inviting them to create UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to access their ..read more

UK passport application fees are set to rise again in April. While the changes are technically subject to parliamentary scrutiny, it's unlikely they'll be blocked. The Home Office, which runs the Passport Office, says the new fees will help it to improve its services. It's the second year in a row that British passport application prices have increased following a 9% rise in February 2023.  The government stated that the upcoming fee hike will help to reduce the strain on taxpayers and improve the overall service. These costs will be used to process applications, assist with consular serv ..read more

The Home Office has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to conduct a rapid review of the Graduate Route visa, a post-study work option for international students. The review, requested by Home Secretary James Cleverly, aims to assess the visa route’s effectiveness in attracting and retaining the brightest students while supporting the UK’s higher education sector. The Graduate Route allows students to remain in the United Kingdom for two years post-graduation, or three years for PhD graduates, without a sponsor. Eligibility requires successful completion of a degree at a Higher ..read more

Overseas care workers will be banned from bringing family members with them on their visa under the new rules. The Health and Care Worker Visa is open to qualified doctors, nurses, and other health and adult social care professionals who wish to undertake an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care. The Health and Care Worker Visa can lead to settlement in the United Kingdom after 5 years and applicants can be joined by dependent partners and children.  From 11 March 2024, social care workers (occupation codes 6145 and 6146) will not be permitted to bring depend ..read more

The United Kingdom government has initiated an opportunity for numerous young Indian nationals to relocate to the UK through the India Young Professionals Scheme. The inaugural ballot for the year is now live and is set to conclude at 2:30 pm Indian Standard Time on February 22, 2024. Eligible Indian citizens can participate at any time during the open ballot period. A total of 3,000 slots are available for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa in 2024. The majority of these openings will be accessible through the February ballot, with the remaining slots to be released in a subsequent bal ..read more

Planning an overseas trip this year? British citizens who still hold a red passport have been issued a warning to check their passports before they start their journey due to strict entry rules in other countries. A large number of countries have a rule about your passport before entering, which may impact those who don’t have the blue British passports which leaves them at risk of violating the ‘six-month validity rule’. A handful of nations require your passport to be valid for another six months before you visit, thus older passport holders risk having their documents expire too soon. This ..read more

A significant development unfolds for international travel as the United Kingdom launches its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for citizens of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. From 22 February 2024, nationals from these regions will be required to obtain an ETA to travel to the UK. This new system aims to enhance UK border security and improve the travel experience for legitimate visitors. Today the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme opens for applications from Gulf and Jordanian nationals, who will require an ETA to ..read more

The UK Government has approved a significant 66% increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), with the change set to take effect from February 6, 2024.  The IHS, introduced in 2015, requires migrants to contribute to NHS healthcare costs and is payable alongside most visa applications for access to the National Health Service (NHS) during their stay in the UK. Affected individuals include those applying for visas lasting six months or more, and those applying from within the UK, excluding certain categories like indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. The ..read more

British owners of second homes in France have been handed a setback after a state official revoked their exemption from stringent limits on their time in France. The measure, which would allow British citizens who own property in France to stay in the country for more than 90 days without a visa after Brexit, was struck down by the Constitutional Council, France’s highest constitutional authority, from a broad immigration bill passed by parliament in December. France’s constitutional council announced on 25 January that it has rejected a proposal to lift post-Brexit visa requirements for Briti ..read more

The European Council has previously announced the implementation of the Entry/Exit system (EES) which is expected to be in October this year. British travellers will face extra red tape under the new system, which requires fingerprinting and a facial biometric. EES is an automated IT system for registering citizens from “third countries”, which means everywhere outside the EU and Schengen area. The United Kingdom Parliament’s European Scrutiny Committee has warned in a hearing that once the European Union starts operating its EES, travellers at the borders between the EU and the UK will have t ..read more