Immigration Specialists in Reading-Berkshire

Below, we have briefly explained some key immigration requirements under different categories. However, please note that UK immigration law is complex and constantly evolving. It is crucial to seek legal advice from immigration solicitors who specialize in UK immigration law and practice. Please be aware that the information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for individual advice in specific cases. Therefore, it is essential to consult authorised immigration practitioners for personalised and reliable immigration advice tailored to your circumstances.

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Coming to the UK
You may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family.
There are different visas depending on:
(i)    where you come from
(ii)   why you want to come to the UK.
(iii)  how long you want to stay for
(iv)  your personal circumstances and skills
Before you apply, you must check if you need a visa and what type you need. Depending on your nationality, you might not need a visa to visit or transit through the UK. Your application must be approved before you travel.
For more information please click here

Sponsorship Licence Holders
Sponsor licence holders have a number of duties and responsibilities that they must comply with to maintain their licence. It is very important that sponsor licence holders understand the duties that come with holding a licence and have adequate systems in place to ensure compliance. A failure to comply can have serious consequences for the business and the migrant workers that it employs. If the Home Office finds that the licence holder has failed to comply, it can decide to suspend, downgrade, or revoke the licence.  We can advise employers and potential employers on how to meet the required duties and responsibilities

Point Based System
(i) The UK Skilled Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa

As a leading global economy, the United Kingdom is one of the most desirable countries in which to work, offering enormous opportunities. Long-term employment in the UK normally requires a work visa. We can support both employees and, where necessary employers, to facilitate such visas in the most effective manner.

Have you been offered work in the UK?

Whether you are just beginning your career or taking the next step-up in your industry, you may need to apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK legally. We can guide you through every stage of your entry into the UK workforce by:

  • Ensuring you receive a job offer that matches your qualifications
  • Working directly with your employer to obtain sponsorship
  • Submitting your visa application paperwork and following it up until you receive your Skilled Worker visa

(ii) Non-sponsored employment

Under certain circumstances, you may be able to obtain work in the UK without sponsorship. These include entry as a Sole Representative of an Overseas Business; media employees on long-term assignments; applicants seeking an Innovator/Start-up visa; and more.

Securing your immigration status under these circumstances can be daunting, but our team can expertly clarify the steps you need to take by

(i). Guiding you through the process of applying for Sole Representative or Innovator/Start-up visas

(ii). Ensuring that all your paperwork is up-to-date in order to avoid penalties

(iii)Monitoring your eligibility status for any changes that may require you to seek out sponsorship from a PBS (points-based system) licence-holding organisation.

man writing on paper

Asylum
Qualifying for asylum depends on whether you are a refugee, as described in the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. It says a refugee is someone who is outside his or her Country of origin because of a well-founded fear of persecution for one of the five reasons:

(i) race

(ii) religion

(iii) nationality

(iv) membership of a particular social group

(v) political opinion

A refugee must show that they are in real danger and need international protection for one of these reasons. For more details, please click here


 

Family Visa
If you want to join family in the UK
If you are a spouse, partner or family member of someone who has British citizenship or settlement in the UK, you can apply for a family visa to join them.
They may need to show that they can support you financially.
You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after a set amount of time living in the UK.
If your family member is in the UK on a visa
You may be able to apply for a visa to join a family member who is in the UK on a visa. They must be either:
(i)    your spouse or partner
(ii)   your parent if you are 18 years or under

For more information, please click here

British citizenship
There are diverse ways to apply for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) based on your circumstances. If you are eligible in more than one way you can choose which way to apply.


(i)  Marriage: To apply as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen you must have lived in the UK for the last 3 years.
You will also need to have either:

  • indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
  • settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you do, you will be eligible to apply for citizenship immediately.


(ii) ILR Route: You can usually apply for ILR after you have lived in the UK for 5 years. To apply for citizenship with ILR you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it.


(iii) under the EU Settlement Scheme: To apply for citizenship with settled status you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it. If you have not applied to the EU Settlement Scheme
You might still be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You can then use this to apply for citizenship.
The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for most people was 30 June 2021. You can still apply if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not being able to apply by the deadline. There are many more other ways to become a British citizen. For more information, please click here
 

EUSS Scheme
If you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family might be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK. You might also be able to apply if you are the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland.

The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you can still apply if you or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020. You must also either:

(i) meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply

(ii) have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by 30 June 2021

You can also apply if you already have pre-settled status, and you are applying for settled status.

You may be able to stay in the UK without applying – for example, if you are an Irish citizen, or you already have indefinite leave to enter or remain.

If your application is successful, you will get either settled or pre-settled status.

For more information, please click here

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Reach out to our immigration specialists to learn more about UK immigration law.