Are you considering applying for a visa to the UK? Do you want to know the current immigration requirements? Here, My Legal Services, a visa solicitor in London, guides you about the latest UK immigration news.
Overseas Applications for Priority and Super Priority Visas:
For new study and most work visa applications, including those from international talent, starting on 12 August, UKVI will resume providing Priority Visa (PV) and Super Priority Visa (SPV) services (in existing sites).
Customers using the UK Immigration: ID Check app cannot use the SPV service, but the PV service is now available. If the application is received before 12 August 2022, upgrading to PV and SPV services is not allowed. In cases where these services are offered, it is possible to withdraw an already submitted, pending application and submit it again using PV or SPV services.
It is important to remember that not all VAC locations offer these accelerated services; some countries still do not. Therefore, it is essential to confirm on the business partner’s website whether the VAC you want to attend offers PV and SPV services.
UK Immigration News and UK Visa Processing Times:
The industry norm for how long it takes to process visa applications outside the country is generally 3 weeks. The UKVI reports the following timelines as current processing times, which are longer than usual:
- Visitor visas now take an average of 7 weeks rather than the prior 6 weeks. Previously, the average wait time for a work visa was 5 weeks.
- The current normal service standard for student visas is less than 2 months
- Visa applications for family members can still take 24 weeks.
Please keep checking the Visa decision waiting times for updates, as the processing times can change weekly.
Also Read: How Important to Get Regulated Immigration Advice From Immigration Solicitors in London?
Suspension of the Police Registration Requirement:
The UK government intended to end the Police Registration Scheme on 4 August 2022. It immediately suspended the program to make some migrants register with the police. The UK Immigration Rules must be revised to reflect the practice change. According to UKVI, the required changes to end the program are now underway. Although registering with the police is still a legal requirement, it is generally believed that the applicable law will be repealed and won’t be implemented.
The police registration scheme in its current form is out-of-date and no longer benefits the Home Office or the police in terms of public protection. Thus UKVI decided to do away with the requirement to register with the police. There is no need for an applicant to provide the police with the same information more than once because the Home Office already collects it during the visa application process and makes it available to the police via Immigration Enforcement upon request.
No visit to a police station is required to register for those who have been granted a UK visa with the necessity to do so. According to the Home Office, a police registration certificate must not be maintained on file or provided as supporting documentation for any upcoming visa applications.
The requirement will not include any new visas or Biometric Residence Permits, and any by now visas or Biometric Residence Permits that have the condition do not require modification. Anyone who failed to register before 4 August 2022 and is no longer required to do so will have their scheduled appointments cancelled and their payments lost.
Also Read: Tier 4 Student Visa Update: Start Your Work After Studies in the UK
UK Immigration News – Scale-up Visa Launch:
A long-awaited Scale-up visa was introduced and made available for application on 22 August 2022. The business employer must first apply for a Scale-up sponsor licence.
An employer company must have at least 10 employees at the beginning and show an annualised increase in either turnover or staffing of at least 20% for the previous three years to be considered a scale-up. The Home Office plans to use PAYE data from HMRC to determine whether the business complies with these standards. A minimum of 37 months should have passed without a break for prospective sponsors’ history with HMRC. The Home Office will determine whether you meet the turnover growth criteria if the company does not meet the employment growth criteria. The check will likely fail if there are gaps in the company’s HMRC data.
A relevant employee can obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship and apply for a UK Scale-up visa to work for them in the UK once the licence has been approved. The employee’s visa allows up to a two-year stay in the UK, with a three-year extension if certain requirements are met.
The employee must spend a minimum of 6 months working for their sponsor. They are then free to exit the business. There is no need to update your visa or inform the UKVI of a change. According to minimum salary requirements and other conditions, the method results in a settlement after 5 years of residency in the UK.
Conclusion:
Looking for a visa solicitor in London? My Legal Services specialised team of immigration lawyers in London take pride in their in-depth knowledge of the procedure. We take every precaution to ensure a good immigration decision while preparing an initial application, creating a cover letter, and gathering the required paperwork.