From 8 October 2026, UK visa suitability requirements cover an additional form of immigration breach. Under an amendment to SUI 11.4, someone aged 18 or over who previously acted to frustrate immigration controls can now be treated as having breached immigration laws. Examples include absconding from immigration bail, failing to report as required or using […]
Since 1 October 2026, some businesses must perform right to work checks on people described as self-employed contractors, although the rules do not cover every independent supplier. The expanded scheme includes workers engaged under a worker’s contract, individual sub-contractors and certain service providers introduced through online matching services. Responsibility can also extend to organisations further […]
A sponsor licence compliance checklist covers eight practical areas: complete worker records, evidence of recruitment, correct salary payments, genuine sponsored roles, timely reports, secure Sponsorship Management System access, right to work checks and proof that workers receive information about their employment rights. The Home Office can examine your records, interview workers and visit premises, sometimes […]
You can combine different income sources to meet the financial requirement for a UK spouse visa, provided the Home Office permits the combination and you supply the required evidence. Most new partner applications must meet £29,000 gross annual income. Employment earnings may be combined with eligible rental income, investment returns, pensions or cash savings. However, […]
From 8 October 2026, if a long residence permission-to-stay application cannot succeed but the Home Office thinks you may qualify as a partner, parent or child under Appendix FM, or under Appendix Private Life, it can vary your application to that route instead of simply refusing it. You pay no new application fee, but you […]
Switching visas does not, by itself, reset your 10-year long residence clock. That is the short answer, and for most people it is the reassuring one. The long residence route to indefinite leave to remain lets you add up time spent on different qualifying visas, so moving from a Student visa to a Graduate visa […]
If you are on a route to indefinite leave to remain and worried about the government’s earned settlement plans, the short version is this: nothing has changed yet. On 15 September 2026, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, gave evidence to the Home Affairs Committee and confirmed that the new settlement policy, including any transitional arrangements, […]
You can meet the spouse visa financial requirement with self-employed income, but it is judged very differently from a salary and the evidence rules are strict. For most new partner applications, the threshold is £29,000 gross a year. For a sole trader, partner or franchisee, what counts is your gross taxable profit across a full […]
From 8 October 2026, the Immigration Rules will give greater flexibility to some Skilled Workers who have been formally recognised as victims of modern slavery. A Skilled Worker who has been referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and receives a positive Conclusive Grounds decision during their most recent period of permission may have the […]
If you are applying for a UK Student visa, the financial requirement is increasing. The Home Office confirmed the change in the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules published on 3 September 2026. The new figures apply to applications made on or after 30 November 2026. From that date, students studying in London must […]