UK Immigration News

From 6 January 2010 all those extending their stay under the Tier 2 visa including dependents will need to apply for an identity card.

Overseas students under the age of 18 coming to the UK on exchanges and educational visits will not in many cases need a visa. From the beginning of 2010 overseas students in this situation will able to visit the UK for up to six months to most types of schools in both the state and private sector. Unless you are from a visa national Country you will not need to apply for a entry clearance.

The United Kingdom Border Agency has recently commented on media reports that suggest that Pakistani's are more likely to be refused visas to the UK. UK Border Agency Chief Executive Lin Homer had the following to say:

Skilled migrant workers and their dependents extending their visa under the Tier 2 visa scheme will from 6 January 2010 need to provide biometric information and obtain an identity card. Migrants in a number of other visa categories are already required to submit their fingerprints and photograph and apply for an identity card.

There have been suggestions that the Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) visa provides a loophole to enable Indian IT companies to bring overseas workers to the UK. It has been claimed that this enables employers to employ people at a lower salary than resident workers.

Recently the Migration Advisory Committee completed its review of the Tier 1 visa scheme.