UK Immigration News

The latest Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill released by the UK Home Office has potential negative consequences, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants announced last week.

The Bill proposes to remove the rights of work permit holders, among others, to appeal. This will apply to those who apply from within the UK and outside the UK. It would also affect foreign students in the UK. It is unclear at present whether the Secretary of State will introduce new appeal rights for certain persons.

The UK Home Secretary on 21 July announced that Suzanne McCarthy will be the next Immigration Services Commissioner. She succeeds John Scampion, who completed his term of office in May 2005. Mrs McCarthy will take up her position on 5 September 2005.

The UK public is being consulted about a new, proposed immigration system. Legislation going through Parliament will create a points-based entry system with five "tiers" of immigration.

The "tiers", or levels, of immigration, are as follows:

The following information sets out UK service standards and where available, the approximate timescales for deciding applications. Current projections indicate that their performance across all workstreams is meeting the new service standards. Work Permits and SBSService Standard: 70% of new applications to be decided within one week of receipt at UK payment handling service and 90% within three weeks.Current Performance

From 13 November 2005, all nationals from non-EEA member states as listed below who wish to come to the UK for more than six months will need to obtain an entry clearance from a British diplomatic mission before travelling.

A one-off cost of £85.00 will enable the traveller, once entry clearance has been obtained, to stay for the full period without having to apply for a residence permit (unless they wish to change or extend their stay).

At the moment, it is known that several blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour. Police said that two people have been killed and many have been injured. Officials shut down the entire underground transport network.

workpermit.com sends its sympathies to those people and their families who were affected by today's horrible explosions.