Immigration news

Comments by Sanwar Ali:

The Trump work visa ban has been highly controversial, with a number of legal challenges against the ban. On 1st October a judge ruled that visa processing could start again in many cases for H1B, L1 and J1 visas and certain other US visas.  

There are big Brexit related changes after December 31st for UK and EU citizens. New policies are in place regarding travel insurance, consumer rights, banking, and more, which apply to UK citizens in the EU and EU citizens in the UK.

 

Comments by Sanwar Ali:

Currently, travel is difficult anyway due to the COVID-19 situation and the new strain of the virus.  When air travel is back to normal it remains to be seen how long it will take for British nationals to pass through entry checks in EU countries.  After almost fifty years of being in the EU, the end of free movement may take quite some getting used to.

Freedom of movement came to an end at 11 pm on December 31st, meaning UK citizens can no longer live and work in the European Union without meeting relevant visa requirements.  The UK visa points system requirements now apply to newly arriving EU citizens planning to work in Britain. 

 

UK and EU citizens already holding residency in Europe or Britain will have the same rights as before the January 1st change. Around one million UK citizens have legal residence in European Countries, while over three million EU citizens have residency in the UK. 

Comments by Sanwar Ali:

Today at 11 pm UK time the Brexit transitional period ends.  Newly arriving EU citizen migrants to the UK from tomorrow will come under the expensive and bureaucratic UK visa

British musicians were dealt a major blow following the UK’s recent Brexit deal, which failed to secure visa-free travel across Europe for touring artists. The Brexit deal leaves UK musicians facing huge visa costs when touring on the continent, prompting artists to setup a petition that already has more than 155,000 signatures.