Immigration news

The UK's Civil Partnership Act 2004 will come into force on 5 December 2005. Civil partnerships are a new legal relationship which can be registered by two people of the same sex and give the couples legal recognition for their relationship. For several years, gay couples have been able to immigrate to the UK based on one partner's long-term status there; however, it is anticipated the changes will make the process easier.

The UK Government has announced that it intends to begin an overseas screening programme for TB for people applying to enter the UK for more than six months. Phase 1 will be introduced by Autumn 2005 and will apply to people entering the UK from the following countries:

Bangladesh Thailand Tanzania Sudan

TB screening will be rolled out over the next year to also include other countries with the potential for a high number of migrants with infectious TB.

The US Embassy in Ghana said on 12 Sept. that visa applicants who missed their original appointment date would not pay an additional fee of 100 dollars. Such applicants will only have to use their original receipt number to have their date rescheduled.This new arrangement is one of the measures put in place by the Embassy to reduce waiting time for interviews and to offer better services. The statement said visa applicants who would have their applications cancelled or appointments changed would have their appointments rescheduled.

Immigration detainees in the UK have been forced to sleep on tables or plastic chairs because of sub-standard provisions, the country's prisons monitor has revealed.

Facilities at Gatwick Airport, London City Airport and Dover Asylum Centre were inappropriate for overnight stays, the chief inspector of prisons said. City Airport was "unsuitable" for holding children, the report said. The government said it takes detainees' welfare seriously but that facilities may need independent monitoring.

Some doctors in the UK are allegedly taking cash for issuing sponsorship certificates to foreign students.

The doctors are selling sponsorship letters for up to £100 each, a Sunday Times investigation has found. The letters are used to convince the Home Office to grant visitor visas in the belief that the students have enrolled for full-time courses in Britain.

The report claimed that many students leave the courses and disappear to join the growing pool of illegal immigrants in Britain.

Troubled by skilled worker shortage, officials from Australia's country towns or rural areas are reportedly touring India to entice immigrants. The city council of Victorian town Ballarat recently funded a former official to visit Bangalore to recruit potential immigrants right from the source.

"As a result of that trip, people of Ballarat have adopted India as a second country," said David Keenan, acting manager of city development.