Changes on UK Family Visit Visa System

Foreign nationals refused a UK visa for a short visit to see family members in the UK will lose the full right to appeal the decision in the courts, the department of immigration has announced.

The step is a necessary one and will save tens of millions of pounds and free up tribunals to deal with more serious cases said immigration Minister Damian Green. In future the vast majority of failed applicants will have to re-apply, rather than launching a lengthy, taxpayer subsidized appeal.

‘We are not stopping anybody visiting family in the UK. If an applicant meets the rules they will be granted a visa. However, it is grossly unfair that UK taxpayers have had to foot the huge bill for foreign nationals who, in many cases, have simply failed to provide the correct evidence to support their application,’ explained Green.

‘These changes will save tens of millions of pounds and free up immigration tribunals to carry out the much more important work they were intended for,’ he added.

The number of appeals has soared since 2000, when full appeal rights were re-introduced for family visit visas. It was expected that there would be a maximum of 20,000 appeals per year but by 2010/11, the number had risen to almost 50,000.

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Posted in: Immigration News , immigration tips , travel news , UK Embassy , UK Family Visit Visa System , UK Immigration , UK Visa , visa tips

New Temporary UK Visitor Visa Announced

The new UK visa for visitors is aimed at allowing small groups of professionals to visit the UK for a variety of short term purposes. To apply through the new visitor route, applicants need only a formal invitation and proof that the intended visit relates to their field of expertise. Holders of the visitor visa are permitted to stay in the UK for up to one month and undertake paid work for which they have been invited for.

This can include giving a lecture or examination to students, participating in a chair selection panel, providing advocacy or arbitration in a legal dispute or working as a pilot instructor. Applicants can also be professional artists, entertainers or sports professionals invited to the UK to take part in a particular event, exhibition or broadcast which can range from artists exhibiting their own work, attending signings or award ceremonies.

"The Government has introduced quite a bit of new legislation in recent weeks, the majority of it directed towards bringing UK immigration figures down," says Marissa Murdock, Casework Department Manager of the UK Visa Bureau. "However, the new visitor route provides a great opportunity for many needs and circumstances. With so many people having to travel internationally for work, there’s plenty of scope within this new UK visa route for it to become a preferred method of travel for many."

The UK Visa Bureau is an independent immigration consultancy based in London which can help most foreign nationals lodge their UK visa application. This can range from tourist and student visas visiting the UK for short periods of time to permanent settlement in the UK. With qualified and licensed immigration consultants on hand to advise you on every step of the process, the UK Visa Bureau is one of the most experienced consultancies in the UK.

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Posted in: Immigration News , UK Embassy , UK Immigration , UK Immigration System , UK Visa , visa tips