Advice for tourists/visitors to the UK

It is not widely known that in some cases general visitors to the UK should apply for a visa.  This is not applicable to everybody who comes to the country as a visitor, but guidelines should be checked to ensure whether a person should or should not apply for a tourist visa UK.  There is a list of countries on the Home Office website that are classed as the homes of ‘visa nationals’.  In order to check whether a tourist visa is required, an individual must check the list, determine whether their status is that of a visa national, and contact an immigration law firm in the UK to help them progress their application.

Who needs what and why

Visa nationals are not the only classification of people that are required to apply for a visa to visit the UK.  If a person is classed as stateless (without nationality), or they hold a non-national travel document, then they are advised to pursue a tourist visa to enter the country.  Any person who holds a passport that is not recognised by the United Kingdom should also apply for a tourist visa.

Those who are not required to have a visa must bring the correct documentation to the UK border control, and if all requirements are not met then it is highly possible that the tourist will be denied entry to the UK.  An immigration lawyer will help a person to ensure that the correct procedures are adhered to.  Although it is not a legal requirement to have a general tourist visa, it is highly recommended that a person should get one, even if they do not have to.  The correct visa will save the visitor time at border control, as entry into the country can be processed more efficiently.

Visa criteria

There are cases where even though they do not need a visa, it is strongly recommended that people with certain backgrounds apply for one in order to help their case to enter the UK as a visitor.  These cases include anyone who has been refused entry into the United Kingdom, or anyone who has been deported or removed from the country in the past.  If a person has breached terms of a previous visit to the UK by working illegally, or staying in the country past the allotted date of the agreement, then their case is compromised, and a tourist visa should be applied for.  If in the past a person has been refused a visa, this will show on record when they turn up at border control and their documents have been registered.  Immigration solicitors recommend that, in this case, the person should apply again for a visa.  If on any previous visit the tourist was asked by a border official to produce a visa on their next visit, and the individual does not do this, it is highly likely that the person will be refused entry to the UK.

Immigration lawyers are in place to help a person with any queries they may have regarding tourist visas, and those with reservations should contact our experts for advice.

Further Leave to Remain for partners of British citizens

Further Leave to Remain for partners of British citizens

Further leave to remain UK is for those who are already in the country and wish to apply for an extension to live in the United Kingdom.  If the partner of the applicant is a British citizen, settled in the UK, or is in the UK under humanitarian protection or refugee leave, then form FLR (M) must be completed fully.  For the applicant, and also any children under the age of 18 who wish to apply for further leave, it is necessary that all reside within the UK at the time of application.  If the claim for extension has been denied it may be possible to extend the duration of the stay in UK using exceptional compassionate circumstances.  Discussing the options with an immigration solicitor will clarify the details of all processes associated with further leave to remain.

Presenting the case

To present the possible case for further leave, the correct documentation must be provided in its original format.  A few examples of the type of documents required as evidence include the valid passport or travel documents of the applicant and anyone else included in the claim.  The full birth certificate of each child is necessary, stating the names of the parents of each child that is under 18 years of age.  Photographic evidence will also need to be provided.  For form FLR (M) this includes two passport size photographs of the applicant with their full names written clearly on the back of the pictures.  One passport sized picture of the partner or fiancé of the applicant with their full name written on the back should also be provided with the application forms.  Any children that are included with the main applicant should also provide two passport sized pictures with their name stated clearly on the back.

Immigration lawyers can help a person to make sense of the complexities of the process, and anyone with any doubts or concerns about the process should contact Duncan Lewis and arrange a consultation to discuss the matter.  The requirements for qualification of further leave to remain include the necessity that the UK Border office is satisfied that the relationship between the applicant and their partner is a genuine and valid continuing partnership.  The character and conduct of the person making the application must also satisfy the criteria laid down by the Home Office website. Any money that is owed to the NHS will be taken into account as part of the character assessment, and full co-operation with the Border Office is advised, as the compliance of the applicant within the process will also be assessed.

Immigration law

The immigration status requirements state that the person must not be in the UK as a visitor, or have leave of six months or less, or be in the UK with temporary permission.  Our immigration law firm will help to fine tune the details of the application, helping the client to receive the decision they hope for. The person making the claim must also meet a set of financial requirements that can be discussed in further depth with an immigration lawyer.

EEA Registration Certificates

EEA Registration Certificates

The EEA (or European Economic Area) comprises 27 countries, most of which are a part of the EU. Swiss nationals and immigrants in the UK wishing to legally work and earn are advised to complete an EEA form in order to authorise their work status.  The EEA registration certificate confirms the right of an EEA national to live and work inside the UK.  Not all workers are required to complete the form. If, for example, a person has been working in the UK and has acquired permission through the UK Border Agency points system, then they are not required to complete the form.  In order to execute immigration applications and future paperwork efficiently however, it is advisable for workers and seekers of temporary or permanent residency to apply for EEA certification.  Workers from countries within the EEA umbrella are not legally obliged to fill in an EEA form, but anyone with doubts as to their eligibility for work should contact an immigration lawyer from our team.

Get the right form

There are a variety of EEA forms that relate to the confirmation of the circumstances of an individual and their family.  To be sure that the person is following the correct path, our team of immigration lawyers will help at every turn.  For general purposes, EEA1 must be completed, and for those who are seeking permanent residence in the UK, form EEA 3 is needed for EEA nationals and their EEA national families.  There is no fee required for an application on an EEA form.  Anybody who is unsure of the correct steps to take should contact our immigration solicitors to clarify the procedure and receive the benefit of our experience.

There are some forms of documentation that are required in order to complete an EEA application, and the applicant should supply passports or ID cards for every member of the family that is to be on the application.  Photograph evidence is also needed, and two passport size photographs of every single person on the application should be supplied with the completed forms.  Evidence of employment must be included, this could be in the form of a work contract, and if the person is a student then they should supply evidence of their study path and university.  If the worker is currently unemployed, then evidence of registration with the unemployment office is required.  This can be done from the jobcentre or from a recruitment agency.  It is also advised that evidence that the person concerned is seeking work should be provided with the documentation.

Registration

Filing an immigration registration certificate can appear to be a daunting process, but our immigration law firm experts regularly make the procedure as painless and efficient as possible for our clients. Those who are exempt from the need to complete and submit an EEA registration certificate include workers who have leave to enter the UK under the 1971 Immigration Act without any restrictions. Workers who have been living in the UK and have also been partaking in permitted work for 12 months or more are also exempt from EEA certification requirements.