Permanent Residency or UK Citizenship

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There are already discussions within the UK government to completely stop the permanent residency for immigrants who enter the UK for work and stay for 5- 6 years. 2011 may be the last year to be able to do so.

Indefinite leave to remain or ILR is the expression confirming the fact that there is no limit to the leave period you can stay in the UK. This is also often referred to as permanent residence. This status is granted to a person on the basis that they are settled in the UK.

If a holder of indefinite leave to remain spends a continuous period of two years or more outside of the UK, at any time, it will then be deemed that the person is no longer settled in the UK and the status of indefinite leave to remain could be withdrawn from them.

Indefinite leave to remain can be achieved in a number of ways. We list only some of these circumstances, as there are various ways by which this status can be obtained:

• On the basis of successfully completing the five-year ancestry visa.
• On the basis of successfully completing the two-year marriage visa to a UK citizen or four year period of marriage to a EU-national.
• On the basis of successfully completing a five year work permit.

After obtaining indefinite leave to remain you can qualify to apply for British citizenship. To qualify you normally need to have lived in the UK for six years. However the spouse of a British citizen may qualify for citizenship after three years. If successful in this application a person will have the same rights as a person born as a British citizen.
Please note that as of November 1, 2005, you also have to pass the UK government's new Life in the UK test before you can apply for citizenship.

  Naturalizationafter six years in the UK

If you are not married to a British Citizen you will need to meet the following requirements to apply for naturalization:

• You must be aged 18 or over and are not of unsound mind.
• You must be of good character.
• You should be able to communicate in the English language (or Welsh or Scottish Gaelic). There are exemptions to this requirement, for example if you are elderly or mentally handicapped.
• You should intend to live in the UK or in Crown Service abroad (working directly for an UK Government organization), or be employed by an international organization of which the UK is a member, or be employed by a company or association established in the United Kingdom.

If you are not married to an UK Citizen you will need to meet the following residence requirements over the last six years.

• You must have been living in the UK exactly six years before the date the application reaches the Home Office; and
• During the six-year period you must not have been outside the United Kingdom for more than 450 days (about 15 months); and
• During the last 12 months of the six-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days; and
• During the last 12 months of the six-year period your stay in the United Kingdom you must have held permanent residence/ indefinite leave to remain (ILR); and
• You must not have been living in the United Kingdom in breach of the UK immigration rules at any time during the six-year period ending with the date that the application is received by the Home Office.

The processing times for naturalization applications is currently about six to seven months.

Naturalisation after three years in the UK as a spouse of an UK Citizen

The requirements for naturalization as a spouse of a British citizen are very similar to those mentioned above. The main difference is that there is a shorter residency requirement of three years in the UK as opposed to six years. The three years of the residency requirement are counted from the date your naturalization application is received by the Home Office.
Further details on residency requirements are as follows:

• You must have been living in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the three- year period; and
• On the date that your application is received in the Home Office, you must have permanent residence/ ILR in the UK; and
• During the three-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than 270 days (approximately 9 months); and
• During the last 12 months of the three-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days; and
• You must not have been in breach of any UK immigration rules at any time during this three-year period of residence in the UK.

 

VISITOR VISA TO THE UK

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 VISITOR VISA TO THE UK
Individuals can travel to the UK for the specific purpose of visiting friends and family who live in the UK .

UK family members can sponsor the applicant by providing an invitation letter to confirm the relationship, purpose of the visit, and also the support they will be providing in terms of financial assistance and/or accommodation.

Applicants in this category must prove to the UK Immigration Authorities that they can financially maintain and accommodate themselves in the UK with or without assistance from family member(s) living in the UK but without resource to public funding or employment.

The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind when applying for a visa for UK, is that you should have an intention to return to your home country. Have a well thought out travel plan. Date of Travel, duration of stay and reasons for traveling.

Here is a comprehensive list of Documents you would need for a successful application:

A) Sponsor's Documents:

1) 6 months Bank statements
2) 6 months pay slips
3) Address proof : Utility Bill e.g. Telephone bill or Electric Bill or Council tax notice)
4) Rental Agreement
5) Owner's no objection letter
6) Sponsor's High commission certified letter (e.g. Indian High commission in UK)
7) Applicant's passport copy ( Visa page and stamping page)
8) Sponsor's work permit copy
9) Employer's letter for employment proof
10) Letter from Sponsor requesting British High commission for granting visa to visitors.

Recommended but not mandatory Docs (if sponsor is employed in UK):

11) P60 form
12) NI number letter

Reason for visiting UK:

Could be many, meeting with friends, family visit. I have provided an example of a visit where one of your family members may be expecting to deliver soon:

13) NHS maternity letter or prescription exemption card
14) Proof of relations / friendship

B) Visitor's Documents:

15) Passport photo copy (all pages)
16) Proof of address ( ration card, PAN card)

Applicant's Financial Documents:

17) Bank statements (all bank accounts that you may hold, higher the account balance, higher the chances of your application being successful.)
18) Any Insurance Premium receipts and Insurance Policy
19) Stocks & Shares in hand proof ( statement from your broker or depository)
20) If Social Org member (proof of the same)
21) PAN card xerox
22) Credit Card statement
23) PPF (Public Provident Fund) statements

Reasons for returning to home country:

You may have assets, unmarried children, relatives, who are in your home country for whom you may need to return.

24) Children's proofs (passports)
25) Any other investment or asset proof (land / property)

Visit visa should be applied from the nearest place of your residence (proof would be asked for the same when you apply for the visa, as you cannot apply for visa other than the your designated visa center.)

E.g. if you stay in Pune, you can not apply from Chennai or Delhi for UK visa.

UK Work Visa, Study Visa

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Working or Studying in the UK - Visa requirements

What you will need to work in the UK
Each year more than 50,000 people from destinations like Australia, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand, India make the decision to spend some time living and working in the UK. Spending time in a totally different environment is an awesome way to experience new things, gain work experience, embrace new cultures and broaden your horizons.

How Do I Get There?
If you are one of the lucky few who already have a European Union passport this article is not for you. Travellers with EU passports can work not only in the UK but anywhere in the European Union. If you don’t have an EU passport keep reading.

A large selection of Immigration Visas, Residency and work permits are on offer in the UK to enable to make your dream of living and working in the UK a reality. Some of these options can even eventually lead to permanent residency, British Citizenship and a UK Passport.

Types of Visas: (PBS : Point Based System)
The Points Based System or PBS focuses the structure of UK immigration services into a five-tier immigration model. The tier visa system is designed to cover all non-EEA nationals immigrating to the UK except those entering through a family based visa application.

Tier 1
Categories: General (HSMP) , Entrepreneurs, Investors, Post-Study Work.

Tier 2 (replaces the previous system of Work Permits as part of the new UK visa structure)

Tier 4 Applies to Students, wishing to study in UK universities and other educational institutes.

Tier 5 is designed to allow temporary workers and 18-30 year olds in the Youth Mobility Scheme to undertake short-term, temp work to satisfy essentially non-financial objectives.


Tier 4 Student Visas:

From March 2009 adults wishing to study in the UK must apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa.
The tier 4 Student Visa replaces the current UK Study Visa and allows an adult student to study in the UK with a licensed sponsor on the Tier 4 register of sponsors and embark upon a course of study.

if you need the approval list call us on our number above +2347065659704
BenefitsThe Tier 4 Student Visa service offers overseas students the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications from reputable and government approved universities and colleges in the UK.

Study Abroad at a UK educational institution and you will be embarking on a life-long journey, where the skills and experience you learn in the UK are recognised the world over in industries such as commerce, science, technology and government.

The tier 4 Student Visa does not constitute a route to settlement or indefinite leave to remain, however, a visa for student immigration may allow you to switch to another UK immigration service without leaving the country, upon successful completion of your course.

If your course of study lasts less than six months, you may be able to enter the country under a UK visit visa, often referred to as a travel visa or tourist visa.

However, the benefit of studying in the UK under a visa for students is that you will also be permitted to undertake limited employment and extend your visa if your course of study lasts longer than 4 years.

DurationTier 4 student visas are granted for the period of your course.

If you are studying at degree level or above, you can stay for the full duration of your course, up to four years.

If your course is longer than four years, you can apply for a UK Visa Extension to finish your course.

If you are studying below degree, your Student Visa will allow you to stay for up to three years.

One route for staying in the UK beyond a course of study, is through switching to a Tier 2 Work Permit. You will require a specific offer of employment from a British company.

Eligibility

The new student route under the points based system introduces five key changes to the current system. Adult students applying to study abroad  in the UK must:

• Have a proven track record in studying before coming to the UK.
• Have recognised qualifications equivalent to National Qualification Framework (NQF) in the UK education system.
• Produce evidence of sufficient funds to pass a maintenance test.
• Produce documents used to obtain an offer from the university or college sponsoring, such as qualification certificates.

To be able to travel to the United Kingdom as a general student after the end of March 2009, adult students must pass a points-based assessment and score 40 points.
Visa letter from education provider = 30 points.
Maintenance fees to cover course fees and living expenses = 10 points.

What is a visa letter?
It is an offer letter from your education provider who is your immigration sponsor, including information about you, your sponsor, the course, and your finances.
What is a licensed sponsor?
The licensed sponsor is the university or college you have chosen to enrol with.
Global Visas have extensive partnerships with many schools, colleges and universities on the tier 4 register of sponsors. Find the tier 4 licensed sponsor list here.
Can I work?

Unlike a UK visit visa, or travel visa application, applicants for study permits may take part-time or holiday work but must not engage in the following:

• Work for more than 20 hours a week during term time (except in vacation periods), unless it is a work placement and part of a study program and the educational institution agrees.
• Conduct business, be self-employed, or provide services as a professional sports person or entertainer.
• Work full-time in a permanent job.

Depending on what you have studied, if you want to stay on in the United Kingdom once you have successfully got your qualification, you may be eligible to switch to the Tier 1 - Post-Study Work visa.
Spouse and Dependent ImmigrationSpouse immigration is only permitted for married partners and unlike a Fiance visa or UK De Facto visa, often known as an unmarried partner visa, your common-law or conjugal partner is not allowed to join you.
Married partners will be granted leave to remain for a period equal to that granted to the student. During this time, they must be able to support themselves either independently or with the help of the applicant.


Scholarships and Funding:

Studying in the UK might cost less than you think, especially when you think of the real value a UK qualification provides.
The scholarships cover funding for full-time study leading to a degree at undergraduate or Master’s level (or equivalent in further education) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
They also give funding for accredited study periods of up to one year’s length at recognised higher education institutions for students whose college or university has an exchange agreement with a partner institution in the UK.
Scholarships – starting for the academic year  2011-2014  include funding for tuition fees, accommodation, travel expenses to and from country of residence and living expenses in the United Kingdom.
Student loan or Study loan:
There are a host of loan options available for that coveted degree from a UK university. This depends on the university admission offer that you have, course you have selected, your work expereince if any and your financial status.
Sources of funding:
The British Council and UKCISA – the Council for International Education – have collaborated to produce a free booklet for international students on how to find sources of funding for UK study.

Adopted Children - UK Visa and Immigration

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This guidance explains what the Immigration Rules say about adopted children coming to join one or both of their parents in the United Kingdom (UK), and about children coming to the UK to be adopted.

You must be able to show that:

• You currently live and are settled in the UK legally, with no time limit on your stay, and
• You can support your child and provide somewhere to live without needing help from public funds.

For your child to qualify to join you in the UK, you, or your child, must show that he or she:

• cannot support themselves financially, is not married and is not living independently away from their parents
• is under 18 years of age
• was adopted when both parents lived together abroad or when one or the other parent was settled in the UK
• has the same rights as any other child of the adoptive parents
• was adopted because their birth parents could not care for them and there has been a full and genuine transfer of parental responsibility
• has broken all ties with their birth family, and
• was not adopted just to make it easier to enter the UK.

Your adopted child must get a visa before they travel to the UK, unless they qualify for a passport issued by an EEA member state.

Under the Adoptions with a Foreign Element Regulations 2005, it is now an offence for prospective adoptive parents to bring a child into the UK to adopt them, unless the adoptive parents have met all the legal requirements. The penalty for not following legal requirements is an unlimited fine or up to 12 months’ imprisonment (or both).

The Adoptions with a Foreign Element Regulations 2005 aim to prevent people from bringing children into the UK to adopt them unless:

• the adoptive parents have already been assessed and approved by a local council or a voluntary adoption agency (VAA), and
• their suitability has been approved by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

To avoid committing an offence, these regulations say that prospective adoptive parents in England and Wales must already have:

• applied to a local council or VAA for approval of their suitability to adopt a child
• successfully completed the assessment process
• received confirmation, in writing, of the adoption agency’s decision to approve them as suitable adoptive parents, and
• received notification, in writing, from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills that they are prepared to issue a ‘certificate of eligibility’.

Within 14 days of the prospective adoptive parents' arrival in the UK with a child, they must tell their local council of their intention to adopt the child. Once the council has received this notification, the child will become a protected child under section 22 of the Adoption Act 1976 and will be monitored by the council under sections 32 and 33.

It is strongly recommend to read the Home Office's guidance on Inter-Country Adoption and the Immigration Rules, which can be found on the UK Border Agency website:
Inter-Country Adoption and the Immigration Rules



How long can my adopted child stay?

If your child was adopted in a designated country and both you and your husband, wife or civil partner are settled in the UK, or if you alone are responsible for the child, they will normally be allowed to stay permanently in the UK from the date they arrive.
If your child has not been adopted in a designated country, they will normally be allowed to stay in the UK for 12 months so the adoption process can continue through the UK courts.



Will my adopted child automatically become a British citizen?

Your child will only become a British citizen if you adopted them through the UK courts and at least one of you (as their adoptive parents) was a British citizen when the adoption order was made.

Does my adopted child need a visa?
All adopted children coming to the UK need a visa before they travel unless they qualify for a passport issued by an EEA member state.

How do I apply for a visa for my adopted child?
You can apply in a number of ways, for example by post, by courier, in person and online. The visa section will tell you about the ways in which you can apply.
Some visa sections will only accept visa applications made online. To find out if you can apply for your visa online please visit www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk
If you cannot apply online, you will need to fill in a visa application form (VAF 4 – Settlement). You can download the form from this website, or get one free of charge from your nearest visa application centre.
You should apply for entry clearance for an adopted child in the country of which the child is a national or where they legally live.
In some countries, if you are applying for a visa to stay in the UK for more than six months, you may need to be tested for active tuberculosis before we will accept your application. You can find out if you need to be tested by using our Do I need a visa? questionnaire on the homepage of this website, or by contacting your nearest visa application centre.

What will I need to make an application for my adopted child?

You will need to make your child's application online or fill in a visa application form:
Application form VAF4 - Settlement

Settlement form guidance notes

You will also need the following:

• The adopted child’s passport or travel document.
• A recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), colour photograph of the child. This should be:
  • taken against a light coloured background
  • clear and of good quality, and not framed or backed
  • printed on normal photographic paper, and
  • full face and without sunglasses, hat or other head covering unless they wear this for cultural or religious reasons (but the face must not be covered).
• The visa fee. This cannot be refunded and you must normally pay it in the local currency of the country where you are applying.
• Supporting documents relevant to the application.

What is 'biometric' information?

All UK visa applicants, save for those benefiting from a limited number of exemptions and exceptions, are required to provide biometric data (10-digit finger scans and a digital photograph) as part of the application process.
You will have to go to your nearest visa application centre in person to provide your biometrics. In those countries where there is no visa application centre, you will need to go to the British mission.
Your visa application will not be processed until you have provided the necessary biometric information. The finger scans are electronic so staff do not need to use any ink, liquid or chemicals. You will have your digital photograph taken at the same time and the whole procedure should take no more than five minutes to complete. You should make sure that you do not have any decoration (such as henna), or any cuts or other markings on your fingertips before having your finger scans. You should also make sure that if you have any cuts and bruises on your face, they have healed or disappeared before you have your photograph taken. Digital photographs must be of your full face and you should not wear sunglasses, a hat or any other head covering (unless you wear it for cultural or religious reasons but the face must not be covered).

What supporting documents should I include with the application?
You should include all the documents you can to show that the child qualifies for entry to the UK as your adopted child. If you do not, we may refuse the application.
As a guide, you should include the following.

• The child’s original birth certificate, showing its name at birth.
• A report from the overseas equivalent of the UK’s Social Services Department giving the child’s full history and how the adoption came about, or, if the child is related to you, a full statement in writing from you as the adoptive parent.
• A certificate of abandonment from the authorities previously responsible for the child, if the child has been abandoned.
• The adoption order.

The Entry Clearance Officer will try to make a decision using the application form and supporting documents you have provided. If this is not possible, they will need to interview you.
Please check your child’s visa when you get it. You should make sure that:

• the child’s personal details are correct
• it correctly states the purpose for which the child wants to come to the UK, and
• it is valid for the date on which you want to travel. (You can ask for it to be post-dated for up to three months if the child will not be travelling immediatly

Monthly Cost of living: 

Accommodation : £700 - £900 p.m. (for an independant living, with family. Shared accommodation for families are also available. This usually includes boarding, electric, water, kitechen utilities (oven, cooking range, gas supply) and bathroom (washing machine), where cleaning is offered once a week only.)

Council Tax : £70 - £120 p.m. ( If you stay alone you can claim a discount from them.) Age of the building, insulation etc. decide how much you pay to the Council. This is utilised for schooling, security and waste management in your locality.

Electricity : £60-£100 p.m. (usualy higher during the winter months, from October to March) . some of the famous electric suppliers in UK are : e-On, Scotttish Power, British Gas, npower, Southern Electric.
Communication : Telephone / cell / broadband / landlines: £30-£70 p.m. (BT, O2, Orange, Virgin, T mobile, Vodafone & 3 are some famous communication providers in UK.)

News papers cost 60p to £1 daily. (The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail & Gaurdian are some of the prominent printed dailies.). Books and periodicals can be accessed via the local libraries. Buying theme can be quite expensive.

UK is one of the most attractive destination for people who want to study as well as who want to settle there. One of the prime goals for students is to work in UK post their studies and finally settle there. It's main drawers are Asian and African countries. I have had friends in the UK, who had completed their Ph Ds and again did a Ph D in the UK, just so that they are able to work there and finally settle in UK. I am not saying that this wrong, given the excellent work culture as well as the standard if living UK offers compares to any South East Asian or African countries.

UK attracts people from all walks of life. If you have taken the taxi in UK, you would have found that majority of them are either from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. African and Indians not standing far. I used to occasionally meet taxi drivers who had travelled all the way from Pakistan, Iraq or Afghanistan, illegally crossed the border via France and made it to the UK. Although they do not hold a British passport they live life without having to worry much, as they believe as long as they do not get involved in any trouble, the local authorities don't bother them. After all they form a vital part of the UK's workforce who do the low end jobs which the British citizen wouldn't care to do. I was able to sense their importance when on a Muslim festival, there was a huge shortage of taxi's and the reason I heard from other taxi drivers was the festival that was on-going.

UK's immigration policy has been the weakest as compared with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other prosperous EU countries for the very fact that the UK needed the vital workforce to sustain it's self, what with policy as Job seeker's allowance, which don't push the jobless Britisher to aggressively seek employment.

What with policy as these, A recent survey highlighted the British population as the most lazy! Now that the migration to the UK from non-EU countries has reached to such an extent that even the jobs that the Britisher's are willing to accept are being taken up by migrant's the British Government has resorted to drastic measures to curb unchecked immigration.