In the United Kingdom, for a company to be able to hire an employee from overseas, it must be a licensed sponsor, and to become such a sponsor, there are some basic requisites the company has to meet:

1.The company has to be a legitimate organization, for instance, a corporation or limited-liability partnership, or a sole trader.

2.The company has to be operating legally in the United Kingdom.

3.It must be clear and confirmed that the organization and its key staff are not a threat to the United Kingdom’s immigration control.  In other words, the company should not have a history of immigration abuse.

4.The organization has to propose at least three staff members that will execute the jobs related to immigration within the company.  Their roles will be: Authorizing Officer, Key Contact, and Level 1 User.

5.The company has to be able to meet its responsibilities as a sponsor.  To confirm this, the organization has to prove it has effective HR systems.

6.The organization has to submit all the documentation requested to the Home Office.

7.The company has to meet any other requisites pertinent to the specific tier under which their potential employee(s) will be working.

Even though an organization complies with all the above, receives its sponsorship license, and is included on the sponsor’s register, this does not mean that every employee it chooses will be granted permission to enter and remain in the United Kingdom.

Just as the company, the potential employees have to meet several requisites to get their visa and entry authorization, and they have to remain in compliance with the conditions of their stay.

Any employer wanting to hire workers through the ‘Tier 2 Work Permit’ programme has to have the Employer Sponsorship License.

For more information, download the Employer Sponsorship License Information File and contact experienced UK immigration lawyers for guidance.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

The European Union Association Agreement is a visa specifically created for citizens of Bulgaria and Romania who aspire to go to the United Kingdom to start a new business and work on running that business.

The requisites to be granted a European Union Association Agreement are:

-The candidates may start any kind of business that suits them, however, they have to work full-time in the management of that business.  They are not allowed to get another job.

-The candidates have to have enough money to look after themselves until the business turns profitable.

-The candidates have to have a realistic business plan in place.

-The candidates do not have to employ extra personnel.

-The candidates can trade as a limited company, as an individual, or in partnership with others.

The conditions of the European Union Association Agreement are:

-To begin with, an accepted candidate normally gets a visa for 2 years.

-Later, he or she can get an extension of 3 years for as long as the business is in operation along the lines of the original plan, if he or she has not had to access public funds, and if the business remains viable.  If these stipulations are not met, the candidate may not be granted a visa extension.

-After 5 years, the candidates may apply for the ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ or ‘Permanent Residency’.

-Dependent children and partners can join the candidates on this visa and are allowed to study and work in the United Kingdom.

Any citizen of Romania or Bulgaria who does not qualify for this type of visa will have to ask for permission to work in the United Kingdom through a ‘Work Permi’.

If you want to confirm that you qualify for a European Union Association Agreement, visit this link: UK Visa Assessment and contact a professional UK immigration lawyer to guide you through the process.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

Travel to another country can be exciting, educational and a lot of fun, but a lack of proper preparation can often make the difference between a great adventure and a total disaster.  Doing a little research long before you make your final travel plans will really pay off in the end.  Visiting the UK Immigration web sites, travel sites and perhaps even a immigration lawyer in the UK are all good ways to get the information you need.  Here are a few important items to put on your list of what to know before you go.

-Find out well in advance if you need a visa for your stay and if so, give yourself plenty of time to take care of the application.  To find out whether or not you need a visa, you can consult one of the many visa websites available.

-If you already have a visa, be sure you are adhering to the conditions that it sets out.  For example, your visa likely has an expiry date which means you are not allowed to remain in the UK beyond that date.

-If you require a passport for travel be sure it is valid and contains a blank page for your required travel dates.

-If there are items you want to bring with you be sure they meet the regulations of the UK border agency.  Finding out ahead of time if you can bring those gifts for friends and family will avoid any possibility that they may have to be seized at the border. This area can be a little complicated and professional advice is recommended.  Many people realize that endangered animals and plants are not allowed across the border, but they fail to realize that the law also bans products made from those things as well, unless a permit has been granted.

-Obviously you cannot bring illegal items such as drugs or weapons into the country with you.

-If you are travelling from any country outside the European Union you must also inform border officials of any amount of cash you are carrying in excess of 10,000 Euros.

-Proper documentation may be needed for certain prescribed medications.  If you take a prescribed medication on a regular basis, check first to find out whether it needs to be cleared before you travel.  For some medications an actual license to transport them must be issued.  Your health is of the utmost importance so be very certain you have this covered.

-Food products that can be brought into the UK are very closely monitored, even items that you might have packed for a travel snack, or are bringing as a gift for friends or family.  Meat and dairy products cannot be imported and there are many other items as well that are restricted.  Simple items such as eggs, honey and fish are just a few that you might not think of as restricted but they are.  Many fruits and vegetables are also banned.

-The final thing to consider is the number of things you might be bringing with you.  Even though they are legal to bring, they may very well have a number limit that you must adhere to.  Knowing this in advance can save a lot of time and frustration at the border.

-If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Parents in the UK will have more choice and flexibility in regards to how they use maternity and paternity leaves with the new legislation that the government is planning on releasing soon.

New fathers will be able to request additional paternity leave and pay during the second six months of their child’s life in case the mother wishes to go back to work with maternity leave outstanding.

This will allow parents to share, between them, a period of paid leave, offering families a lot more flexibility to decide on how to take care of their children.

Knowing that employers need time to adjust to this new legislation, the changes will benefit parents of children due on or after April 3rd 2011.

The good news is released with the publishing of the government’s response to a discussion on the subject held at the end of 2009.  The important points of the new regulations are:

-Fathers can ask for up to six months of additional leave.  It can be taken once the mother has returned to work.

-The new regulation will be available during the second six months of the child’s life, allowing parents to divide a period of paid leave entitlement between them.

-Part of the leave may be paid if taken during the mother’s 39-week maternity pay period.  It would be paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay (£123.06 at present).

-The parents will have to certify personally by providing their employer with details of their eligibility.  The employer and HMRC will perform additional checks of entitlement if they consider it necessary.

The government has scheduled the regulations so that the Parliament deliberates on them as soon as possible.  Each House will have to debate and approve them before they can be implemented.  Under this scenario, the government expects to see the law in force by April 2010, and be effective for parents of children due on or after April 3rd 2011.

Contact your immigration lawyer in the UK if you are an immigrant and wish to know if you qualify for this parental leave.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

If you are American, live in one of the states mentioned above, and plan to travel to the UK, apply for your visa within the three months prior to travelling, because the UK Border Agency can only post-date visas by a maximum of three months from the decision date on its visa application.  You should know, however, that there are visas that cannot be post-dated.

You must apply for your UK visa online, and can enter the country anytime after your visa’s issue date, not before, hence, it is recommended that you wait until your visa is approved and delivered to confirm your travel plans to the UK.

The processing time for your visa starts to count once the personnel at the UK Border Agency is in possession of the application, and it varies according to the type of visa you are applying for.

The UK Border Agency recommends that you buy a non-refundable and non-flexible ticket only if you already have a visa to travel to the UK, because it will not assume responsibility for any financial losses, and it does not rush any visa-processing times just because you have already chosen a travel date.

This chart shows the average processing times of UK visa applications received in New York during February 2010, however, these times are not guaranteed.  Every visa application is considered individually, because every person’s situation is unique, thus, processing times may vary.

Processing times are shown in working days, excluding weekends and public holidays.  These are calculated from the day the visa application centre in New York received your visa application form.

The biometric enrolment must be done at a Department of Homeland Security Application Support Centre in the US at the person’s convenience before the documents are delivered.

Contact an experienced immigration lawyer in the UK if you need more information or assistance.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

Below you will find the fees charged for the different types of UK visas.  These fees are given in pounds sterling, however, you can pay in local currency; just contact the corresponding application centre in your country, region, or city to get information about the local fees and what you have to do to pay for your visa.

Every dependant has to pay the same fee as the main applicant, and all of them must pay the fee, whether they are included in the main applicant’s passport or not.

The fees are appraised at regular intervals; the fees shown below have been effective as of April 6th 2010.

A fee can be refunded only if the application is cancelled, in writing, before it begins being processed and if biometrics hasn’t been taken or the applicant refuses to provide it.

The fees are listed by the following categories:

-Visit
-Study
-Employment
-Settlement
-Point-based system
-Exempt
-Others

If you have any doubts as to which category you fall under, for example which tier in the points-based system you correspond to, don’t hesitate to contact UK immigration lawyers.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

The UK is open to people who wish and are able to contribute to its economy, and an important group here are the entrepreneurs from other EU markets.

There are several UK business visas for anyone who wishes to migrate to the UK to do business. However, there is no all-inclusive package of requisites that apply to all the business visa modalities, so this is what someone who wants to become an entrepreneur in the UK needs in order to qualify for this visa:

Entrepreneur Visa
This visa works for individuals who want to come to the UK to start a business and work running that business.

The requisites for a Tier 1-Entrepreneur- Visa are:

-    The person must have no less than £200,000 to start the business.

-    The entrepreneur can start any kind of business; however, he or she must work full-time on it.

-    The entrepreneur has to offer full-time employment to two EEA nationals.

-    The entrepreneur has to take a share of the business’ liabilities.

-    The entrepreneur has to have enough funds to look after himself or herself until the business becomes profitable.

-    The entrepreneur has to have a controlling interest in the business.

-    The entrepreneur has to have a credible and feasible business plan.

-    The entrepreneur has to meet the English language ability requisites.  If the applicant does not have a degree taught in English, he or she must take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and score no less than 6.5 on each of the four components.  This system evaluates English communication skills across the four subjects: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

-    The entrepreneur has to have enough funds, as specified by the UK Government at the time of the application.

The conditions for a Tier 1Entrepreneur Visa are:

-    The visa is initially given for two years.

-    The entrepreneur can ask for a 3-year extension if the business is still active, if the investment has been made, and if two people have been employed.

-    After five years, the entrepreneur can apply for the Indefinite Leave to Remain, or Permanent Residency.

-    Partners and dependent children can share the entrepreneur’s visa and are able to work and study in the UK.

If you have any questions or doubts about your visa application, or require further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact an immigration lawyer in the UK.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

The UK is open to people who wish and are able to contribute to its economy, and an important group here are the investors from other EU markets.
There are several UK business visas for anyone who wishes to migrate to the UK to do business. However, there is no all-inclusive package of requisites that apply to all the business visa modalities, so this is what someone who wants to become an investor in the UK needs in order to qualify for this visa:

Investor Visa
This visa covers people with enough wealth and eagerness to invest their money in UK interests; it is a passive investment modality.

The requisites for a Tier 1-Investor- Visa are:

-The investor must have no less than £1 million on hand.

-    The investor has to be willing to invest £750,000 in unit trusts or private companies; not bank accounts, property development, or offshore companies.

-    The investor should not be employed in any capacity other than managing his or her investment.

-    The investor has to be ready to spend no less than 50% of his or her time in the UK.

-    The investor can invest the other £250,000 in any way he or she wishes to.

-    The investor must comply with the English language ability requisites.  If the applicant does not have a degree taught in English, he or she must take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and score no less than 6.5 on each of the four components.  This system evaluates English communication skills across the four subjects: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

-    The investor has to have enough funds, as specified by the UK Government at the time of the application.

The conditions for a Tier 1-Investor- Visa are:

-    The investor initially receives the visa for three years.

-    After these three years, the investor has to apply for an extension, which will be approved if any decrease in the value of the investment is due to market fluctuation only, if the money was transferred in the first three months after the investor arrived to the UK, and if the total investment amount is still £1 million.

-    The extension visa is granted for two years.

-    After five years, the investor can apply for the Indefinite Leave to Remain, or Permanent Residency.

-    Partners and dependent children can share the investor’s visa and are authorized to work and study in the UK.

Contact your UK immigration lawyer for more information on your specific case.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

This is an important question to ask if you are looking into acquiring the British citizenship, because this act doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to give up your original nationality; it just means that, for a number of reasons, it is best for you now to live in the UK.

The fast and direct answer is yes, immigration UK law allows you to keep your old citizenship when becoming a British national.  However, there are many other countries that will not let you keep the nationality if you choose to get another one; they only allow one nationality.

If you decide to become a British citizen and you are already a citizen of a country that does not allow dual nationality, the authorities will consider that you lost your previous nationality or may refuse to recognize your British one.

It is important that you check with the pertinent authorities how applying for the British nationality will affect your current one.

In the case of the UK, you normally don’t lose your British citizenship when you decide to become a citizen of another country.  If you are a British subject otherwise than by connection with the Republic of Ireland, you will lose that status when acquiring any other nationality.  Equally, if you are a British protected person, you lose that status when you acquire any other nationality.

Some countries have citizenship laws that automatically give a person’s partner citizenship after marriage.  Children will also automatically acquire their parents’ nationality even if they were born in another country.

If your partner, husband or wife, or your children, are visiting the country you are a national to, check with the country’s consulate or high commission in the UK before travelling.

British authorities are not able to give you diplomatic help, under international law, if you are in a country where you are a national.  This is, if for example, you hold both citizenships, the British and the Brazilian, British authorities will not be able to offer diplomatic help while you are in Brazil.

In case you are planning a trip to your previous homeland and are not sure if you still hold its nationality, the first thing you should do is check with the country’s consulate or high commission in the UK to ensure you know under what conditions you are setting foot there.  If you are still a citizen but don’t want to be anymore, they will inform you what to do to achieve that.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk as the original source).

Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

The British government puts a high value on attracting foreign students to come study in their county, from all over the world, and prides itself on its history and its diversity.  UK universities are renowned all over the world, for having some of the highest academic standards, while harboring some of the finest higher learning institutions in the entire world.  UK universities have a reputation around the world for not only being some of the best schools academic wise, but also culturally and spiritually as well.  If you are looking to join the already 1.3 million students currently studying in the UK, the first thing you’ll have to do is get a student visa.  You may want to first contact an immigration lawyer in the UK to see if you are eligible to get a student visa.

To obtain a student visa you will need to supply the UK immigration services with several documents.  You will need to obtain a formal acceptance letter from the school or university you will be attending, not to mention proof that you are the actual recipient of this letter.  You will most likely need to contact the admissions office, at the college or university you will be attending, to provide you with an original signed document, indicating the purpose and length of your study.  You must also make sure that your school of choice is registered with the Department of Education and Skills Register of Education and Training Providers.  This is a basic requirement for admittance, and you will not be able to enter the UK without it.

You will then need to complete and submit an online application form on the visa4UL website, where you will incur a small fee to complete the application.  After your online application has been submitted, and completed, you will send in the completed application to the British Embassy Government Consulate that is located in your area.  Upon obtaining clearance from this consulate, you are free to enter the UK and start studying.

To complete the process you will need a valid passport, and evidence of your residential status in the country where you reside.  You will need a passport photo, and possibly evidence of government sponsorship, if applicable.  You will also need to prove financial support for yourself, during your stay in the United Kingdom.  A student visa to the UK is usually good for about a year.  Students cannot work more than 20 hours while classes are in session and any dependent that may be accompanying you will need to file for a separate visa as well.

Feel free to share this if you found it useful. Tell your friends about this article and feel free to post it to your blog or site. Please, mention the original source: ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk

Disclaimer: Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.

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