Family Migration

The latest last-minute announcement on Monday represents a marked shift in cruelty of the Labour Government. In Yvette Cooper’s latest move, she has announced that Family Reunion applications under the scheme would be paused after 4 September 2025 at 3pm, with possible new restrictions introduced in 2026. Applications submitted before that date and time will […]

If you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR), you may already be thinking about the next step: how to get UK citizenship. But once you’re eligible, the process isn’t automatic. It involves planning, document gathering, and getting the timing right. You may also wonder if becoming British is the right thing for you. You can […]

One of the core principles of the rule of law is that the law is accessible to everybody and that it should be intelligible, clear and predictable. Unfortunately, the immigration system is not built to those standards. We as immigration lawyers often support and advise those who have made applications themselves and then get caught […]

If you are working towards your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) UK immigration status, you may already know that time spent outside the UK—even for a holiday or a business trip—might affect your ILR eligibility. The qualifying period for ILR (often 5 years but sometimes 10, depending on your route) requires a certain amount of […]

For many long-term residents the choice between indefinite leave to remain (also known as ‘ILR’ or ‘settlement’) and British citizenship is crucial. At Seraphus, we understand the uncertainties of immigration statuses. This guide explains the differences, highlights the benefits and limitations of each, and offers practical information to help you make an informed decision about […]

As immigration solicitors, we are frequently asked to untangle difficult legal situations which have significant consequences to those who have requested our help. This is particularly apparent in UK family applications, where we are tasked with making applications that bring loved ones together.  One of our recent clients was trying to do just this. They […]

Becoming a British citizen can open doors for your child, giving them access to a world of opportunities and the full rights that come with British citizenship. There are several pathways to becoming British, including by birth, descent, or naturalisation. However, if you are not born a British citizen, one of the ways to obtain […]

Are you a parent in the UK on the 10-year route to settlement or indefinite leave to remain (ILR)? Find out if you can switch to the five-year route in this article. If you are in the UK as the parent of a child settled in the UK and are on the 10-year route to […]

Although there was a highly publicised increase in fees for immigration applications in October 2023 and to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees in February 2024, there have been other increases brought in gradually since that time in April and July 2024. Amongst these changes, it is largely underreported that there is scheduled to be […]

If you are looking to have your foreign partner join you in the UK, but worried that you may face barriers because you have never lived together, there is good news for you in recent changes to the Immigration Rules.  The Home Office recently updated the requirements of the Immigration Rules for unmarried partners of […]

If you are settled in the UK and you have a non-British partner or child, you might wonder what your financial circumstances must be to bring them to the UK or to renew their visa, particularly since the increase in the income thresholds has recently been discussed in the media.   The rules about this are […]

If you are currently on the 10-year route to settlement, did you know that it is possible to switch to the shorter five-year route to settlement? The 10-year route to settlement refers to a person being granted leave to remain (permission to stay in the UK) for a period of 2.5 years and then needing […]

Today, the UK government announced another statement of changes to the immigration rules, along with a memo explaining their rationale behind the changes. While some changes were anticipated, the statement of changes has implemented an immediate closure of the Ukraine Family Scheme, along with changes to other Ukraine schemes. Closure of Ukraine Family Scheme Effective […]

In December, the Government announced their 5-point plan with the aim of cutting net migration. This plan included measures to increase the minimum income required to sponsor someone for a partner visa. While this may be causing anxiety to many people affected by this change, this piece will provide some much-needed information and reassurance to […]