Immigration Rights

Since the launch of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in 2019, civil society organisations across the UK have played a vital role in ensuring that vulnerable EU citizens and their family members are able to secure their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. Through Home Office grant funding, these organisations have provided essential legal advice and […]

Over the past decade, the UK has moved towards a digital-only system for immigration statuses, replacing physical documents with eVisas and online records. This system is intended to make it easier to prove the right to work, rent, study, and access services in the UK. Every person with an immigration status is expected to maintain an online […]

For years, Denmark has been held up across Europe as the archetype of a tough, deterrent-based asylum regime. It is the model now explicitly influencing the UK’s direction of travel. To understand what the UK’s new asylum policy aims to achieve, and the risks embedded within it, we need to understand what Denmark has done and what […]

On the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), we stand with almost 300 other organisations and groups in the UK in support of the ECHR, and we call on politicians and government to end the scapegoating of human rights.  At Seraphus we are not just proud to join all these hundreds of organisations […]

The UK has a legal and moral duty to provide safe and adequate accommodation to people seeking asylum. People who arrive in the UK in search of safety are often fleeing conflict, persecution or serious human rights abuses. While their claims are being decided, they depend entirely on the support and protection provided by the […]

Over 150 lawyers and refugee organisations recently signed a public statement warning of increasing far-right intimidation directed at those providing legal support to migrants. But such intimidation doesn’t always involve shouting on street corners. It can also come from the government, politicians, and the media, quietly, strategically, and with long-term consequences. Over recent weeks, we’ve seen […]

What is ILR? Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of permanent immigration status in the UK. It allows someone to live, work and study in the UK without time restrictions, and it is often the last step before applying for British citizenship. Many migrants work towards ILR after years of living in the […]

With immigration rarely out of the news, political leaders will be using Party Conference season to demonstrate why their policies will deliver. Yet how workable are these policies in practice, and how much have they been shaped by electioneering and the desire to gain political ground? In this article, our director Christopher Desira examines the […]

Labour’s immigration reforms repeat the Conservative playbook: tough talk, restricted rights, and little honesty about Britain’s real needs. We all deserve a country we can be proud of, a country with higher standards, rooted in responsibility, history, and actual fairness. The Disappointment of Labour on Immigration In her 1 September statement, the Home Secretary set […]

A new pilot scheme between the UK and France came into force this week, that will have a significant impact on people arriving in the UK to seek asylum. Under this new agreement, known as the “one-in-one-out” deal, some people who cross the Channel in small boats will now be sent back to France, without […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of how governments manage immigration and asylum processes. In the UK, where the asylum system is facing record delays, AI is now being used in new ways to help process claims. According to the Home Office, trials of AI-assisted tools have shown potential for making decisions faster. But with […]

In a move that has ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum and within the business community, the UK government announced significant changes to the immigration system via the Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System. In this article, learn about Labour’s UK immigration reforms and their potential impact on migrants and employers. […]

The UK’s “hostile environment” immigration policy—now officially rebranded as the “compliant environment”—was designed to make life unliveable for undocumented migrants. By embedding immigration checks into everyday services like employment, housing, banking and healthcare, the policy shifts the burden of enforcement onto employers, landlords, and public bodies, creating a climate of suspicion and exclusion. More than […]

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 […]