Immigration Rights

In his first piece, Seraphus director Christopher Desira looked at the evolution of migration, and its ubiquitous nature across civilisation and history. He also considered the evolving rhetoric around migration, and the way in which migrants are often seen as a burden on the state. In this piece, Christopher delves further into the dynamic between […]

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 […]

The United Kingdom, a racially and ethnically diverse nation, has long grappled with accusations of racism within its immigration system. Recent legislative developments have once again brought this issue to the forefront. In this article, we mark the week of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination by delving into the evolving landscape of […]

In this piece, Seraphus director Christopher Desira takes a broad look at the concept of migration- how it relates to human nature, what drives it, and how it fits into an increasingly complex world. Christopher also highlights the problem with restrictive and reactionary policies that fail to prioritise humanity and safety above ideology. Overall, he […]

Who does not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge? Certain categories remain exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. The full list can be found here on GOV.UK, and some notable examples are below: Applicants facing financial constraints can request a fee waiver by demonstrating their inability to afford the Immigration Health Surcharge. Applicants facing […]

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 […]

Is housing asylum seekers on board the Bibby Stockholm an innovative strategy to reduce costs and maximise on space in asylum accommodation? Or does new asylum accommodation foster exclusion, isolation, and altogether fail individuals seeking protection in the UK? This article highlights the challenges faced by asylum seekers that have been placed in temporary accommodation […]

Does love have borders or a bank balance? Do you have to have a particular nationality or income in order to love? Effectively, according to new legislation changes in the UK, the answer is ‘yes’. Ignoring the advice of the Migration Advisory Committee, Home Secretary James Cleverly has recently announced sweeping changes to UK immigration […]

Many people living in the UK with limited leave to remain are restricted from having “recourse to public funds”. In this blog, we will explain the terminology around public funds and provide some guidance about who can request access to public funds. What are public funds? The term “public funds” seems very broad, and could […]

The government published its strategy statement on Legal Migration and Border Control, outlining its vision for the British border and legal migration system in the next three years. They plan to implement the strategy through the New Plan for Immigration, which came into force earlier this year and made significant amendments to the immigration system. Some main changes […]

As many as 13,000 people are thought to be held in modern slavery in the UK today, with up to 25% believed to be minors. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 sets out the framework for their protection. Under that Act, certain public authorities such as police and local authorities have a duty to notify the Secretary of […]

The controversial Nationality and Borders Act, which had been criticised by everyone ranging from the UNHCR to faith groups to NGO’s in the field, became law on 28 April 2022. We look at the major changes in law, and what it means for the UK immigration system more broadly. The Act makes significant changes to […]

The Home Office’s published its latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 617) on 10 September 2021. The Statement makes changes to several visa routes, which we summarise in this post. For EU citizens, a number of things have changed. Two announcements particularly stand out. The first concerns COVID-19 concessions for those EU citizens with […]