Frequently Asked Questions

There is no general legal requirement to instruct a solicitor. Some applicants prepare straightforward applications themselves. Professional advice can be particularly valuable where the correct route is uncertain, the evidence is complex or finely balanced, there has been a previous refusal or immigration breach, or sponsor compliance is involved. A solicitor can help identify legal, evidential and procedural risks, but no adviser can guarantee the outcome of an application.

Anyone providing immigration advice or services in the UK in the course of business must generally be appropriately regulated or otherwise authorised or exempt under the statutory framework. This includes solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, barristers regulated by the appropriate professional body and advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority. Providing immigration advice unlawfully can constitute a criminal offence. Always check an adviser’s regulatory status before instructing them.

The appropriate route depends on factors including your qualifications, professional background, employment or business plans, job offers, family circumstances, finances, immigration history and long-term objectives. Two people with similar professional profiles may require entirely different immigration strategies. An assessment at the outset can help identify the available routes and the legal and evidential risks attached to each option.

Yes. Many work, business and family visa applications are made as entry-clearance applications from outside the UK. We work with clients internationally by video call and electronic communication. The correct application process will depend on the relevant route and the applicant’s country of residence.

There are normally two separate categories of costs: government charges and professional fees. Government charges may include the visa application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge, biometric or appointment services and optional priority services. Some routes are exempt from certain charges. Government fees change periodically and should be checked on GOV.UK before applying. Our professional fees are explained clearly before instructions are accepted.

A fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa allows an eligible person to come to the UK for up to six months to marry or enter into a civil partnership with their qualifying partner. The applicant cannot normally work or study during this period and must make a further application after the marriage or civil partnership.

A spouse or civil partner visa is for someone whose marriage or civil partnership is already legally recognised. An initial partner visa granted from outside the UK is normally valid for up to two years and nine months and can lead to settlement if all the relevant requirements continue to be met.

Yes. You must normally demonstrate that you and your partner have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years before the application.

There is no longer a requirement to prove that you have lived together for the entire two-year period. Where you have lived separately because of work, study, cultural circumstances or another reasonable explanation, you must provide evidence showing that the relationship is genuine, subsisting and comparable to a marriage or civil partnership.

For most new partner applications, the applicant and partner must usually demonstrate qualifying income of at least £29,000 a year. The requirement can potentially be met through specified employment, self-employment, non-employment income, pensions, cash savings or an allowed combination of sources.

Different transitional requirements may apply where the applicant first entered the five-year partner route before 11 April 2024 and is extending with the same partner. The detailed documentary requirements are strict and the applicable rules should be checked before applying.

Where the sponsor receives certain specified disability or carer-related benefits, the minimum income threshold may be replaced by an adequate-maintenance test.

In other cases, an application may still be considered where refusal could cause unjustifiably harsh consequences or breach the applicant’s or another person’s rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Yes. The Home Office considers whether the relationship is genuine and subsisting and whether the couple intend to live together permanently in the UK.

Relevant evidence may include the history of the relationship, time spent together, communication, cohabitation, shared financial responsibilities, travel, family involvement and commitments to one another. The quality and consistency of the evidence are more important than simply submitting a large volume of documents.

Dependent children may be able to apply where the requirements of the relevant immigration route are met. These can include requirements concerning age, dependency, parental relationships, care arrangements, maintenance and accommodation.

Where only one parent is applying or living in the UK, issues such as sole parental responsibility, the other parent’s immigration position, consent and whether there are serious and compelling reasons for the child to join the parent may require careful consideration. The requirements vary between immigration routes.

The Adult Dependent Relative route exists but is highly restrictive. The applicant must normally demonstrate that, because of age, illness or disability, they require long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks. They must also show that the required level of care is unavailable or unaffordable in the country where they live, even with financial assistance from the UK sponsor.

The applicant must normally apply for and obtain entry clearance before travelling to the UK. The sponsor must also meet the applicable maintenance, accommodation and care requirements.

“Further Leave to Remain” is a general expression used for an application to extend or change a person’s permission from within the UK. The applicable requirements and application form depend on the immigration route.

On the five-year partner route, the process normally involves an initial grant of permission, an extension and then an application for settlement. A valid application made before existing permission expires will normally extend the person’s existing permission under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 while the application is pending. Missing the application deadline can have serious consequences.

The Skilled Worker route allows an approved UK employer to sponsor an overseas worker for an eligible job. The applicant normally needs a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, an eligible occupation, a genuine vacancy, the required salary and the required level of English.

For most applicants seeking an initial grant under the route on or after 8 January 2026, the English-language requirement is at level B2. Transitional provisions may apply to people who previously met the former B1 requirement and are extending on the same route.

The requirements have become more restrictive. Since 22 July 2025, the normal skill threshold has been increased to RQF level 6. This refers to the skill level of the job and does not necessarily mean that the applicant must personally hold a degree.

Certain medium-skilled occupations at RQF levels 3 to 5 can remain eligible where they appear on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, or where transitional provisions apply to an existing Skilled Worker. Medium-skilled sponsorship is subject to additional restrictions, including restrictions on bringing dependants for many new applicants.

As at August 2026, the standard Skilled Worker requirement is normally at least £41,700 a year or the applicable going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher.

Lower salary thresholds may apply in defined circumstances, including certain new entrants, applicants with relevant PhD qualifications, postdoctoral positions, jobs on the Immigration Salary List and applicants covered by transitional arrangements. Separate salary provisions apply to certain healthcare and education occupations. The salary must also comply with National Minimum Wage and working-time requirements.

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record assigned by a licensed sponsor. It contains information about the worker, job, occupation code, salary, working hours and sponsorship period.

It is not a physical certificate. The worker receives a reference number to use in the visa application. The Certificate of Sponsorship must be assigned before the application is submitted and must still be valid on the application date.

Yes, but a change of employer is not automatic. The new employer must hold the correct sponsor licence, offer an eligible genuine role and assign a new Certificate of Sponsorship. The worker must then make an application to update their Skilled Worker permission.

The worker should not normally begin working for the new employer until the new application has been approved. They must also continue complying with the conditions of their existing permission while the application is pending.

A sponsor licence allows an eligible UK organisation to sponsor overseas workers under specified immigration routes. The Home Office assesses whether the organisation is genuine and operating lawfully, whether the proposed roles are eligible and whether the organisation has suitable HR and compliance systems.

The organisation must appoint appropriate key personnel and provide the required supporting documents. Obtaining the licence is only the beginning: sponsors remain responsible for complying with their duties throughout the life of the licence.

Sponsors must maintain specified records, conduct right-to-work checks, monitor sponsored workers and report specified changes through the Sponsorship Management System within the applicable deadlines.

They must also cooperate with the Home Office and be prepared for announced or unannounced compliance visits. Failure to comply can lead to an action plan, downgrading, suspension or revocation of the licence and may affect every sponsored worker employed by the organisation.

The Immigration Skills Charge is payable by the sponsoring employer when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship in circumstances where the charge applies. It is separate from the worker’s visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

The amount depends on matters including the size or charitable status of the organisation and the length of sponsorship. Exemptions apply in specified circumstances. A sponsor must not pass the Immigration Skills Charge on to the sponsored worker.

There is no immigration route formally called “self-sponsorship”. The expression is commonly used to describe an arrangement in which a UK company applies for a sponsor licence and later sponsors a founder, shareholder or other person connected with the company under the Skilled Worker route.

A connection with the company does not, by itself, create eligibility. The company must be genuine and capable of meeting its sponsor duties, and the proposed job must be a genuine eligible vacancy carrying the required salary. The arrangement must not be created mainly to facilitate immigration permission.

The Health and Care Worker visa is part of the Skilled Worker route and is available for specified qualifying health and care occupations. It offers reduced visa fees, and eligible applicants and their dependants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Different salary frameworks can apply depending on the occupation, including national pay scales for certain roles. Since 22 July 2025, new overseas applications for care worker and senior care worker jobs have been closed. Certain in-country applications can continue under transitional provisions until 22 July 2028, subject to requirements including prior lawful work for the sponsoring employer.

Dependent partners and children are permitted on many work routes, but there are important exceptions.

Restrictions apply to most new care worker and senior care worker applicants and to many new Skilled Workers sponsored in medium-skilled occupations at RQF levels 3 to 5 appearing on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List. Transitional arrangements and limited exceptions may apply, including in certain cases involving children born in the UK or sole parental responsibility. Some temporary work routes, such as the Seasonal Worker route, do not permit dependants.

The Global Talent route is for recognised leaders and potential leaders in academia and research, science, engineering, medicine, humanities, social sciences, digital technology and arts and culture. Arts and culture includes areas such as film and television, architecture, fashion design and the design industry.

The route does not require an employer sponsor or a job offer. Most applicants must first obtain an endorsement from an approved endorsing body. Eligible holders of specified prestigious prizes can apply directly without an endorsement.

Several important changes were introduced in 2026.

A new design-industry pathway was added to cover additional design disciplines not previously accommodated by the route. The fast-track academic and research appointments pathway was also simplified and expanded for eligible academic, research and innovation roles.

In August 2026, more than 100 research-intensive commercial businesses were added to the list of organisations able to employ or host eligible researchers under the UK Research and Innovation endorsed-funder pathway. This expanded access beyond universities and traditional research institutes.

Where these categories apply, Exceptional Talent is intended for applicants who are already recognised as leaders in their field. Exceptional Promise is for applicants at an earlier stage of their career who demonstrate the potential to become leaders.

The applicable requirements and evidence differ according to the field and endorsing body. Not every fast-track Global Talent endorsement pathway requires the applicant to choose between Exceptional Talent and Exceptional Promise.

An applicant can apply without an endorsement only where they are the named holder of an eligible prestigious prize listed in the Immigration Rules and the prize has not been withdrawn or suspended.

Eligible fellowships, qualifying academic or research appointments and participation in certain funded research projects may provide access to a fast-track endorsement pathway. However, these applicants still require an endorsement before they can qualify for the visa.

The Innovator Founder route is for an entrepreneur seeking to establish a business in the UK based on an innovative, viable and scalable business idea that they generated or to which they made a significant contribution.

The applicant must obtain an endorsement from an approved endorsing body and have a key role in the day-to-day management and development of the business. The route is not intended for passive investment in an existing business.

There is no fixed minimum investment amount that applies to every Innovator Founder application.

However, the applicant must demonstrate that the business has access to sufficient funding and other resources to implement the business plan. The endorsing body will consider whether the financial projections and funding arrangements are credible and whether the business can realistically achieve its objectives.

An eligible Student visa holder can switch from within the UK if they have completed the course for which they were sponsored or if they are studying for a full-time PhD and have completed at least 24 months of that course.

From 25 November 2025, Student work conditions were amended to allow a Student who has completed their course and is switching to Innovator Founder to establish their business during the transition. Applicants must still obtain an endorsement and meet all the other Innovator Founder requirements.

Only an organisation appearing on the current GOV.UK list of authorised business endorsing bodies can issue an endorsement for a new Innovator Founder application.

The list is limited and changes periodically. Applicants should check whether an organisation accepts new applications, its assessment process, fees and any relevant business requirements. A legacy endorsing body cannot normally endorse a new applicant and can generally only continue supporting an entrepreneur whom it endorsed under an earlier route. The Global Entrepreneurs Programme only endorses founders invited to participate in that programme.

The Graduate route allows an eligible person who has successfully completed a qualifying UK course to remain in the UK and work or look for work without employer sponsorship.

For applications made on or before 31 December 2026, the visa is normally granted for two years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it will normally be granted for 18 months. Applicants who have completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification continue to receive three years.

The Graduate route is not, by itself, a route to settlement. However, time spent on the route may count towards the ten-year Long Residence route if the relevant requirements are met.

Yes, provided the applicant has an eligible genuine job with an approved sponsor and meets the Skilled Worker skill, salary, English-language and other requirements.

Time spent on a Graduate visa does not count towards the normal five-year Skilled Worker qualifying period for settlement. It may, however, count towards settlement under the ten-year Long Residence route. Early planning is advisable because the Graduate route cannot be extended.

Indefinite Leave to Remain, commonly called settlement, allows a person to live, work and study in the UK without an immigration time limit. A settled person may also access public funds where they satisfy the relevant eligibility requirements.

Settlement is normally required before naturalisation as a British citizen, although the precise nationality requirements depend on the applicant’s circumstances. Indefinite Leave to Remain can lapse following a sufficiently long continuous absence from the UK and may be revoked in specified circumstances.

The required period depends on the immigration route. Skilled Workers and many family-route applicants normally qualify after five years, provided all requirements are met. Innovator Founders may qualify after three years. Global Talent applicants may qualify after three or five years depending on their endorsement or qualifying basis. The Long Residence route normally requires ten years of qualifying lawful residence.

Some family and private-life applicants are on a ten-year route, and other categories have their own settlement provisions. The relevant route and continuous-residence requirements must be checked before applying.

The government consulted on an “earned settlement” model under which the standard qualifying period was proposed to increase from five to ten years for most migrants, with possible reductions or increases based on specified factors. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 after receiving more than 200,000 responses.

As at 19 August 2026, the wider earned-settlement model, including the proposed new standard qualifying period, has not been brought into force. Settlement applications therefore remain subject to the Immigration Rules applicable to the particular route at the date of application.

A separate confirmed change increases the English-language requirement for settlement from B1 to B2 on specified routes for applications made on or after 26 March 2027, unless an exemption applies.

The final position remains unresolved. The consultation proposed that the new model could apply to people who are already in the UK but have not yet obtained settlement. It also sought views on transitional arrangements and the treatment of particular groups.

Until the final policy and corresponding Immigration Rules are published, it is not possible to state conclusively how existing visa holders will be affected. Anyone approaching eligibility for settlement should obtain advice based on the rules in force at that time.

The requirement depends on the settlement route, and exemptions may apply because of age or a physical or mental condition. Many applicants must also pass the Life in the UK test.

For applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the English-language requirement will increase from B1 to B2 in speaking and listening on specified routes. These include Skilled Worker, UK Ancestry, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, International Sportsperson, Long Residence, Private Life and Settlement Family Life, among others. Applicants should check whether the change applies to their particular route.

A No Time Limit application allows a person who already holds Indefinite Leave to Enter or Indefinite Leave to Remain to obtain confirmation of that existing status in the form of an eVisa.

It may be appropriate where the person’s evidence of settlement is contained in an old, lost, stolen or expired passport or where they do not otherwise have digital evidence of their status. It does not create a new grant of settlement. No Time Limit applications are made from within the UK and are currently free of charge.

Ordinary Indefinite Leave to Remain will generally lapse where the holder remains outside the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for a continuous period of more than two years. A person whose status has lapsed may be able to apply for a Returning Resident visa.

Different absence periods apply to settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Settled status normally lapses after five continuous years outside the UK, or four years for a Swiss citizen or their qualifying family member. Settlement can also be revoked or lost in other defined circumstances, including deportation.

Most adults applying by naturalisation must have lived in the UK for at least five years and have held Indefinite Leave to Remain, Indefinite Leave to Enter or settled status for at least 12 months.

A person who is married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen does not normally need to wait 12 months after obtaining settlement and may apply as soon as settlement is granted, provided they meet the three-year residence and all other naturalisation requirements.

Applicants must also normally meet the residence, physical-presence, absence, good-character, English-language and Life in the UK requirements.

The good-character assessment extends beyond criminal convictions. The Home Office may consider criminality, pending prosecutions, financial matters, unpaid taxes, bankruptcy, deception, dishonesty, immigration breaches, unlawful working and other conduct.

The effect of a previous immigration breach depends on its nature, date and the applicant’s circumstances. Certain lawful-residence breaches may sometimes be disregarded where settlement has subsequently been granted and no further concerns have arisen. However, illegal entry, dangerous journeys, working in breach of conditions and other serious conduct can still lead to refusal. Each case must be assessed individually before a non-refundable citizenship application is submitted.

A child may already be British automatically, may have a statutory entitlement to registration or may be eligible for registration at the Home Secretary’s discretion.

The correct position depends on factors including the child’s date and place of birth, the parents’ citizenship and immigration status at the time of birth, subsequent changes in the parents’ status and the child’s residence in the UK. British nationality law is technical, and a child’s position should be checked before an application is submitted.

The available remedy depends on the type of decision and the reasons given. The applicant may have a right to request an administrative review, appeal to the First-tier Tribunal, submit a fresh application or, in appropriate cases, pursue judicial review.

These options are not interchangeable. For example, submitting a fresh immigration application can cause a pending administrative review to be withdrawn. The decision letter should explain whether a right of review or appeal is available. The applicable deadlines can be very short, and late challenges may not be accepted, so advice should be obtained promptly.