News: Government Announcements

Since its inception in 2008 the ICIBI has published over 130 inspection reports and made more than 800 recommendations for improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of the asylum, immigration, nationality and customs functions for which the Home Secretary is responsible. Over the years, ICIBI has made changes to its ways of working to improve […]

An internal review of the government’s policy on the use of DNA in immigration applications was commissioned in July 2018 and the report and findings were published today. Following the review, a taskforce and dedicated helpline have been set up so that anyone who feels that their immigration case may have been influenced by an […]

The next phase of the roll-out of the EU Settlement Scheme, which allows resident EU citizens and their family members to obtain their UK immigration status, has been confirmed in the Immigration Rules. This follows the successful first private pilot, involving 12 NHS Trusts and 3 universities in the North West of England, which had […]

The IHS allows anyone in the UK on a work, study or family visa for longer than 6 months to access NHS services in the same way as UK citizens. The proposals would see the surcharge increase from £200 to £400 per year for non-EU nationals, with students and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme […]

The Minister for Immigration, Caroline Nokes, has travelled to Nigeria to further strengthen the UK’s efforts to tackle human trafficking and modern slavery. This visit follows Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit to the country last month, where she unveiled a range of support to cut illegal and unsafe migration into Europe from West Africa. Nigeria […]

On 30 July 2018, UK Visas and Immigration’s Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Freetown moved to a new premises. Customers making a new application should attend their appointment at the new VAC. Customers who have still to collect their application will now need to report to the new address. UK visa customers will continue to […]

On Thursday 2 August 2018 at Warwick Crown Court, Mr Ajay Kumar Rattu, aged 39 years, of Sanders Road, Hawkesley Village Coventry was found guilty of one count of providing unqualified immigration advice and services. On the same day, Mr Rattu was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment and ordered to pay £2000 in compensation, and […]

The announcement comes in response to Stephen Shaw’s second review of the government’s approach to vulnerable people in immigration detention which looks at progress the government has made since his first report in 2016. The measures announced include commitments to work with charities, faith groups, communities and other stakeholders to develop alternatives to detention, strengthening […]

With permission Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on immigration detention. As the House knows, our immigration system is made up of many different and interconnected parts. Immigration detention is an important part of that system. It encourages compliance with our immigration rules, protects the public from the consequences of illegal migration […]

On Tuesday 26 June 2018 Commonwealth Evaluators Ltd., and the leading members of the company were convicted at Croydon Crown Court on 12 counts comprising offences of fraud and the unlawful provision of immigration advice and services following a nine week trial brought by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Swaye Binns, 39, […]

Revised policy guidance for Grenfell relatives published today states that people with core participant status or those called to be a witness at the Inquiry who are already in the country, will be able to extend their stay in the UK for a further 6 months. This is to provide certainty for relatives that they […]

The Temporary Enrolment Location (TEL) will operate on 7th and 8th August 2018 from 09.00 am to 05.30 pm from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives (1st Floor Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male). Applicants wishing to use the temporary VAC will follow the normal application process by submitting their forms, paying for their visas and booking their […]