Immigration & Visas

The United Kingdom has opened applications for charities and eligible non-profit organisations seeking accreditation as lead sponsors under its new refugee sponsorship programme. The Home Office announced the opening of applications on October 29, introducing new pathways intended to allow refugees to enter the country through community sponsorship and study opportunities. The programme includes the

Applications for UK Skilled Worker visas fell sharply in the year ending September 2026, according to provisional figures published by the Home Office, extending a downward trend in several major immigration routes. The official statistics recorded 26,400 applications from main applicants seeking Skilled Worker visas during the 12-month period, a 43 per cent decrease compared

A senior UK cabinet minister has declined to explicitly endorse a proposal that could require some migrant workers to wait 15 years before qualifying for permanent residence, highlighting divisions within the government over its planned immigration reforms. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh repeatedly avoided backing the proposed 15-year qualifying period during interviews on Wednesday, 21 October

Revenue from Britain’s immigration health surcharge fell by more than £100 million between the 2024–25 and 2025–26 financial years as migration declined, according to analysis by the health policy think tank the Nuffield Trust. The findings, reported on Tuesday, 20 October, highlight how a charge paid by many visa holders has become an increasingly important, but

Tony Hall, a 62-year-old man who has lived in Britain since childhood, remains under threat of deportation to Barbados despite an unsuccessful removal attempt more than 16 years ago. Hall arrived in Britain in 1976 at the age of 12 to join his mother and siblings. He has spent most of his life in the

A Christmas visit to Lancashire is in doubt after the UK Home Office refused a visitor visa to Khin Thant Zin, a Myanmar-born woman living in Thailand with her British fiancé and their infant son. The family had planned to travel to Burnley so five-month-old William Cross could meet his great-grandfather, George Kerr, who is seriously

The UK government has warned Eritrea that it could stop issuing visas to its nationals unless the country resumes accepting the return of people who have no legal right to remain in Britain. In an announcement on Thursday, 15 October 2026, the Home Office said Eritrea had withdrawn cooperation on returns earlier this year despite months

The UK Home Office says 2,357 people arrested during illegal-working enforcement visits were subsequently returned from the country between July 2024 and June 2026, an increase of 50% compared with the preceding two years. According to the Home Office, 1,570 people encountered or arrested during workplace visits were recorded as having returned between July 2022

Migrant care workers and supporters sang Aṣa’s “Jailer” during a protest outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Monday, 28 September 2026, opposing plans that could lengthen the wait for permanent settlement. UNISON said more than 400 people took part, with some wearing symbolic balls and chains, according to Premium Times⁠, which reported on the

Some universities in the United Kingdom are withdrawing admission offers to international students, including Nigerians, following an increase in visa refusals and tighter government rules for institutions recruiting from overseas. The development has raised concerns among prospective students who have already received offers or are preparing to apply for courses in the UK. According to