A Canadian court found a Rwandan militia leader guilty Friday of crimes against humanity in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in Canada's first war crimes trial...Canadian court convicts Rwandan of genocide
Traffickers supply expertly-forged travel documents including passports and visas, French police revealed yesterday....
In January Russian artist Dmitry Vilensky was twice refused a Visa to enter theUK on account of the fact that he was to earn a small fee for a seminar thatwas co-organised by The Showroom and Afterall. Since then we have become moreaware of the recent changes in restrictions that make it difficult andexpensive for arts organsations to bring artists and academics from outside of the EU.A campaign website and a petition have been set up: http://www.manifestoclub.com/visitingartists
In other words, any change of visa rules should not affect students already pursuing courses in British universities. If parents had known about this ruling, they could have sent their children for further studies to countries like Australia or New Zealand...Unfair visa rules, Malaysia Star - Malaysia
A soldier's spouse or dependants would almost certainly be granted settlement after applying for leave to stay in the UK..Family of dead Gurkha 'can stay', BBC News - UK
She agreed with a judgment in which Sir George Newman ruled in April 2008 that “the terms of the original scheme should be honoured” and that “there is no good reason why those already on the scheme shall not enjoy the benefits of it as originally offered to them.”
The petition related specifically to changes that affected the migrants’ right to settle in Britain.Under the original scheme, highly-skilled migrants could claim British residency after four years. Later, the eligibility requirement was raised to five years and this was being sought to be applied with retrospective effect....Migrants win legal victory
The Pakistan National Education Consultants Association (PNECA) said the Pakistan has traditionally had strong demand to study in the UK, and since 2004-05, Pakistan nationals have comprised a large part of 70 per cent of British universities. Visa Bureau - London,England,UKPakistan educators complain about UK student visa troubles
Members of the Pakistani National Education Consultants Association (PNECA) gathered with UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials and representatives from UK educational institutions, at the Pakistani Education Advisors’ conference in London.Problems for Pakistan students who want to study in the UK
Britain should tighten rules on admitting highly skilled economic migrants from outside the European Union so they do not take jobs that could go instead to British graduates, immigration minister Phil Woolas said.Kyiv Post - Kyiv,UkraineUK minister seeks tighter rules for non-European Union migrants
Six asylum seekers are claiming £300,000 compensation for beingdetained over a number of days as their status was checked. all understood to have arrived in the UK saying they were under 18 but had no documents to prove it. They each want up to £50,000 for “false imprisonment and breaches of human rights as a result of the actions of the Immigration Service”Asylum 6 sue UK for £300k « News drop...
The UK Border Agency on 15 January 2009 published their first guide to visa processing standards and service standards...UK Border Agency guide to visa processing times and service standards
The National Audit Office (NAO) says the new asylum model, which was introduced in 2006, under which a single immigration official manages an application from start to finish, has led to more claims for refugee status being settled more quickly. However, the new system is still not working at optimum efficiency. The auditors say a full screening interview is not taking place in a quarter of all cases, with the result that key information is being missed. Some people are being detained pending their removal who should not be and some who should be detained are being released. Fewer than one in 10 of those who are being refused asylum under the new process have been removed.Asylum system not coping with backlog of cases-NAO : Hatnews
Steve Lamb, UKBA regional operations director, said: “We are working hard to pull the plug on the jobs which lure illegal immigrants to come to the UK in the first place.“Illegal working is unfair on honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary.“Employers who don’t play by the rules will get struck off our register, lose the right to recruit staff from outside Europe, face on the spot fines and could potentially end up in jail.”...Immigrant denied passport to love in the North - Sunday Sun
The asylum system is developing a backlog of new cases that threaten to undermine efforts to clear an existing bank of more than 200,000 “legacy cases”, some dating back more than 10 years, a Whitehall spending watchdog warns today...Asylum system not coping with backlog of cases-NAO : Hatnews
A NUMBER of Zimbabweans who have had their cases held up at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal may find the following information useful. In a typical scenario, a Zimbabwean asylum claimant will have won his asylum appeal in the period around 2005 on the limited AA and LK grounds, irrespective of credibility findings, and in fact, even where the claimant was completely disbelieved by the court.Latest developments in UK asylum cases
The UK Border Agency has announced a call for tender for the European Integration Fund 2007-2008. Applications to the fund which has a value of approximately five million have to be submitted by 6 March 2009. The European Integration Fund is for legal migrants who have arrived in the last five years and who are not asylum seekers or refugees. It also excludes European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and those who are in the United Kingdom under visa categories such as students... Funding to help UK Immigrants
India is becoming an increasingly important economic power in the World and is now ranked as number twelve in the World by Gross Domestic Product. There are excellent opportunities for trade between the UK and India in areas such as manufacturing and financial services...UK Visas and trade with India
On 19 December 2008 the UKBA made a further announcement regarding the Student Tier 4 of the points system to be introduced in March 2009. Under the new points based system educational institutions will have to be licensed to sponsor students...Reminder for UK educational institutions sponsoring international students
More than 151,000 overseas nationals from outside the EU were granted permission to work: almost four times the level when Labor took power in 1997.It was announced to MPs that 151,635 work visa applications were granted between December 2007 and November last year...Record level of UK work permits issued
The Immigration Minister has announced that DP5/96 is withdrawn as of 9 December 2008. From now on applicants will not be able to rely on it in support of new applications or to resist new enforcement action, however if there are outstanding applications relying on it they may still get the benefit of it.... read more
On 23 January 2009 the UK Border Agency announced changes to the treatment of application for private servants in diplomatic households. This follows a commitment by Ministers that private servants will still be able to apply for settlement under the new Tier 5 of the points system at the end of five years...Servants of diplomats in UK can apply for permanent residence
A failed asylum seeker who killed a former Royal Marines commando in a hit-and-run crash has escaped deportation because his crime is not considered serious enough by the Home Office. Jean Renee Mukadi was jailed for four months after fatally injuring Simon Lawrence while driving without a licence or insurance......Hit-and-run killer cannot be deported from Britain « Immigration ...
There has been a very interesting judgment that has just come out of the High Court that has held to be unlawful the policy of a blanket denial of right to work for those caught in the legacy cases. The case is called Tekle v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] EWHC 3064 (Admin).
Employers will be prevented from advertising jobs overseas under plans being drawn up to ensure that British workers fill vacancies during the recession.Foreign advert ban puts British workers first
Ministers are to tighten immigration rules in an attempt to force firms to hire unemployed British people rather than relying on overseas skilled workers...Crackdown on skilled migrants 'to help UK jobless'
The minimum age at which foreigners can come to Britain to get married is being increased in a new bid to tackle forced marriages.www.telegraph.co.uk
A Pakistani immigrant who claimed her towering 7ft plus stature made her a target in her home town has been refused asylum...Tall woman asylum bid is rejected
A man who fled Zimbabwe after his family was murdered has escaped going to jail for using false papers when he arrived in Doncaster...Man who used fake work permit escapes jail
Officers of the UK Border Agency thwarted an attempt by 18 illegal immigrants to smuggle themselves hidden in a lorry load of lettuce. The Spanish-registered lorry was stopped at Calais at 0550hrs last Sunday....Officers thwart illegal immigrants attempt to get into UK
The UK Border Agency has published its first guide to visa processing times and new customer service standards. Applicant can use the guide for information on how long their visa application may take to be processed, based on latest processing time performance for each visa application centre and main visa type. The information is updated each month...Launch of new visa processing time guide and customer service standards
Although the government has pledged not to remove Zimbabweans from the UK, two immigration judges have approved Phiri's removal on the grounds he entered the country on a Malawian passport...MPs fight to stop deportation of activist
On 18 December 2008 the Government announced that for the time being Bulgarians and Romanians will not get free access to the British labour market. It is interesting to note that Bulgarians and Romanians can enter the UK under an European Community Association Agreement on a self employed basis to do almost any type of work...UK work restrictions for Bulgarians and Romanians to continue
The Business Visitor Visa allows foreigners coming to the UK for work purposes to stay for up to six months. It is designed to make it easier for business visitors coming on brief trips or stop-overs. But a clause in the scheme also allows for "secondees" from overseas companies who have contracts with UK firms providing they are being paid by the overseas company. Migrationwatch warned that could see foreign companies effectively running a rolling exchange programme of its staff with a British firm, replacing a worker every six months with another, rather than the UK company hiring a local worker....Thousands of jobs could be filled by foreign workers because of loophole
TheA THREE-MEMBER panel of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal has promulgated a case called RN (Zimbabwe). RN has been designated the latest Zimbabwean Country Guidance case...Landmark AIT Ruling for Zim Asylum Seekers
Number of non-European immigrants coming to Britain has almost doubled between 2006 and 2007, at the same time as the number of incomers from eastern European Union countries declined...Non-European immigrants coming to Britain double in a year
Getting a work permit in the foreign countries is more of a problem that I bet you must have faced while applying for the same. Though, most of the requirements, rules and regulations required for getting a work permit depend by large on the country's government policies...Helpful tips to get work permit easily
Ministers have denied claims that an “effective amnesty” is in place for asylum seekers as it emerged 40% of a backlog of cases had been approved. If rates were to continue at that level, 180,000 cases would result in people remaining in the UK; however, the Border Agency said this ratio may not necessarily apply in the 320,000 remaining cases. Asylum ‘amnesty’ claims rejected
Allowing every illegal immigrant living in the UK to stay would cost £2 billion a year, rising to £4 billion once newcomers started families, the pressure group Migrationwatch said.Immigrant amnesty ‘would cost £2bn’
The UK Government has announced that the age at which a visa applicant can apply for entry clearance on a marriage visa is to increase from 18 to 21 from the end of this month.In the UK Border Agency statement it was revealed that as from 27 November both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued
The government is planning on preventing failed asylum seekers from appealing to the high court against deportation. The proposals, contained in a Home Office consultation paper, were instantly condemned by refugee rights groups and legal groups....Failed asylum seekers denied appeals
Bishops cautioned their vicars to be on the look out for migrants who are applying to marry in church to get an "immigration advantage."The bishops issued their warning after noticing a large increase in the number of non-EU foreign nationals getting married in church, with some dioceses reporting a 400 per cent rise. The increase coincides with a crackdown by the Home Office on civil weddings involving non-EU foreign nationals, who now have to obtain a certificate of approval before being allowed to go ahead...Church marriages among UK immigrants for citizenship
Asylum applications were at a record low in the second quarter of the year, with just 5,720 made during the period.Asylum applications hit new low This was a drop from 6,595 in the first three months of 2008, prompting Liam Byrne, immigration minister, to claim "Britain's borders are stronger than ever"...
A month ago, a BBC News investigation team uncovered a criminal network in West London, involved in smuggling poor, male farmers from Punjab in India into the UK. These illegal immigrants, known as faujis were given fake documents, poorly paid manual work and stationed in squalid housing. Yes, it was totally wrong to provide them with fake passports, driving licenses and Home Office registration cards. But there are other aspects of this activity where the illegality is not so obvious, and they should be further contemplated before being branded so quickly as inhumane.....Welcome, immigrants
The UK government has established a forced marriage unit to save British citizens facing forced marriage abroad. Rape, domestic violence and honour crimes have all seen gender-sensitive practices develop around their handling in the criminal justice system. But a woman entering the United Kingdom seeking asylum from similar practices and crimes at home faces a far less gender-sensitive and understanding environment....A Charter of Rights for women seeking asylum
Businesses need to register for a new five-tier system which will replace the current UK visa system. This will mean firms will have to register to employ people from overseas. Elaine McIlroy, an associate at law firm Dundas and Wilson, told the website: "At the moment employers have fairly limited duties in terms of ensuring that migrant workers comply with their immigration conditions. Under the new Tier Two system, employers' obligations will be more onerous."...Employers need to be prepared for new UK immigration rules
An alarming number of injuries sustained by asylum deportees at the hand of private "escorts" contracted by the Home Office have come to light in the report entitled Outsourcing Abuses by Brinberg Peirce & Partners, Medical Justice and the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)...Shock revelations of treatment of failed asylum seekers in ...
The UK government will impose restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals wishing to work in Britain after they become EU members in January 2007. The proposals will be reviewed within 12 months, taking into account of the needs of the country’s labour market, Home Office minister Liam Byrne said...Home Office to Restrict Bulgarian and Romanian Workers
As from November companies in the UK wishing to hire staff from overseas will be required to have a sponsorship licence as part of the country’s new Tier system of immigration. Elaine McIlroy, an associate with the employment law team at Dundas & Wilson, has clarified the issue saying that firms who are not ready for the introduction of the new points-based immigration system could face delays in employing personnel from overseas....UK Firms Warned to Prepare for Immigration Changes
It might also prevent failed asylum seekers being denied benefits as is currently official policy, the joint Lords-Commons committee on human rights (JCHR) says in a new report. Such changes might help offset "the popular misconception that human rights are a charter for criminals and terrorism"...MPs urge more rights for the vulnerable and marginalised
Students travelling to the UK for higher studies will soon have to earn at least 40 points to qualify for a visa and prove they have the financial ability to support themselves while studying in Britain, as part of the new immigration rules announced last week. However, students can now work for up to two years after graduating from a UK university compared to the earlier one year. Beginning this November, foreign students in colleges and universitites will also be given a biometric residence permit, which would be similar to an ID card. The pointbased system, which would apply to nonEuropean Economic Area (EEA) students and Emirati students in the UAE, is part of UK’s efforts to tighten its immigration and protect students from bogus colleges...40 points needed to qualify for visa to study in UK
Not only are Chinese tourists discouraged, but also researchers, students, businessmen and investors from around the world, impeded by the expense, delays and hassle. Why bother with an extra UK visa when a Schengen visa gains access to almost all of Europe anyway and free movement within an area of more than 400 million inhabitants with plenty of tourist, business and academic attractions? ...The UK visa jungle and foreign visitors
Foreign students who miss ten classes in a row will be reported to the Government under plans to curb illegal immigration announced yesterday. Universities and colleges will have to keep records of non-EU students and alert authorities if they miss ten university tutorials or two weeks of a course at an English language school or college of further education. ..Foreign pupils who miss class to be reported
The UK Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students - and the universities and colleges hosting them - under the student tier of its new Points Based System. The new system will mean greater transparency for students, who will be able to check online that they qualify for a student visa before applying, and help stamp out bogus colleges that abuse the system. Under the new system, due to be introduced in the spring of 2009, universities and colleges must take greater responsibility for their international students as they may face a ban on bringing over international students if they fail to follow new rules..New Immigration Rules for Students
Students travelling to the UK for higher studies will soon have to earn at least 40 points to qualify for a visa and prove they have the financial ability to support themselves while studying in Britain, as part of the new immigration rules announced last week...40 points needed to qualify for visa to study in UK
New immigration law in UK has increased the time required to gain UK citizenship by a year. Earlier, citizenship process used to take as long as five years, which is now being increased to six years. However, in certain cases, where the applicant does not take up required community work, process will take five plus additional three years, thus making the process eight years long. New step of an additional year will be known as ‘probationary citizenship’ phase...Reactions to new UK immigration law
Government plans to deny failed asylum seekers access to free GP care breach medical ethics and could be illegal, according to evidence that the Department of Health has repeatedly refused to publish. A group of campaigning doctors has obtained copies of almost 40 submissions to ministers on the proposals, confirming widespread resistance among family doctors and others who would be needed to enforce any new rules... GPs demand right to treat refugees
Record numbers of foreign prisoners are being held in jails in England and Wales, according to government figures published yesterday. One in eight of the male prison population and more than one in five of female inmates are foreigners either serving sentences or awaiting trial. report in today's Times
As the tier 1 Immigration system is rolled out Liam Clifford from globalvisas.com can confirm the system is designed to discriminate in virtually every possible way. The UK wishes to be a meritocracy where people from all nationalities, age groups and sexes are treated equally. Over recent years from the Race relations act in 1984 to the age discrimination legislation which came into effect in 2007 the UK have strived for equality. Now the UK Immigration authorities B.I.A have put the struggle for a meritocracy back years...UK Immigration Gets Set To Make A Point To Discriminate
They said the Home Office had interfered in an "arbitrary and unjust" way in the rights of 15,000 people. Ministers said the rules were vital to tackle illegal immigration scams - but conceded they will need to be reformed. Sham wedding powers ruled illegal
Foreign students hoping to come to Britain to study will have to meet strict new rules, the government announced on Wednesday. The Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students and the universities and colleges hosting them, under the new point-based system...Britain issues strict new rules for foreign students
A Swansea court case involving a failed asylum seeker from Zimbabwe has revealed just how easy it is to swindle Britain’s immigration laws - and raises the frightening possibility that if it is this easy, it is likely to be very widespread...Swansea Case Reveals How Easily Asylum Seekers Swindle Britain
At their meeting on 24 July, the EU Home Affairs Ministers noted the stage reached in the proceedings for the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
Noting that international migration is a factor of human and economic exchange which contributes to the economic growth of the European Union, the draft Pact provides for the establishment of a common immigration policy. Its aim is to manage migration flows into the European Union in a way which complies with the norms of international law, takes account of Europe's reception capacity in terms of its labour market, housing, education and social services and protects migrants from the risks of various types of exploitation...http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/focusView.asp?lang=en&id=1&mode=g&name=
All passengers flying to and from British airports will be fingerprinted from next year. According to The Telegraph, the Home Office’’s Border and Immigration Agency has confirmed that it is considering forcing airport operators to introduce this measure to increase security.Passengers to be fingerprinted at UK airport departure lounges
Foreign spouses will be asked to sign an agreement to learn English before they come to the UK. Soon after arrival, the UK Borders Agency will check to see they are doing so, with the threat of cancelling their leave to remain as an incentive..New crackdown on forced marriage
In a recent Court of Appeal case (GO and Others v Secretary of State for the Home Department 1 July 2008), Lord Justice Sedley, Lord Justice Longmore and Lord Justice Moses delivered a judgement which will have significant consequences for Colleges and Universities, as well overseas students who are refused Further Leave to Remain after changing courses...http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/
About 39,000 asylum seekers in a backlog of 400,000 applicants have been allowed to remain in Britain by the Home Office. Another 20,000 people have been removed, the UK Border Agency said. Asylum seekers backlog to remain
Britain’s highest appeals court is scheduled to decide this week whether a divorced woman and her son should be deported to Lebanon, where she claims her abusive husband will gain custody under Sharia law. The case will address the issue of Islamic law and the extent to which Britain is obliged to provide asylum to those wishing to flee countries that practice it...Immigration Watchdog » UK Court to Rule on Islamic Law Case
Amnesty International UK today said it was 'appalled' at the findings of new research from the Jospeh Rowntree Charitable Trust, showing a massive rise in destitution among refused asylum seekers, particularly Zimbabweans... http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17842
Hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers will be allowed to remain in the UK, with the Home Office accused of failing to make inroads into a huge backlog of cases.The move has been described by shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve as an "effective amnesty". Two years ago, 450,000 asylum cases, some dating back to the mid-1990s, required processing and only 90,000 of the files have since been processed.Courts will now block certain deportations on human rights grounds as some of the asylum seekers have lived in Britain for so long...Rejected asylum seekers given 'amnesty'
Mohammed Monchab Ali is a former magistrate and is currently chairman the Greater Sylhet Development and Welfare Council (GSC) in UK - an organisation working for the welfare of Bangladeshi people in Britain. He is also owner of one of the largest Indian restaurants in North Wales - and is now being prosecuted for allegedly employing illegal immigrants...Breaking the Law While Supposed to be Upholding It
You want to work in the UK, there’s a vibrant job market in your field of work, and you’ve perhaps even managed to secure job. The most important part of your job however, is to find the right immigration lawyer to handle your case and documentation to ensure that you can get the right work permit to work in the UK...Choosing the right work permit lawyer
PM Gordon Brown said in February that a new language test would be introduced. But yesterday it emerged that those intending to marry British citizens and settle here will be required to take language lessons only after they arrive... PM's retreat on migrant test
AFC star Joe Nicholson has been denied a visa to enter the UK after his holiday in Kos. He is due to play in AFC match on Sunday against Marquis ..Nicholson is denied UK visa!!
In a significant move, implementing border checks are being considered for crossings at the border between British and the Irish Republic. The main purpose of this move is to crack down on illegal immigrants. The plans do not establish fixed checkpoints at the border between Northern Ireland and the republic of Ireland...Immigration crackdown at Irish border crossings
The British government announced Wednesday that the age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa will increase from 18 to 21 as part of a crackdown on forced marriage. The new law, which also includes asking spouses to enter into an agreement to learn English before coming to Britain, applies to only foreigners who need a visa to enter the
The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court yesterday remanded a woman suspected of having sent her two children alone from Israel to England because she feared the welfare authorities would take the children into custody. ...Mother held for sending kids to UK to trick welfare services
UK bosses are still employing foreign staff without proper papers. Employers face fines of up £2000 per illegal employee and a possible 2 year prison sentence for knowingly using or exploiting illegal workers...UK Companies Are Still Employing Overseas Staff Illegally
As the Home Office put it, "People will have to become licensed to sponsor family members to visit from abroad under the proposed changes to the visa system." A proposal so far, but who will oppose it? Not the Conservative party, for which immigration rules can never be strong enough. Not perhaps the Liberal Democrats either, ahead of an election where every party's nightmare is to be seen as 'soft on immigration'...The Return Ticket
Britain is to increase the age at which foreigners can apply for a marriage visa to crack down on forced marriages, the government said on Wednesday. The age of sponsorship will be upped from the current 18 to 21, the Home Office said, outlining proposals aimed at strengthening the safeguards against the practice. ..UK stamps out forced marriage
STRASBOURG, France, July 17 (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Thursday that an ethnic Tamil man denied asylum in Britain could not be sent back to his native Sri Lanka because he would be at risk of torture there. The ruling could have implications for hundreds of other Tamils trying to avoid expulsion from Britain to Sri Lanka....Court stops UK from returning Tamil to Sri Lanka
Artists from outside the European Economic Area will be subject to a points-based scheme to qualify for entry, and many will have to get a biometric visa. It will add many more financial and bureaucratic hurdles to British arts organisations. Each artist in a visiting dance troupe, opera company or orchestra will have to individually attend a British consulate to obtain a visa, surrendering their passports for a few days, and then get it renewed after six months. For a large orchestra, the visa costs could cost as much as £15,000, making tours less financially viable. ..Immigration reform threatens our artistic excellence
Australians with a UK-born grandparent will retain the right to live and work in Britain but visa conditions may be changed. The British High Commission says the UK government has decided not to scrap ancestry visas as proposed earlier in the year. Under the existing rules, Commonwealth citizens aged 17 and over can be granted residency if they can prove that one of their grandparents was born in Britain. Those awarded visas are allowed to work and then apply for citizenship after five years of residence...UK retains ancestral visas for Australians
The Yorkshire Post tells the story: “Two men convicted of publishing race-hate” [i.e. racially truthful] “articles on the internet have skipped bail and fled to the United States to claim political asylum…Simon Sheppard and Stephen Whittle were given bail by a judge at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, despite having been found guilty of a series of race-related offences. The pair were due to return to court on Monday while a jury continued deliberating over further charges, but they failed to show up… Last night Sheppard, 51, and Whittle, 41, were being held by immigration officials at Los Angeles Airport outside the jurisdiction of the British court system. It is believed that the pair travelled from the UK to Ireland by ferry before taking a direct flight to Los Angeles. They are likely to have their case considered at an immigration hearing in the US before UK authorities can secure their return.”...Two British Men Seek Political Asylum in US
CHRISTIAN supporters of an Afghan asylum seeker living in Sheffield secured a last minute reprieve against his deportation - minutes before his plane was due to take off...Asylum seeker's last-minute aid
The far-right British National Party (BNP) is gaining more support for its policy of stopping "all further non-white immigration" and encouraging voluntary resettlement of Britain's non-whites in "their lands of ethnic origin"...Far right's bid to stop non-white immigration gets support
After many months of consultation, the UK Government has finally decided to continue running the New Zealand ancestry visa program and allow free access for Kiwis for up to six months. Phew! ...Flying Kiwis, breathe a sigh of relief
Amnesty International, said to be a human rights watchdog from London, has expressed its utter disappointment over the deportation of Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, known as Karuna, who is alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka. He was deported following his conviction on immigration charges. ..Amnesty International lambaste UK Authorities over the deportation ...
Veteran Gurkhas who claim they are victims of racial discrimination in respect of settlement rights in Britain have been given the go-ahead to mount a legal challenge in the High CourtTheir case arises out of decisions relating to more than 2,000 retired British Army Gurkhas who have been refused rights to settle as they do not have "strong ties" with the UK....Gurkhas' legal challenge go-ahead
The English Community Care Association, the National Care Association and the Registered Nursing Homes Association submitted their growing concerns for labour shortages to the Migration Advisory Committee, which advises the government on how migration can fill labour shortages...UK Cries Out for Foreign Care Workers
Gordon Brown says he wants the brightest people in the world to come live in Britain. Unless they are Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell, all of whom would be excluded under the government's new immigration rules. The founders of Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. are ineligible for the top tier of the U.K. visa system, the one aimed at attracting highly skilled people, because they lack college degrees. The rules, which didn't require Parliament's approval, are under attack by lawyers and lawmakers who say the country risks excluding the kinds of people it needs....Dropouts Gates, Jobs, Dell Unworthy to Get UK Visa (Correct)
The Government have announced that foreign nationals wishing to become British citizens will have to earn the right to stay. The tough new approach will require all migrants to speak English and obey the law if they want to gain citizenship and stay permanently in Britain, while speeding up the path to citizenship for those who contribute to the community...Newcomers must earn the right to stay
The UK government will impose restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals wishing to work in Britain after they become EU members in January 2007. The proposals will be reviewed within 12 months, taking into account of the needs of the country’s labour market, Home Office minister Liam Byrne said...Home Office to Restrict Bulgarian and Romanian Workers
The Immigration Bill doesn't matter because it only affects foreigners, right? Wrong. The bill will affect thousands of kiwis, and people we think of as kiwis, who have lived here in some cases for decades...The Immigration Bill: it affects you
At least 5,000 Indians, disenfranchised by the UK's recent diktats on immigration policy that forced them to return to the mother country, are to be allowed to re-enter Britain, in the latest twist in the two-year-old wrangle over holders of Highly-Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP ) visas....5000 disenfranchised Indians can return to UK
Malaysian will need visas to visit the U.K even for short stay in early 2009. As we know, now Malaysian can enter Britain without visas for maximum of 6 months of duration stay but recently, because of a Home Office report identifies fake passports, criminal acts and terrorism as possible risks posed by visitors so that U.K government might be started the new visa requirements become law by early 2009....Visa plan for 'risky' visitors
After a decisive win against the UK Border Agency by an advocacy group (called the HSMP Forum), Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) visa holders will have easier rules for extending their stay in the United Kingdom. HSMP visa holders who were granted an HSMP approval letter before 07 November 2006 will be subject to separate requirements when applying for an extension to their HSMP visa...HSMP visa holders win back old extension rules
Study shows that emigration in UK is higher than ever before. Also immigration is on the rise in UK. It can be derived from figures which came from different research conducted by various organizations that in 2006 alone 207,000 British citizens left their country. But the immigrants also came by more than double. In the same year around 510,000 foreigners arrived in UK to stay for a year or more....Emigration and Legal Aid in UK
A leading newspaper in Portsmouth, south England, has launched a 'Let Her Stay' public campaign requesting the government to allow a grandmother from Kerala to continue to stay in the UK..UK daily launches campaign for Kerala grandmum
Britain will prosecute its nationals who commit sex offences against children abroad, even if that offence is not illegal in the foreign country it was committed. The new legislation, contained in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, will come into effect from Monday July 14...Law to prosecute UK sex tourists
Under proposals to be put before Parliament next week, new arrivals will also be required to contribute to a fund to be spent on lessening the impact of sudden mass immigration on local public services. ..Immigrants to be forced to show they can speak English to gain ...
Visitors from 11 countries - including South Africa - could be forced to get a visa before coming to Britain, it was announced...Countries face visa rules rethink
A South African university graduate who faced deportation from Scotland because of a visa mix-up has won her battle to stay after a campaign led by her local church...Graduate wins right to stay in UK after visa error
Something confusing is visa applications and the rules and conditions thereof. The Brits are now tightening up a little bit. I read somewhere today that 17 000 South Africans go on work visas every year..... the UK government has introduced a new points-based system that's going to follow Australia's successful plan for migration. Basically what they are doing this year is replacing all the visa categories with a more simplified system that's going to work a points base. The fact of this is that the working holiday is going to be replaced by a new visa mobility scheme....UK visa restrictions for South Africans? Laura Pinto – visa ...
The move on domestic worker visas suggests that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) is taking a more flexible view and listening to advice from the Migration Advisory Committee...http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Attempts by Gordon Brown to use a meeting of G8 leaders this week to campaign for tougher action against Zimbabwe are in danger of being undermined by claims that Britain is forcing as many as 11,000 Zimbabweans seeking refuge here to make a stark choice between destitution or returning home to possible torture or death. Letters obtained by The Observer show that the Home Office continues to order failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers to return home in the face of mounting violence....Zimbabwe and the UK’s Caring Border Agency
A schoolboy footballer from a one of the most war-torn parts of Africa faces career ruin because the Home Office won't make a decision on whether he can stay in Scotland...Asylum row could cost Scotland a football star
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has today issued findings from its fifth audit report on the UK asylum system, focusing on asylum decision-making in detention centres, where some individuals are held while their applications are being decided in accelerated procedures...UK:UN criticises UK asylum decision-making
An asylum seeker “with the potential to represent Britain at the Olympics” is being kicked out of the country and being told to go back to Algeria...OLYMPIC HOPEFUL FACES DEPORTATION
The European Court of Human Rights Thursday ordered Russia to pay 10,000 euros (15,800) dollars in compensation to an army recruit who collapsed while performing 370 knee-bends, reported dpa.The Strasbourg-based court found the 26-year-old suffered long- term damage to his health as a result of harsh physical training that amounted to cruel and inhuman treatment...Human rights court orders Russia to compensate army recruit
Tough new sanctions will be imposed on people who fail to ensure family members visiting from abroad play by the rules, the... Government announced
The Swedish Migration board has decided that openly gay and lesbian people of Iran will be granted instant asylum in the country, contrary to the previous asylum-conditions that required substantial evidence of the individual’s persecution...Sweden Streamlines Asylum Process for Gay Iranian Refugees
Lord Justice Sedley, a Court of Appeal judge, accuses the Government of threatening the independence of the judiciary by imposing a rule that obliges judges to dismiss an asylum-seeker's story if that refugee has fled their home country using a false passport. Sir Stephen Sedley, writing in the London Review of Books, warns that such a measure "is a serious invasion of judicial independence"...Asylum-seekers put at risk by law, warns top judge
Human rights campaigner Mr. Noordin Mengal was denied entry into the USA and detained. In what appears to be a clear violation of international law, Mr. Mengal was deprived of the rights accorded to detained persons awaiting charge, and was denied contact with both his family and legal counsel...Balochistan: Urgent Appeal – Detention and repatriation of British ...
The British government is being urged to "initiate urgent reforms to the asylum system to end the injustice whereby many genuine gay refugees being sent back to viciously homophobic countries like Iran, Uganda, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Belarus and Saudi Arabia."...Reform the Homophobic Refuge System, Gay Activist Tells Trade ...
The media is awash with scare stories about immigrants being a burden on society. Socialist Worker challenges these myths...Why we should defend migrant workers
The British government is being urged to "initiate urgent reforms to the asylum system to end the injustice whereby many genuine gay refugees being sent back to viciously homophobic countries like Iran, Uganda, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Belarus and Saudi Arabia...Reform the Homophobic Refuge System, Gay Activist Tells Trade ...
Sweden has implemented a European Union directive designed to create easier work permit access across the 27-member bloc for visiting non-EU scientists and researchers...Researchers exempt from work permits in Sweden
Starting 30 June 2008, the UK’s new points based system, referred to as ‘Tier 1 (General)’, will go into effect for all individuals looking to immigrate to the UK as a general highly skilled migrant. On this date, it will completely replace the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). In addition, three new sub-categories of Tier 1 will be introduced: Tier 1 (Investors), Tier 1 (Entrepreneurs), and Tier 1 (Post-Study Work)...UK TIER 1 goes worldwide
Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the figures showed the Home Office was now making progress. In January I set the UK Border Agency the tough target of removing 5000 foreign criminals by the end of the year, an increase on last ...More foreign prisoners deported
AL (Serbia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department Regina (Rudi) v Same Before Lord Bingham of Cornhill, Lord Hope of Craighead, Lord Scott of Foscote, Baroness Hale of Richmond and Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood Difference in immigration policy is justified…
An inquiry has said that Britain’s asylum system is inhumane and urged the Government to improve the treatment of refugees. The Independent Asylum Commission (IAC), whose members include senior clergy, lawyers and academics, made 46 recommendations to the Home Office, including ways to speed up the handling of claims in a report today...‘Culture of disbelief’ found amongst officials dealing with refugee claims
Under the previous Scottish Executive, the opposition repeatedly called for an end to the detention of asylum seeker children at the former prison Dungavel. Now, the Scottish government is opposed to that detention..New alternatives for asylum seekers
One of the ways that the judges fiddle the legal system to benefit their masters is to deliberatly misinterpret the law knowing that unless the individual can then get leave from the British government to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, that the law in the UK will remain in breach of the ECHR....The Judges Strike Again
Catering groups and immigration lawyers have slammed the Government's new name-and-shame policy for firms employing illegal migrant workers, claiming it unfairly punishes good businesses and drives shady operators underground...Illegal employees name-and-shame policy slammed
Britain on Wednesday scrapped controversial plans to impose financial bonds as guarantees to ensure that family visitors from India and elsewhere leave the country on the expiry of their visas. The government said it had no plans to introduce financial bonds for family visitors, and added that there will be a new sponsored family visitor category with licensed sponsors who would vouch for the family visits....Britain scraps controversial proposal for short-term visas
Seven men broke out of controversial detention centre Campsfield House in Kidlington this morning, it has been confirmed....Campsfield: Seven break out
Leading members of London's financial services industry are to meet government ministers next week amid fears that new immigration rules could undermine the competitiveness of Europe's premier financial centre and even lead to tycoons such as Bill Gates being turned away...Employers to press UK ministers on migrant rules
Starting 30 June 2008, the UK’s new points based system, referred to as ‘Tier 1 (General)’, will go into effect for all individuals looking to immigrate to the UK as a general highly skilled migrant. On this date, it will completely replace the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). In addition, three new sub-categories of Tier 1 will be introduced: Tier 1 (Investors), Tier 1 (Entrepreneurs), and Tier 1 (Post-Study Work)...UK: Tier 1 for Highly Skilled Migrants goes world wide 30 June
It is twenty years since the United Kingdom introduced the principle of carriers’ liability for immigration, by which transport operators are penalised if they fail to operate an entirely effective system for policing immigration: see this article for a concise explanation of the legislation in its context. This principle has, however, a far more ancient ancestor in Scots law than is generally known...Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act 1614: on this day
Independent charity Refugee Action's Steve Rylance told politics.co.uk the UK government is "fudging the issue" of asylum applicants from Zimbabwe and wants a reform of existing rules...Refugees 'let down by UK govt'
With pressure building on the Greek government over the alleged violent abuse of asylum seekers, the BBC's Paul Henley speaks to a man who says he experienced the brutality at first hand. Dormitory at Camp Samos, camp was closed last ...Asylum seekers 'abused' in Greece
June 20, 2008 is World Refugee Day. This year CARE is telling the world the story of the refugee women of eastern Chad and how you can help us to support these women to improve their lives, and the lives of their families and their communities....On World Refugee Day CARE gives a voice to the women of the Chad camps
Half a million Iraqis fled their homes last year creating the worst refugee crisis in the world, a report said.....Refugee crisis as 500000 flee Iraq
Police have launched an operation to recapture the detainees after being informed of the breakout by the Home Office at 03:45 BST this morning. Seven people originally escaped from the immigration removal centre at Campsfield House, which is five miles north of Oxford, with three since being apprehended....Refugees 'let down by UK govt'
A KESWICK restaurant has been fined £10,000 for employing migrant workers illegally.Bosses at the Red Fort have become one of the first in the country to be targeted as part of a crackdown by the UK Borders Agency...£10000 fine over illegal migrant staff
In what would be a comedy of errors if its consequences were not so serious, Tula Miah, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin, was mistaken by immigration officers for Bilal Ahmad, a failed Pakistani asylum seeker and absconder, even though Miah spoke no Pakistani languages and was two inches taller and three years older than Ahmad....British citizen deported as 'failed asylum seeker'
A UK Home Office Committee has announced they will conduct a new inquiry into how the new immigration system will be introduced. The inquiry will focus on aspects such as the new points-based system and the Tier 1 High Skilled Migrant programme. The group will then consider the proposals put forward by the Government....Home Office Committee looks into new UK immigration plans
The First Minister has raised these concerns with the UK Home Office on a number of occasions. "Fiona Hyslop wrote to Liam Byrne two weeks ago about these ...Salmond in talks to force closure of Dungavel centre
Liam Byrne, the immigration minister, argued that the August bank holiday should become a celebration of Britishness and help establish a shared cultural identity. ...'British national day' plan angers Scotland
A Ugandan woman seeking the right to stay in the UK for Aids treatment today lost the final round of a 10-year legal battle to avoid being sent home....Aids treatment Ugandan woman refused asylum
Home Office officials claim that Mr Saadon, who says he has been granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom, cannot prove that he has lived in ....'I will be dead within days of going back to Baghdad'
SHEFFIELD, UK — An ETHIOPIAN man who had sought asylum in Sheffield drowned in the River Don after a night out in the city centre. Efrem Woldemichael, who was in the process of appealing the Home Office’s decision refusing him the right to stay, was found near Effingham Street behind The Wicker, four weeks after he disappeared.......Ethiopian asylum seeker in UK drowned in a river
MigrationwatchUK, a pressure group, has calculated that a net 2.3 million immigrants arrived in Britain between 1991 and 2006, the majority of them from developing economies in Africa and Asia....Nine out of 10 immigrants 'non-European'
The United Kingdom government has recently proposed changes to the rules for migrants who wish to attain British citizenship. Changes include a probationary period for new citizens, payments that migrants must pay towards helping communities deal with the impact of increased immigration, and tough measures for prospective citizens who commit offenses....Rules for British Citizenship
UK attmepts to Ban Snoop Dogg For Third Time.After two failed attempts to ban Snoop Dogg from the country, the UK Border Agency has filed an appeal and is again trying to have Snoop banned.Last week Judge George Warr ruled against the Agency's last banning attempt, saying they had failed to provide sufficient evidence that Snoop was a threat to public safety...05/04/08 - UK attmepts to Ban Snoop Dogg For Third Time
TheUK Border Agency has reportedly offered a gay Syrian seeking asylum in Scotland less than $100 (£46) to get him to accept deportation and return to Syria, the Scotsman reports:. "Jojo Jako Yakob, 19, fled his homeland two years ago ...UK Offers Gay Syrian £46 to Get Lost, Go Home
Regulations banning failed asylum seekers from receiving free NHS treatment have been declared unlawful by a High Court judge...Asylum seeker NHS ban 'unlawful'.
THE Royal Navy, once the scourge of brigands on the high seas, has been told by the Foreign Office not to detain pirates because doing so may breach their human rights.....Pirates can claim UK asylum
The Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov, acclaimed as one of the greatest in the world, has been forced to cancel his upcoming performances in Scotland and London because of changes to UK visa regulations.....Visa row as pianist forced to cancel UK show
The government suffered a blow today when new, tougher immigration rules for skilled workers who want to remain in the UK were declared unlawful by the high court. ....High court declares new immigration rules unlawful
Illegal Immigration ‘Crackdown’ New initiative on illegal immigration in the UK? four hundred and forty police officers are being brought in.....Sql duplicate records
Britain is preparing to expel hundreds of failed asylum-seekers back to Zimbabwe because the government believes they are at no "general risk" in their home country, a newspaper reported Sunday....Britain to expel up to 1000 Zimbabweans: report
When a Surrey Nursing Home owner was granted a Work Permit for an in country Senior Care worker in September 2004 little did he know that it would take nearly two years before the Carer could start work...Successful UK Visa Appeal For Danny
The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today called on ministers to ensure that legal aid reforms do not restrict access to justice for the most vulnerable groups in society. The Government’s proposed reforms do not take into account factors like location, translation services and the level of legal expertise required, all of which could result in poor families losing access to free high quality advice...Liberal Democrats back plans to protect legal aid
New Zealand has made a formal submission to the British government on proposals to limit short-term visa arrangements, Prime Minister Helen Clark said ...Nz makes submission on British visa proposal.
Prospective Filipino migrant workers to the United Kingdom (UK) will be the target of internet scams operated from that country, the Department of Foreign Affairs quoted Philippine Embassy in London as saying on Sunday.....Filipino workers to UK to be attacked by internet scams
A gay teenager who sought sanctuary in Britain when his boyfriend was executed by the Iranian authorities now faces the same fate after losing his legal battle for asylum...A life or death decision
Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, which currently sets out the law on prevention of illegal migrant working in the UK, has been repealed and ...Illegal workers: new employment laws come into effect
Samantha Crozier, who is a Canadian national, has been told that she must leave Britain when her temporary visa runs out in April...The Army wife who faces deportation
Stars of British theatre, film and television will tonight turn the spotlight on what they describe as the brutal treatment of women and children seeking asylum in the UK...Theatre stars unite for reform of 'brutal' UK asylum system 1/3/08
The British Home Office's Green Paper on the issue says, "We need to decide whether a Commonwealth national's ancestral connections to the UK are sufficient ...Row over UK plans to abolish 'ancestry visa'
A recent House of Lords debate has raised the issue of the implications for asylum seekers and refugees of the government’s proposed ‘contract’ for foreign nationals becoming citizens. The government’s announcement followed close on the heels of the publication of the Green Paper containing the results of the BIA’s consultation on citizenship...Citizenship and asylum A recent House of Lords debate has raised ...
The British government has proposed reforms in British immigration policy for skilled and educated immigrants...UK proposes immigrantion reforms
A Foreign national caught with a forged passport will be deported after serving a jail sentence he received ...MAN HAD FORGED PASSPORT
Indian-origin girl Zarine, 15, suffering from a rare genetic disease, faces deportation after an immigration judge disallowed her appeal to be allowed to stay on in London for treatment....Indian teen with rare disease told to leave UK
Doctors from outside the EU will be prevented from applying for postgraduate training posts in the UK when new immigration rules come into force.The Home Office has outlined new regulations to prevent overseas doctors applying for foundation and speciality training posts after complaints that homegrown doctors are unable to find jobs once they graduate....New rules will ban non-EU doctors
The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA), part of the UK Home Office, has announced a general increase immigration fees to be put before Parliament..... You can read the BIA announcement in full at: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
The Home Office is to start the forcible removal of lone child asylum seekers, despite fears that many will be sent back to war zones where their safety and welfare cannot be guaranteed...Home Office defends plans to send back child asylum seekers
The government is gearing up for a battle with other European Union (EU) states over Brussels’ plans to restrict the use of flight passenger data...UK government clashes with EU over data plans
Plans published by the Home Office on Wednesday propose a considerable increase in the fees businesses pay for workers’ visas under the new PBS points based ...CBI says new immigration fees may hit economy
The rights of an estimated 10,000 migrant care workers to remain in Britain have been protected after a “change of heart” by ministers over new immigration rules, .....Victory for migrant carers
UK immigration restrictions may be lifted for 2012 Olympics preparation... UK Visa Bureau
Foreign visitors to the UK are likely to face more restrictive visas under proposals to tighten immigration rules.Families that sponsor trips to Britain from relatives abroad could also be forced to put up a cash bond – possibly of £1,000 – before the visitors are allowed into the country....UK visitors face stricter visa rules
Iraqi soccer phenom Nashat Akram's face already graces hundreds of posters plastered around Baghdad. And in recent days, he had been poised to do what no Iraqi player has done before: Sign a professional contract with a top team in England's Premier League -- a trailblazing move that many predicted would open the "golden door" for future soccer stars.....Britain denies Iraqi soccer star's dream
UK Student Visa process is the simplest amongst all the countries. Bank Loan is also accepted by British Deputy High Commission for Student Visa..."Hotel Management in UK", Sunday Times.lk - Columbo,Sri Lanka
The Punjabi suburb of Southall in west London was at the centre of a BBC sting operation, which revealed a network of illegal immigrants from India. Later, two Indians were caught illegally entering the UK in an army lorry from Kosovo...Illegal Indian immigration poses big problem for UK
He claimed to be a desperate asylum seeker living in abject poverty.Unfortunately for Iranian Massoud Montazery, 29, his wife's luxurious fur coat and their fleet of lavish cars, including an X-type Jaguar and a Mercedes, was something of a giveaway.So was the £500,000 in his two bank accounts....Benefits cheat asylum seeker had £500000 in the bank and drove a ...
The UK Border Agency is initially responsible for the thousands of unaccompanied children smuggled into Britain each year. They then farm them out to local authorities. The Refugee Council said this week, however, that each year councils were given little warning of how many children to expect, despite a Border Agency pledge to designate a group of local authorities who would receive set numbers of childen and be given specialist training....Children smuggled into Britain are overwhelming the UK Border Agency _Times Online - UK
·New plans which are being considered by the UK government may enable skilled workers to be recruited more regularly from countries outside the European Union such as Australia and New Zealand. Currently UK companies must look for skilled workers from within the EU rather than turn to Australia and New Zealand for workers. 16 /01/ 2008 -Visa Bureau ..... New plans could make UK immigration easier
·An African woman, who was raped by soldiers in front of her children, has won a four-year asylum battle against a system campaigners say is prejudice against victims of sexual violence… 16/01/2008- Epoch Times UK StaffBritish Asylum System 'Prejudice Against Rape Victims'
·Ministers face a doctors' rebellion over plans to deny failed asylum-seekers the right to free health care while they are in Britain.. The Independent 16/01/2008 deny failed asylum seekers the right to use the NHS
·THREE illegal immigrants have been arrested working in South Wales every week since a new border agency was created last year…15/01/2008 - icwales.icnetwork.co.uk- Three illegals are arrested every week
