UK Visa Fees set to change again

9 September 2010
The UK Border Agency announced that they intend to increase the immigration and nationality application fees for those applicants looking to visit, study, work or stay in the United Kingdom. From the 1st October 2010.

For the full written ministerial statement on the proposed visa fee increases click here

Birth Registration Process - What Documents You need to Provide

If you live abroad you may apply for consular birth registration at your nearest British Consulate or the Foreign Commonwealth Office if you live in the UK. The application should be sent to the UK Embassy or High Commission in the country your child was born and they will assess the child's claim to British Nationality. Once this has been proven the birth will be registered.

Documents to send:

• child's overseas birth certificate

• mother's full length British birth certificate ( Or Naturalisation Certificate)

• father/second parent's full British Birth Certificate (Or Naturlisation Papers if born outside the UK)

• parents marriage certificate or civil partnership registration

• One Current British Passport
  

If one parent was born overseas you will still need to supply the overseas birth certificate or passport copy. All original documents must be sent plus two clear copies of each. It is possible to to use a certified copy of the passport but the bio data page MUST BE certified by a UK solicitor or notary public registered with the law society.

Unmarried Partner Process

If you are a British male and your child's mother is a foreigner you may ONLY apply for a consular birth registration of a child who was born on or after 1st July 2006. If you are an unmarried woman who has given birth abroad and you would want the father's details to be printed on the certificate- both you and the father will need to swear Statutory Paternity Declarations in front of a UK Solicitor/Commissioner of Oaths. This can be sworn in front of a consular officer if you are resident overseas

Cost

Registration costs £100.80 whether in London or overseas consulate and each certificate costs £64.80. You can pay by Postal Order or Bankers Draft.

Duration of Application

Inside the UK with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office most applications take about 20 days or 4 weeks to process.

Pakistan
India
Bangladesh
Philippines
Nigeria

If you are in one of the above countries then at present they are experiencing longer waiting times (Usually up to six months) for applications to be processed.

Tier 1 Changes starting 06 April 2010

The UKBA has announced that it will be using the recommendations made by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and applying some policy and rule changes to the Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Points Based System in the United Kingdom.

Tier 1 General

The initial period on the Tier 1 visa will be reduced to 2 years and the extension applications will be approved provided sufficient evidence is submitted to verify the applicant is in Highly Skilled employment.

Transitional arrangements will be in place for individuals already n the UK or who have their visa approved before 6th April 2010

The Age section has been changed to allow applicants up to 39 years old to claim for points

Qualifications criteria have been changed to again allow for points for people with Bachelor Degrees (30 points) with reduced points for PhD Holders. (45 Points)

Previous Earnings section has an increase in the required earnings to allow for points for earnings of 25,000 GBP and above

An Additional salary band will be introduced with a threshold of 150,000 and above (75 points)

Tier 1 Post Study Work Visa (PSW)

Graduates of Medical Schools located in the UK, are now able to switch into Tier 1 Post Study within 12 months of completing their foundation programme