Immigration Law

There are many different routs and options to enter and remain in the United Kingdom. Seren Legal Practice will go through these options with you to make sure that you are choosing the best application for your needs.

You can come to the UK as a Standard Visitor:

• for tourism, for example on a holiday or to see your family and friends
• for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting
• to do a short course of study
• to take part in research or an exchange program as an academic
• for medical reasons, for example to receive private medical treatment

You may not have to apply for a visa. What you need to do depends on your nationality and what you plan to do in the UK.

You cannot:

• do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
• live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits
• claim public funds (benefits)
• do a course of study that lasts longer than 6 months
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership. You’ll need a Marriage Visitor visa instead

there are several other visit visa’s including, Marriage Visitor visa, Permitted Paid Engagement visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, Visit the UK in a Chinese tour group and Visa to pass through the UK in transit. Seren Legal can advice you on the best visa to apply for depending on the purpose of your visit.

Your partner can apply for a family visa to come and live with you if they’re either:

• your husband, wife, civil partner, proposed civil partner or fiancé(e)
• your partner who you’ve lived with for at least 2 years

They can only apply for a family visa if you have one of the following:

• British citizenship
• indefinite leave to remain or right of abode
• refugee status or humanitarian protection
• settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re living in the UK on a skilled worker visa, or a student visa your partner will have to apply as a dependent, and If you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection, your partner will need to apply for family reunion.

The rules are different for each type of partner but you’ll always have to show you have enough money to support them and prove your relationship is genuine.

Your partner can apply from outside the UK. They can also apply from inside the UK as long as they:

• were given leave to remain in the UK for more than 6 months
• are not in the UK on a visit visa
• are not applying as a fiancé(e)

All UK Visa applications, regardless of visa category have to meet the very stringent rules and guidance set by the Home Office. What that means is, one small error in your UK Spouse Visa application will result in your visa being refused by the Home Office. Get it right in the first place, Seren Legal Practice will navigate the complexities of your case for you, giving you total peace of mind.

If you are in the United Kingdom without any valid leave but you believe you have established a private life in the UK you may be able to make an application for leave to remain.

The Home Office accept that the following people may have established a private life in the UK and therefore their applications are likely to be successful.

• Children who have lived in the United Kingdom continuously for 7 years
• Anyone under the age of 25 who has lived in the UK for half of their life
• Adults who have lived in the UK continuously for 20 years

If your situation does not fall within the rules we may still help you with an application “outside of the rules” we would be arguing that your case is exceptional or that there would be a breach of your family or private life under Article 8 ECHR.

If your application is granted you will receive 30 months leave to remain. You will not usually have recourse to public funds.

Contact Seren Legal today for a free consultation

There are several types of long term and short term work visa’s. Seren Legal Practice can advise you on the correct visa to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and can help you navigate the complex rules to make sure your application is successful. We have listed the available work visas below, if you would like further information about any of these categories please contact us for a free consultation.

Long-term work visas

• Skilled Worker visa
• Health and Care Worker visa
• Intra-company visas
• Minister of Religion visa (T2)
• International Sportsperson visa

Short-term work visas

• Temporary Worker – Charity Worker visa
• Temporary Worker – Government Authorised Exchange visa
• Temporary Worker – International Agreement Worker visa
• Temporary Worker – Religious Worker visa
• Temporary Worker – Seasonal Worker visa
• Youth Mobility Scheme visa
• Graduate visa

Other work visas

• Global Talent visa
• Frontier Worker permit
• Overseas Domestic Worker visa
• Service providers from Switzerland visa

There is also a temporary visa scheme that opened on 11 October 2021 for poultry workers and HGV drivers. There is also a temporary seasonal worker visa for pork butchers. Please contact us if you would like more information about how to apply for these new scheme’s

You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:

• have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course – the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
• can speak, read, write and understand English
• have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17 – you’ll need evidence of this when you apply