Found: would like to see more green skills added to the “high demand” lists that the government use to award visas

Found: This has largely been down to our ability to sponsor work visas e.g. sponsoring individuals from top

Found: modern-slavery-and-human-trafficking-offences-and- defences-including-section-45 2.We have heard that care visas

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to raise the minimum income requirement for family immigration visas to £34,000; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of such an increase on (a) Leicester and (b) other low average income areas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The financial requirements for the Family Immigration Rules include the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) which is currently set at £29,000 and is intended to maintain the economic wellbeing of the UK whilst respecting family life.

The Home Secretary has announced her intention to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.

Conducting a review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system. There will be no changes to the current threshold of £29,000, or the ways in which the MIR can be met, until the MAC review is complete.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to publicise the ending of Biometric Residential Permits and transition to e-visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office is delivering a substantial communications and engagement campaign to advise customers of the transition to eVisas and the need for BRP holding customers to register for a UKVI account by the end of 2024, if they were not automatically provided with a UKVI account and eVisa when their most recent immigration application was approved.

This includes, but is not limited to, direct messaging to customers via email and text message where contact details are available, information on gov.uk/eVisa, and how-to videos available on YouTube and via gov.uk/eVisa. We have regular engagement with other government departments, immigration representatives, the education sector, employers, landlords, local authorities, foreign embassies, Home Office advisory groups, devolved administrations and migrant support organisations as part of the engagement process.

A 'partner pack’ of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to customers/clients with whom they engage. In April this year we issued a press notice about the transition to eVisa, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets.

For customers granted settlement (also known as indefinite leave to remain) prior to the introduction of BRPs, we have recommended through this campaign that they should make a No Time Limit application in order to secure an eVisa. Customers with these older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. However, we still encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa, given the range of benefits it offers to customers and status checkers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department have taken to inform residents with Indefinite Leave to Remain visas about the transition to e-visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office is delivering a substantial communications and engagement campaign to advise customers of the transition to eVisas and the need for BRP holding customers to register for a UKVI account by the end of 2024, if they were not automatically provided with a UKVI account and eVisa when their most recent immigration application was approved.

This includes, but is not limited to, direct messaging to customers via email and text message where contact details are available, information on gov.uk/eVisa, and how-to videos available on YouTube and via gov.uk/eVisa. We have regular engagement with other government departments, immigration representatives, the education sector, employers, landlords, local authorities, foreign embassies, Home Office advisory groups, devolved administrations and migrant support organisations as part of the engagement process.

A 'partner pack’ of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to customers/clients with whom they engage. In April this year we issued a press notice about the transition to eVisa, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets.

For customers granted settlement (also known as indefinite leave to remain) prior to the introduction of BRPs, we have recommended through this campaign that they should make a No Time Limit application in order to secure an eVisa. Customers with these older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. However, we still encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa, given the range of benefits it offers to customers and status checkers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many eVisa applications have been received as of 2 September 2024.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

During the transition to eVisas, we are closely monitoring the volume of customers who have registered for a UKVI account and the forecast total volume of affected customers. The total volume will be dictated by ongoing approvals under BRP generating routes through to the end of 2024. This data requires detailed assurance before it can be published externally, but we plan to make it available on gov.uk in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on the citizenship status of individuals with British National (Overseas) visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders may apply for a BN(O) visa which entitles them and their dependent family members to reside in the UK. After completing 5 years’ qualifying residence in the UK, and being free from immigration time restrictions for a further year, BN(O) visa holders and their dependent family members may apply for British citizenship.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will reduce the cost of visas for overseas graduates who are able to fill gaps in the labour market.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Overseas students who successfully complete an eligible course in the UK are entitled to remain on a graduate visa for two years after their studies end, or three for PHDs, to work, live and contribute to society.

The Home Office keeps visa fees under review but has no current plans to reduce fees for overseas graduates. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing are utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system. Taking this approach helps to meet the costs of maintaining an effective Migration and Borders system which benefits everyone.

The Government have also been clear that net migration is too high and must be reduced. Employers are encouraged to look to the domestic labour market to nurture and develop the skills they need where they can.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of linking the minimum income requirement for spousal visa applications to the National Living Wage.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The financial requirements for the Family Immigration Rules include the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) which is currently set at £29,000 and is intended to maintain the economic wellbeing of the UK whilst respecting family life.

The Home Secretary has announced her intention to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules. Conducting a review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system.

There will be no changes to the current threshold of £29,000, or the ways in which the MIR can be met, until the MAC review is complete.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to review the cost of (a) visa and (b) citizenship application fees.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Immigration fees are set taking account of the charging powers provided by Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014, which include the ability to set fees based on: the cost of processing the relevant application, the benefits and entitlements provided by a successful application and the wider costs of the Migration and Borders system. Full details can be reviewed via the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's criteria are for implementation of an emergency visa scheme for refugees fleeing war zones.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As the Home Secretary said in her statement to the House of Commons on the 22 July 2024, the UK will always work, along with other states, to help those fleeing war and persecution.

Our global resettlement scheme, the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) is designed in way that allows us to respond in any emergency. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) can refer cases to the UK under their standard resettlement submission categories, based on people’s needs and vulnerabilities. The UNHCR is expertly placed to help the UK authorities to identify and process vulnerable refugees who would benefit from resettlement in the UK and as such, HMG does not intervene in who the UNHCR refer for resettlement to the UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to seek negotiations with the EU on extending the duration of Schengen Area visas for UK citizens travelling to the EU for longer than 90 days.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Both the UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their arrangements for Third Country Nationals. The UK allows EU citizens short-term visa-free travel for up to six months. Meanwhile, the Schengen Borders Code allows for Third Country Nationals to travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling to the EU.  The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has met her Swiss counterpart to discuss facilitated mobility for Swiss and British professionals to travel to the UK and Switzerland.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Secretary of State for the Home Department has had no meetings to date with her Swiss counterpart. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has met his Swiss counterpart, but it would not be appropriate to comment on the detail of those discussions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of creating a visa waiver scheme for Palestinians requiring urgent medical treatment.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Currently, those seeking to come to the UK for private medical treatment, along with their family members, can apply for a visitor visa and consideration will be given to compelling, compassionate and exceptional circumstances.

It should be noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) position is that people who are medically evacuated should stay as close to home as possible, so that they remain amongst those who are more likely to understand their language and culture, and so that their return home, when ready, is easier.

Found: amended as follows. (2) In Schedule 1 (countries or territories whose nationals or citizens need transit visas

Found: Las visas electrónicas significan que las personas ya no tienen que esperar ni viajar para recoger un

Found: 210,800 applications for the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa route , with over 20 1,877 visas

Found: Accompanying family members of non-UK personnel in the UK on 5-year visas issued after 2013 are on their

Found: From: Home Office and UK Visas and Immigration Published 10 September 2024 Get emails about

Found: Queries should be directed to the Home Office as per the ‘Contact UKVI’ section on the visas and immigration

Found: Queries should be directed to the Home Office as per the ‘Contact UKVI’ section on the visas and immigration

Found: More general queries should be directed to the Home Office as per the ‘Contact UKVI’ section on the visas

Found: More general queries should be directed to the Home Office as per the ‘Contact UKVI’ section on the visas

Found: Home Office, including the UK Border Agency’s first Regional Director for the Americas, the UK Visas

Found: Home Office, including the UK Border Agency’s first Regional Director for the Americas, the UK Visas

Found: the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), commissioning a review of financial requirements for family visas

Found: The financial requirements for family visas include the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) which is currently

Found: have asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements for family visas

Found: Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: Asylum applicati ons matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview ( see the

Found: GroupUkraine Resettlement2023-03-01 00:00:00Meeting / Video ConferenceBilateral with UK Gov - Rural Visas

Found: One of the purposes for which such visas can be issued by UKG is for the person to get private medical

Found: • New visas to visit, live, work, study and invest in Scotland would be established through a new

Found: o On family visas , this government would remove the minimum income requirement for family migration

Found: Grady, Deputy Director, Department of International Trade REDACTED, Education Account Manager, UK Visas

Found: One Board did mention issues with HMRC in relation to items such as paying for Visas and accommodation

Found: • Family visas support our economy and would help our communities prosper by encouraging families

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Home Office regarding any human trafficking in the fishing sector.

Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety

Any form of human trafficking or exploitation is completely unacceptable. Police Scotland’s specialist National Human Trafficking Unit continues to work closely with partners across the UK and internationally to tackle human trafficking. This includes the International Trade Workers Federation, Home Office, and HM Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Scottish Government has consistently opposed the inappropriate use of transit visas as means of accessing non-UK labour in the fishing industry, and reports of migrant labour exploitation within the sector are concerning. The Scottish Government does not support an immigration system which increases the risks for forced labour and exploitation of migrant workers. Sector specific concessions and visa routes are only temporary fixes adding unnecessary complexity to the immigration system. The Scottish Government wrote to the previous UK Government last year, outlining concerns regarding the immigration system’s poor suitability in addressing skills shortages within the fishing industry. We will continue engaging with the new UK Government on the need for a fair immigration system that meets Scotland’s unique economic and demographic circumstances.