UK Immigration Updates
± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± = ± =
http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/
CLICK BELOW FOR APPLICATION FORMS
NEW FEES AND APPLICATIONS FORMS Looking for a particular form?
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NATURALISATION APPLICATION FORM (52 PAGES)
NEW RULES FOR BRITISH NATURALISATION EFFECTIVE AS FROM 1ST NOV. 2005
DOING EXAM FOR NATURALISATION - FIND OUR YOUR TEST CENTRE
HAVE A LOOK AT LIFE IN THE UK TEST
DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLICATIONS
COMING TO THE UK http://www.lifeintheuk.net/
http://www.skillclear.co.uk/residency.asp Applying for Travel Documents in the UK
=====================================
Tough UK immigration rules from 28th April, 2008 where applying for extension of stay in the United Kingdom you have to be fingerprinted. All applications to Home Office including Legacy applications will be made in person at the Home Office so that fingerprints (Bio Data) can be taken. The two-year marriage concession was revoked on 21st April, 2008. (see below).
28 April 2008
From 28 April 2008, people applying for an extension of stay in the United Kingdom using application forms for students FLR(S) and marriages FLR(M) will also need to complete the new section (7) of the application form which covers biometric immigration documents. Biometric immigration document is the legal term for identity cards for foreign nationals.
Details of those who need to apply for a biometric immigration document and information on the application process can be found in the studying in the UK and the UK residency sections of this website.
This page explains if you are able to extend your stay in the United Kingdom to study.
If you are a student who already has leave to study here, you can apply to extend your stay if:
If you attend a succession of short courses below degree level the maximum overall permitted period of stay for a student is two years. A short course is a course of less than 1 year duration or longer courses broken off before completion.
To apply for an extension to stay in the United Kingdom to study you will need to apply using the FLR(S) application form. You can download this form and the guidance from the right hand side of this page. You should read the guidance notes before completing the application form.
From 28 April 2008, people applying for an extension of stay in the United Kingdom using application form FLR(S) will also need to complete the new section (7) of the application form which covers biometric immigration documents. Biometric immigration document is the legal term for identity cards for foreign nationals. More information about the introduction of the identity cards in November 2008 can be found in the Managing our borders section.
At present, you will only need to complete section 7 if you are aged 18 or over and will not be including any dependants in your application.
If you are applying by post you will only need to apply for a biometric immigration document if you live at an address within the London postcode area:
Once your postal application for your extension has been received, we will send you a letter asking you to make an appointment at our public enquiry office in Croydon to have your fingerprints recorded and photograph taken. If you do not book an appointment, we may not accept your application as valid and we will return any fee you have paid. If you book an appointment and fail to attend or refuse to provide your biometrics, your application may be refused.
You will not have to pay an additional fee when you attend the appointment. If your application to extend your stay is successful, you will still receive a vignette (sticker) in your passport, rather than an identity card.
If you are applying in person at our public enquiry office in Croydon, you will also need to apply for a biometric immigration document regardless of your postcode. Your fingerprints will be recorded and photograph taken as part of the application process on the day you attend the public enquiry office.
You will not have to pay an additional fee when you attend the appointment. If your application to extend your stay is successful, you will still receive a vignette (sticker) in your passport, rather than an identity card.
If you are applying in person at another public enquiry office, you will not need to apply for a biometric immigration document at the moment. We will update the information on this page when this requirement changes.
For further details about the biometric immigration document, you should read the FLR(S) guidance notes. These can be downloaded from the right side of this page.
You will not be able to extend your stay in the United Kingdom as a student visitor. There are no provisions in the student visitor rules for extensions to be granted. Leave as a student visitor can only be obtained by applying for a student visitor visa at a British Diplomatic post abroad or by seeking leave from an Immigration Officer of the UK Border Agency on arrival in the United Kingdom.
New immigration rules announced
London, Tuesday 6th May, 2008. Further details of the points system for people from outside the European Economic Area wanting to work in the UK are due to be revealed later. The "highly skilled" workers category already lets most young graduates work in the UK if they have earned a salary equivalent in their country to £40,000. The Home Office is now setting out the rules for "skilled" workers - who will need required points and a job offer. Employers will also have to show they sought to recruit in the UK first. Points for skilled workers will be awarded according to qualifications and salary prospects. Ministers say the rules would have cut skilled migrants last year from outside the EEA (the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) by 12%. The Home Office says that in the 12 months to last September, 65,000 skilled workers from outside the EEA were allowed in, but that under the new rules there would have been almost 8,000 fewer. Details will also be revealed later about how many points entertainers and sportsmen and women will need to come to the UK on short-term contracts. The Home Office has said such workers attending one-off events, such as the Edinburgh International Festival, will not require points, but will need a visitors' visa. The new immigration points system, which is based on education, previous salary and age, was announced two years ago. The Home Office says the aim of the system, being phased in this year, is to ensure that only those with the skills most in need gain entry to the UK. The more skills a worker has, and the more those skills are in demand, the more points they will gain, increasing the likelihood of entry. The first stage of the new points-based system, which applies to highly-skilled workers came into force in February. The second set of requirements, details of which will be announced today, focuses on skilled workers filling gaps in the labour market. An independent committee will advise ministers on which skills the economy needs. Other stages covering temporary workers, young people and students will be introduced later. The Home Office says that there is no need for any unskilled workers from outside the European Economic Area.
Revised ID cards plans unveiled in UK
London, Thursday 6th March, 2008. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is setting out a revised timetable for the roll-out of identity cards in the UK. Non-EU migrants will have to get cards from later this year, airport baggage handlers from 2009 and - from 2010 - students will be offered ID cards. She also suggests the wider population may not have to get ID cards at all and could opt to use biometric passports to prove who they are instead. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are opposed to ID cards. Ms Smith, in a speech later, will say that the first Britons to get the ID cards will be those working airside in Britain's airports, such as baggage handlers and cabin crew. She will also announce a rollout to students - with the thinking being that they will be the most willing to accept them as they could help students do things such as open bank accounts.
Critics say the cards are unlikely to prevent future terrorist attacksMs Smith also said, ahead of the speech, that from 2011 - later than planned - people would have to give their biometric details when renewing their passports. The plan had been that everyone getting a passport would have to get an identity card from 2010, but Ms Smith says that people will instead have the choice to use the biometric passport as their identity document instead. The government's plans for ID cards, linking personal data to a fingerprint, have been plagued by technical delays, budget overspend and political controversy. The government claims identity cards will boost security, tackle identity fraud and prevent illegal immigration. Critics oppose the cards on cost, effectiveness and civil liberty grounds. Government sources have suggested that the next groups to be offered ID cards will be those working in sensitive roles or locations. It is thought these could include people not just with security related jobs, but also those involved in caring for children. But some security experts stress that those convicted of terrorism in recent years were never involved with identity fraud. Prime Minister Gordon Brown hinted earlier this year that the scheme may not be compulsory for UK nationals but suggestions of a U-turn were denied. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who introduced the initial identity card scheme, has previously said it would not work unless everyone had to have a card. Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "The government may have removed the highly visible element but they have still left the dangerous core of this project. "The National Identity Register, which will contain dozens of personal details of every adult in this country in one place, will be a severe threat to our security and a real target for criminals, hackers and terrorists. "This is before you take the government's legendary inability to handle people's data securely into account."
Q&A: Identity card plans
Jacqui Smith is about to unveil changes to the timetable for the introduction of ID cards in the UK. Here is an explanation of the government's existing plans.
What are the ID card plans?
Everyone over the age of 16 applying for a passport will have their details - including fingerprints, eye or facial scans - added to a National Identity register from 2008. The first identity cards will be issued to foreign nationals coming to work in the UK in 2008, and from 2010 the Identity and Passport Service will issue "significant volumes" of ID cards alongside British passports. For two years people will be able to opt out of having an ID card - but from 2010 anyone renewing or getting a passport will have to get one.
Will it be compulsory to have an ID card?
From 2010, all passport applicants will be issued with ID cards. If Labour wins the next election it has said it will bring forward legislation for MPs to vote on to make them compulsory for all UK citizens over the age of 16, although Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said such a move also depends on the success of the voluntary scheme. It is not currently planned to make carrying ID cards compulsory.
Why is the UK getting identity cards?
The government says it wants to give people a sure-fire way of proving they are who they say they are. It argues ID cards will boost national security, tackle identity fraud, prevent illegal working and improve border controls. Opponents say ID cards will be an infringement of civil liberties and a waste of money.
What information will be on the cards?
The card will contain basic identification information including a photograph of the card holder, along with their name, address, gender and date of birth. A microchip would also hold biometric information - a person's fingerprints or iris or facial scans, which are unique to the individual.
Are the details stored centrally too?
No. Plans for a single database holding the personal information of all those issued with a card have been scrapped. Instead, information will be held on three existing, separate government databases. The whole scheme will be overseen by a new independent watchdog.
What the cards would store about you
What won't be stored?
The government has sought to allay some fears about ID cards by saying they will not store details about someone's race, religion, sexuality, health, criminal record or political beliefs.
Did everyone in Parliament back the plans?
No. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are against the scheme and both say they would scrap it if they win power. The House of Lords also rejected the plans five times, before agreeing on the compromise deal allowing the opt-out from 2008.
What will happen when I apply for a passport?
You will have to go to your local passport office where you will be photographed and fingerprinted. The new Identity and Passport Service will then carry out a "background check" on you to establish that you are who you say you are. Your details will then be entered in a national database and you will be issued with a passport and an ID card. You will probably be able to use your ID card as a passport within the EU.
How much will ID cards cost?
People would have to pay £30 for a stand alone ID card. Ministers say it will cost an estimated £93 to produce a combined passport and identity card. But the fees people will have to pay for those in practice have not yet been set. Cards, which will not be needed for under-16s, could be free for retired people above the age of 75, while those on low incomes could pay reduced rates. However, experts at the London School of Economics believe that the total cost of the ID scheme could be three times the government's estimate.
Will there be a discount for those who opt-out of having an identity card?
No. Charles Clarke, who steered the measure through Parliament when he was home secretary, said the final charges have yet to be worked out but those who opt out of ID cards will have to pay the same for a passport as those who accept one and their details will be entered into the database in the same way.
What about foreign nationals wanting to enter the UK?
From 2008 they will have to apply for "biometric residence permits" or "biometric visas" and their details will be entered into the national identity database. The government also wants all foreign nationals living in the UK to have identity cards and will make anyone applying to extend their stay register biometric details, from 2008.
What are the objections?
Critics say identity cards interfere with civil liberties, are too expensive and will do little to tackle problems like terrorism. There are fears the cards might cause friction among ethnic minority communities particularly affected by police stop and searches. And some are worried the cards would force illegal immigrants into avoiding contact with hospitals and police.
Do other countries have ID cards?
Several countries in the European Union now have some form of ID card, even if they are not compulsory. They have become widely accepted by their citizens. In France, for example, about 90% of the population carries one. But many other countries, like Japan, Australia and New Zealand, have not adopted the idea. Neither has the US, but it does intend to make visitors have cards to cover their visas.
Why did Britain get rid of ID cards after World War II?
During the WWII the ID card was seen as a way of protecting the nation from Nazi spies. But in 1952, Winston Churchill's government scrapped the cards. The feeling was that in peacetime they simply were not needed. In fact they were thought to be hindering the work of the police, because so many people resented being asked to produce a card to prove their identity.
What data will ID cards store?
Fears have been raised by opponents of identity cards about the amount of information which could be stored on the database. Here is the full list of the 49 types of information which the Identity Cards Bill says may be on the register.
Personal information
Identifying information
Residential status
Personal reference numbers
Record history
Registration and ID card history
Validation information
Security information
Records of provision of information
Gordon Brown has not changed his mind on identity cards despite speculation he is preparing for a U-turn, a home office minister has told the BBC. Meg Hillier said the PM had "made it very clear" he supported the scheme. Tory leader David Cameron has written to Mr Brown asking for clarification after a Commons clash over whether he wants them to be compulsory or not. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said he believed there had been a "significant shift" in the government's position. The row was ignited by an interview Mr Brown gave to a Sunday newspaper in which he said: "Under our proposals there is no compulsion for existing British citizens".
London, Saturday 1st March, 2008. Employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants could be jailed for two years under new measures coming into force today. Unscrupulous bosses could also be hit with an unlimited fine, as part of changes which the Home Office claim amounts to the biggest immigration shake-up in a generation. Firms which are negligent about checking whether their employees have the right to work in Britain could also be hit with a £10,000 on-the-spot fine for every illegal they hire. The first stage of the Government's much-trumpeted points-based system also comes into force today. The initial tier to be implemented will apply only to highly-skilled workers who want to take jobs in the UK, and other elite workers already in the country who want to extend their visas. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "The introduction of our Australian-style points system will ensure that only those with skills the country needs can come to work and study." Ministers also revealed that businesses which want to sponsor and employ migrants must be licensed by the Border and Immigration Agency. A licence will be required from the autumn.
London, Saturday 1st March, 2008. The first tier of the five-tier scheme, which is similar to the one used in Australia, applies only to highly skilled workers who want to work in the UK and it will be the first to be implemented. Tier 2, which covers skilled workers with a job offer and Tier 5, covering temporary workers such as musicians, actors and sportsmen will both come into effect in the third quarter of 2008, while Tier 4, which covers students, will come into effect at the beginning of next year. Tier 3, which covers low skilled routes, will only be used if specific shortages are identified that cannot be filled from the UK or European work force. The scheme will effectively prevent low skilled workers from outside the European Union from coming to the UK. A licensing scheme for employers who want to recruit workers from overseas will also come into effect from the autumn. Employers who recruit illegal workers will also now face fines of up to £10,000 for each illegal employee, while those who are found to have knowingly hired illegal workers could face an unlimited fine and a prison sentence. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "The introduction of our Australian-style points system will ensure that only those with skills the country needs can come. "Migrants benefit this country economically, contributing an estimated £6 billion to our national output, as well as socially and culturally and it is right that we have a system which is fair but firm, accessible but controlled. "Today's proposals are part of the biggest changes to British immigration policy in a generation which include a new deal for those migrants seeking citizenship here, a new UK Border Agency to strengthen controls at the border and the introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals." Conservatives have called for an annual limit to be introduced on immigration.
London, Saturday 1st March, 2008. A new points system that will monitor non-Europeans entering and working in the United Kingdom takes effect on Friday. Copied from Australia, the system includes tougher penalties for persons who employ illegal immigrants. Under the new regime employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants could be jailed for up to two years. The strategy is part of Britain's plans to overhaul immigration policies and tighten border control. Non-European applicants will be divided into five categories. The first tier, affecting highly skilled workers, is being rolled out now. As of Friday, foreigners in this category already living in Britain will also be assessed using the new system when applying to extend their stay. By the end of the summer all applications from highly skilled people including entrepreneurs and scientists will be determined under the new rules. The other four categories are: skilled people with a job offer, the low-skilled, students, and temporary workers. The rules affecting the skilled workers and temporary workers are expected to be implemented shortly, while those applying to students will come into force next year. Only last week at a debate in the House of Commons, several Caribbean nationals and British politicians called on the Commonwealth Secretariat to make their voices heard on the British policy changes.
Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat Rainsford Smith said there is nothing the secretariat could do about British immigration proposals and policies which are expected to have a negative impact on the Caribbean. Speaking in a debate on Europe and the Future of the Commonwealth, at the British House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr. Smith noted that the Commonwealth Secretariat's basic role is to carry out the mandate of Commonwealth countries. Caribbean nationals attending the forum hosted by Facilitators for a Better Jamaica argued that Britain, through the proposed immigration changes, was reflecting a gradual shift from the Commonwealth countries. This they said would have devastating social, political and economic effect. They called on the Deputy Secretary General to lobby at the highest level to ensure their concerns are addressed. However, President of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes has called for Commonwealth leaders to make their voices heard. He said Britain was changing as a result of pressure from other European counties and if Commonwealth leaders fail to speak up for their people, the changes would be implemented with devastating effects. The possible immigration changes and proposals include a reduction from six to three months on visitor's visa, a ₤1,000 security deposit for visitors and a ₤20 levy on landing in Britain for Non-Europeans. The changes also stipulate an extension of the time to get citizenship from five to six years; a new points-based system for migrants, as well as the possibility of non-European migrants being denied social benefits if they do not obtain British Citizenship.
CONGOO - UK Immigration Updates
Immigrant taxi drivers are set to have criminal convictions from their home country checked for the first time. The new rules for cabbies in Wycombe are essential to protect the public, councillors asked to approve the new scheme are told. Drivers will have to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct' from their country of origin as part of a new policy on district cabs. This certificate - recommended by the Department for Transport - is authenticated by the driver's embassy. A report to Wycombe District Council members, set to give the final say on the plan, states: "Although Criminal Records Bureau checks are carried out on all applicants, these checks can only verify convictions or cautions passed within the United Kingdom. "So there is no knowledge of any possible criminal history from elsewhere." It was therefore "essential in the interests of public safety that thorough checks are carried out". This was all the more important given the "vulnerable" status of some passengers such as children, the disabled and the elderly. The council's regulatory and appeal committee will be asked to approve the policy on March 3. The council is also taking moves to remove its limit of 50 taxis that can be hailed in the street. Once sufficient taxi rank space is found, the plan will go ahead.
UK records lowest asylum applications in 14 Years
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief
LONDON (UK): The United Kingdom has registered lowest level of asylum application for 14 years in 2007, according to statistics released by the Home Office. In 2007 there were 23,430 principal asylum applications lodged, this represents the lowest number of annual applications since 1993. It also means that principal applications are now a quarter of the level they were at in 2002. The figures show that between October and December 2007, there were 6,910 principal asylum applications. Last year 12,525 failed asylum seekers, excluding dependents, were removed from the United Kingdom. Overall the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) removed 63,140 people from the UK, one person deported every eight minutes. The BIA not only increased the number of decisions made in 2007, 21,660 compared to 20,930 in 2006, but also made those decisions quicker than ever before. By the end of last year the BIA was beating its target to have 40 per cent of new asylum cases concluded within six months, and the Agency is on track to conclude 60 per cent in under six months by the end of 2008. In addition, the Government has committed to expanding the detention estate by the end of the year to increase the number of people who can be removed from the UK. Border and Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, welcomed the fall in the number of asylum seekers and said this was due to stronger border controls that have been put in place.
This page provides details about the good character requirement that must be met by anyone applying for British nationality unless:
We consider you to be of good character if you show respect for the rights and freedom of the United Kingdom, have observed its laws and fulfilled your duties and obligations as a resident. We will check with the police and may contact other government departments as part of our character check. By signing the application form you are giving your consent for us to contact these organisations to obtain information about you.
On 5 December 2007 the Home Secretary announced changes to the way that an applicant's good character will be assessed for the purposes of naturalisation and registration as a British citizen. The changes took effect as from 1 January 2008. This page has been updated to include the changes. Applications made on and after that date will normally be refused if the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offence and the conviction has not yet become 'spent' in accordance with the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Application forms and guides will be updated in due course.
We will check that you pay income tax and National Insurance contributions. We may ask HM Revenue & Customs for confirmation of this. If you do not pay income tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) you should send a Self Assessment Statement of Account with your application. If you have been declared bankrupt at any time you should give details of the bankruptcy proceedings. Your application is unlikely to succeed if you are an undischarged bankrupt.
We will carry out criminal record checks on all applications from people aged 10 and over. You must also provide details of all civil proceedings which have resulted in a court order being made against you. You must give details of all unspent criminal convictions. This includes road traffic offences but not fixed penalty notices (such as speeding or parking tickets) unless they were given in court. You must include all drink-driving offences. An explanation of unspent convictions is given below. If you have an unspent conviction, your application for citizenship is unlikely to be successful. You should wait until the end of your rehabilitation period before applying.
If you have been convicted of a criminal offence you must declare your unspent convictions but do not need to declare ones that are spent. A conviction becomes spent after a certain period of time has passed (we call this the rehabilitation period). The length of time it takes for a conviction to become spent will depend on your sentence. It starts from the date on which you are convicted. The table below provides examples of the spent period of various sentences for someone aged 17 or over. The period may be shorter if you were aged under 17 at the time of your conviction.
If you have been sentenced to more than 30 months in prison for a single offence, this can never become spent. Your application for citizenship is therefore unlikely to be successful. If you have been convicted of a criminal offence but the rehabilitation period has passed by the time you make your application you do not need to provide details of the conviction on your application form. If you were convicted of a further offence during the rehabilitation period of your original conviction, the rehabilitation period for your original conviction may be extended. If you have been convicted of a criminal offence and the spent period has not passed you must include details of the conviction on your application form. If the conviction is unspent at the time of your application, it is unlikely that your application will be successful.
| Imprisonment or youth custody of 30 months or more | This conviction can never become spent |
| Imprisonment or youth custody of between six and 30 months | 10 years (five years if you were under 18 when convicted) |
| Imprisonment or youth custody up to six months | Seven years (three and a half years if you were under 18 when convicted) |
| Fine | Five years (two and a half years if you were under 18 when convicted) |
| Absolute discharge | Six months |
| Driving disqualification | Once disqualification has ended |
| Bind over, conditional discharge, probation order, community service order, hospital order | One year or when the order ends, whichever is later |
We may decide to ignore a single conviction for a minor offence if it resulted in a bind over, conditional discharge or small fine, if you are suitable for citizenship in every other way. We will only ignore "regulatory" offences such as speeding. We will not ignore offences involving dishonesty such as theft, violence or sexual offences. We will also not ignore drink-driving offences or convictions for driving while uninsured or disqualified.
You must provide details of any offence for which you may go to court for or are awaiting a hearing in court. This includes any offences for which you have been arrested and are waiting to hear if you will be formally charged. If you are living in Scotland you must provide details of any recent civil penalties. If are arrested or charged with an offence after you have made your application you must let us know.
You must tell us if you have ever had any involvement in terrorism. If you do not regard something as an act of terrorism but others do or might, you must mention it when making your application. You must also tell us if you have been involved in any crimes in the course of armed conflict including crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide. Widespread or systematic attacks on civilian human beings committed at any time (not just during armed conflict), as part of a government policy or a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned by a government or self-appointed authority. This includes offences such as murder, torture, rape, and severe deprivation of freedom. Serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions committed during an armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions are international treaties that set humanitarian standards, mainly for the treatment of civilians and prisoners of war. Examples of acts that may constitute a war crime are deliberate killing, torture, extensive destruction of property that is not necessary for military reasons, unlawful deportation, intentionally targeting civilians and taking hostages. Acts committed with the intention of totally or partly destroying a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
There is no definition of good character in nationality law, but we would normally accept that the requirement is met if:
- our enquiries with the police and other government departments reveal no cause for concern;
- there are no unspent convictions;
- there is no other information to cast doubt on the applicant's character.
CloseYou may apply if you wish, but should bear in mind that an application in these circumstances is unlikely to be successful.
We will normally disregard a single conviction for a minor offence resulting in a bind over, conditional discharge or relatively small fine or compensation order, if a person is suitable for citizenship in all other respects. By 'minor offences' we mean speeding or other 'regulatory' offences. Offences involving dishonesty (for example theft), violence or sexual offences are not classed as minor offences. Drink-driving offences, driving while uninsured or disqualified are also not minor offences.
CloseThe new policy applies to all applications made after 1 January 2008. If your application was received in the Home Office before that date, we will apply the previous policy as set out in the guide that accompanied your application form.
Prime Minister launches contract for foreign national seeking British citizenship
Last Updated: 20 February 2008
Radical changes to the way newcomers are able to earn their stay in Britain were proposed by the Government today. The measures being announced follow consultation with people from across the UK and set the stage for a new Bill to implement these proposals.
The public was clear that people who want to make Britain their home should speak English, pay their way, obey the law and give something back to their community.
The Green Paper: 'The path to citizenship' proposes:
* a three stage route to citizenship, including a new probationary period of citizenship, requiring new migrants to demonstrate their contribution to the UK at every stage or leave the country;
* full access to benefits being delayed until migrants have completed the probationary period;
* migrants having to improve their command of English to pass probation;
* anyone committing an offence resulting in prison being barred from becoming a citizen;
* those committing minor offences being required to spend longer in the new probationary period of citizenship;
* migrants contributing to a new fund for managing the transitional impacts of migration, providing extra financial help to communities experiencing change from migration; and
* migrants getting involved in their communities through volunteering being able to graduate to British citizenship more quickly.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Our new deal for citizenship is clear and fair. The rights and benefits of citizenship will be available to those who can demonstrate a commitment to our shared values and a willingness to contribute to the community.
"This is a country of liberty and tolerance, opportunity and diversity and these values are reinforced by the expectation that all who live here should learn our language, play by the rules, obey the law and contribute to the community.
"British people have welcomed migrants over the years. Our economy and our communities are stronger for their contribution to British life. And people think it's fair that the benefits of citizenship are matched by responsibilities and contributions to Britain.
"Today's proposals are part of the biggest changes to British immigration policy for a generation. This year will also see the introduction of a new Australian-style Points Based System, which will ensure the UK attracts only people with the skills it needs and the establishment of a new UK Border Agency to help strengthen our border controls helping ensure ours is one of the toughest borders in the world."
These changes to citizenship come against a backdrop of radical changes to the immigration system. In 2008 the Government will deliver a complete overhaul of the way we judge who can come to Britain and the way we police the system.
These changes include the introduction of the new Australian style Points Based System from the end of this month which will provide clearer controls on who can come to the UK, making sure that the country only takes in the brightest and the best; a single border force to guard our ports and airports with new police-like powers, all visa applicants fingerprinted, the introduction of a new system to count people in and out and ID cards which will strengthen the UK border and help keep out those who don't have the right to be in the UK.
These reforms to the immigration system will be backed up with a new single piece of legislation, replacing all existing immigration laws, which will be introduced to Parliament in November this year. This is designed to make immigration law more straightforward and transparent and make the UK's immigration system more effective.
British citizenship tests planned
Immigrants who want to become British and settle permanently in the UK will need to pass more tests to "prove their worth" to the country under new plans. Some migrants may also have to pay into a fund towards public services and have a period of "probationary citizenship". Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the UK should expect a "demonstration of commitment" and the process of becoming a citizen should be "more exacting". The Tories called the plans, which do not cover EU citizens, a "gimmick". Unveiling the proposals, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said future migrants would need to "earn" citizenship. This scraps the current system which allows people to apply for naturalisation on the basis of how long they have lived in the UK. Ms Smith said migrants from outside the European Economic Area would be encouraged to "move on" through a system that leads to citizenship - or choose ultimately to leave the country. The package of measures includes:
In a speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank, Mr Brown said the UK had to be "far more explicit about the ties - indeed the shared values - that make us more than a collection of people but a country". Earned citizenship would include "clear rights but also stronger obligations at each stage". Mr Brown added: "And we will emphasise what binds us - showing that our tolerance and fairness are not to be taken advantage of - without diminishing the diversity of what we hold dear." Press reports suggest the transitional impact fund would raise £15m a year. The system could see migrants with children or elderly relatives expected to pay higher application fees. Migrants would find their route to citizenship and full access to benefits, such as higher education, accelerated if they can prove they are "active" citizens. This would include charity work, involvement in the local community and letters from referees. At the same time, those who break the law would find the process far harder - or would be barred completely from becoming British. The Home Office said that it would still be possible for someone to be permanently resident as a foreign national in the UK - but it would be preferable for them to seek citizenship because of the benefits it would bring.
'Complicated'
But the Conservatives said the proposals were a "gimmick" and called for an annual limit on immigration instead. Shadow home secretary David Davis called it "a complicated, expensive, bureaucratic set of mechanisms to deal with the adverse consequences of out of control immigration". "The sensible approach is very simple. Deal with the original cause of the problem. Put a limit on the level of immigration. Bring it down to manageable levels. It is simpler, it is cheaper, and it is better for Britain. "And it will preserve Britain's excellent history of good community relations that is being put at risk by an immigration policy that is both incompetent and irresponsible." Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Heath welcomed the points-based system, but said proposals were so "vague and so full of holes" that they were "nowhere near" meeting needs. Several Labour backbenchers also criticised the government's plans. Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said they would force non-European migrants to pay fees that would benefit European migrants.
'Very concerned'
She said: "How can it be fair for non-white immigrants to have already steep fees ratcheted even higher to pay for issues which relate to the broad immigrant population including immigrants from the EU countries?" Fiona Mactaggart, MP for Slough, said: "One of the reasons we have such excellent race relations in Britain is because migrants to this country relatively quickly achieve permanent residence, unlike other countries in Europe for example, where their status remains insecure and unclear for a long time. "I am very concerned that these proposals might damage our good relations." UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said: "They [the government] keep bringing out the same old story and pretending it's new, and every time they ignore the crucial fact that these rules do not apply to 450 million people. "It's about time they were brave enough to have a proper debate on immigration which includes the EU dimension."
A new way to earn UK citizenship
Migration is a journey - and the British government wants to make it a little bit longer and harder to complete. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has published proposals to overhaul how a migrant becomes a UK citizen. And the big theme is that migrants will need to take extra steps to "earn" citizenship and become fully-paid up members of society. Ministers say that when a migrant steps into the arrivals lounge, that should not be the end of the journey they take to living in Britain. In future, they will need to spend the next six to eight years proving their worth to the UK as part of a personal journey and contract with British society. At present, an immigrant living in the UK can apply for permanent settlement after about five years. But that can often be the end of the process - there is no compulsion to take the final step towards becoming a British citizen. So it's this conveyor belt of belonging that will now change. Under the new system, ministers say migrants - excluding those from the EEA - will pass through three clear stages. At first they will be classed as temporary residents - the status they receive as a worker, relative or recognised refugee. After five years they will be given an entirely new status for a minimum of another 12 months - "probationary citizen". This probationary status will ultimately lead to someone becoming a British citizen or permanent foreign resident - or being told it's time to move on.
On probation
The critical difference between the current situation is around the idea of a probationary period. During this phase migrants will no longer have access to a full range of benefits that are currently available to permanently-settled foreign nationals.The home secretary says probationary citizenship seeks to address national concerns about how well people are integrating into society. In other words, it will no longer be enough for a migrant to prove they are living in the UK - they will have to prove that they are actively taking steps to fit in. So how will they be expected to do this? Migrants will effectively be required to jump through more hoops. They will have to show that not only have they made some effort to learn English - but they are making progress. They will have to obey the law and where possible prove they are "active citizens". On criminality, the equation is simple. Serious crimes will become a bar to achieving citizenship - and may lead to deportation. Minor offences would slow down the process. Active citizenship is more nebulous. Assessors will be looking for proof that someone is more than just a taxpayer - and the more "active" they are in the local community the quicker their journey to citizenship will become. Acceptable activities could include proof of voluntary work, of being involved in local groups or the school parent-teacher association. Migrants will need to find referees to vouch for these good deeds. The scheme's architects think this idea of active citizenship will make the journey from migrant to citizen much more significant because it creates social contract between individuals and their new society. Crucially, ministers believe migrants would meet more British people more quickly and learn more quickly how to integrate.
Question of benefits
But there are some tougher measures still. The government says it recognises that the past few years of record migration and mobility have created pressures on public services. Under the proposals, would-be migrants will pay a levy on their normal visa fees for a national local impacts fund. The Home Office says this could be operational from April 2009 and raise tens of millions of pounds. This has already led to accusations that migrants, who are net contributors to the economy, will become "cash cows" who are being denied reasonable rights. Secondly, there is the issue of withheld benefits. Migrants who are clearly settled but not naturalised currently have access to all main benefits, along with the right to send their children to school and use the NHS. Other than schools, this picture may change dramatically. The new system proposes withholding a dozen key benefits for anyone who has not reached the final stage of citizenship or permanent foreign resident. We don't know at this stage whether or not that will include access to some or all of the NHS. This means all options are open ahead of consultation late this year. Ministers know there is currently enormous concern among some grassroots Labour supporters about the effect of migration, particularly in areas that have seen significant upheaval since the arrival of Eastern European workers - although some angry Labour MPs say these new workers will not be affected by the changes because of EU rules. Nevertheless, there is some anger and a perception that newcomers have become entitled to benefits in society without having first earned their way. These reforms are directly targeted at those fears.
English is 'priority' says Blears
Hazel Blears has said learning English must be "an absolute top priority" for migrants to the UK. The secretary of state for communities also said local authorities should "think carefully" about whether documents needed to be translated. She told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the ability to speak English was "fundamental" for migrants to the UK. Gordon Brown has previously said people who want British citizenship should be expected to learn the language. Ms Blears said: "If you want to get on, if you want to get a job, if you want to look after your family, the ability to speak the language is fundamental. "We're saying to local authorities in particular - don't go translating all the documents that you used to in the past. "Think very carefully about how you can bring people together." The government announced in January it was to give free English language classes to immigrants to England who have long-term needs.
Picture messages
The tuition will be free for those on benefits, and aimed at long-standing residents whose English is still poor - rather than those who may not stay. The government introduced means-testing for English courses last September, following a surge in demand. Ms Blears also said there may be an alternative method in which messages can be communicated to non-English speakers. She said: "Some local authorities were translating annual reports - probably most English people don't read a local authority's annual report. "If you've got emergency instructions for how to get to the accident and emergency department in the hospital, if you have a terrible accident, then you may well need to translate that. "But the advice is 'think twice' and maybe you can do things in a pictorial way that has the English translation underneath. "So actually, in the process of giving people information, you're helping them to learn English as well."
Multicultural concerns
Ms Blears also said the term multiculturalism means "all things to all people" but that for both her and the Labour party it meant that we "celebrate the diversity of this country". But she added: "That shouldn't mean people leading separate lives, and that's where I think the danger is." The prime minister said in December that immigrants "should be able to speak the English language... should be able to understand and speak about British cultural traditions". Meanwhile Conservative Shadow Security Minister, Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, has agreed with a report by security experts, who claim the UK has become a "soft touch" for terrorists because of rising multiculturalism. She said: "On the whole we've been taking separate groups and treating them rather separately, and giving them special status and instead of saying that all of us have got to be part of the same single framework of law and habit and getting at some of the separatism that's been going on."
08 February 2008
New and revised immigration application forms are to be specified for applications made on or after 29 February 2008.
06 February 2008
Details of Britain's new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) were announced today as the Government published the rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK.
22 January 2008
Dogs sniffing for drugs in hand luggage while passengers have their passports checked by immigration officers is just one of the visible changes to border security being brought in at Gatwick.
Last Updated: 06 February 2008
Details of Britain's new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) were announced today as the Government published the rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK.
The regulations will start coming into force on 29 February when any highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in Britain who want to extend their stay will need to apply under the new system. In April, the new system will begin to be rolled out overseas when anyone from India who wants to work in the UK as a highly skilled migrant will need to apply under PBS. By the summer the new highly skilled system will operate worldwide.
Speaking from Delhi during a visit to discuss how PBS will work with the Indian Government, Borders and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"Our points system is starting on time and on plan. I've no problem with taking the best systems in the world, like Australia's points system, and bringing them to the UK. This is a key part of the huge shake-up to our border security this year."
"The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. We know that migrants contributed to our economy to the tune of £6 billion to GDP in 2006. A strong system for highly skilled migrants is vital to Britain winning these benefits because these migrants are well-educated and pay lots of tax."
"We want India to come first because India is Britain's most important market for highly skilled migrants."
The Highly Skilled tier 1 will build upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme by continuing to attract the most talented people with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation.
The announcement follows the completion in January of the Border and Immigration Agency's global rollout of fingerprinting for all visas three months early. Now every person in the world coming to the UK on a visa has their fingerprints taken and their details checked against watch-lists - if they're on the list for the wrong reason they can't come in and could be banned from applying to come again for up to 10 years.
Last Updated: 06 February 2008
Details of Britain's new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) were announced today as the Government published the rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK.
The regulations will start coming into force on 29 February when any highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in Britain who want to extend their stay will need to apply under the new system. In April, the new system will begin to be rolled out overseas when anyone from India who wants to work in the UK as a highly skilled migrant will need to apply under PBS. By the summer the new highly skilled system will operate worldwide.
Speaking from Delhi during a visit to discuss how PBS will work with the Indian Government, Borders and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"Our points system is starting on time and on plan. I've no problem with taking the best systems in the world, like Australia's points system, and bringing them to the UK. This is a key part of the huge shake-up to our border security this year."
"The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. We know that migrants contributed to our economy to the tune of £6 billion to GDP in 2006. A strong system for highly skilled migrants is vital to Britain winning these benefits because these migrants are well-educated and pay lots of tax."
"We want India to come first because India is Britain's most important market for highly skilled migrants."
The Highly Skilled tier 1 will build upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme by continuing to attract the most talented people with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation.
The announcement follows the completion in January of the Border and Immigration Agency's global rollout of fingerprinting for all visas three months early. Now every person in the world coming to the UK on a visa has their fingerprints taken and their details checked against watch-lists - if they're on the list for the wrong reason they can't come in and could be banned from applying to come again for up to 10 years.
Last Updated: 22 January 2008
Dogs sniffing for drugs in hand luggage while passengers have their passports checked by immigration officers is just one of the visible changes to border security being brought in at Gatwick.
Travellers suspected of carrying illegal substances are also being asked by Customs staff to step into the 'Sentinel' - a hi-tech machine which can detect small quantities of drugs in the air around them.
Ahead of the completed merger of the Border and Immigration Agency and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs taking place later this year, Gatwick already has a single checkpoint to protect Britain from unwanted people and illegal goods.
Speaking on a visit to the airport this morning, Immigration Minister Liam Byrne explained why a single border force is needed. He said:
"The Single Border Force is the public face of the biggest shake-up of Britain's border security for 40 years.
"Our controls are much more visible. With officers in uniform and bold signage, taxpayers can now see the extra security they are paying for, like fingerprint visas, which prevent people lying about their identity to get to the UK.
"Smuggling people and goods into Britain is big business and we have to stop the criminal gangs behind it. That's why we are merging immigration control and customs and creating the UK Border Agency later this year.
"In the meantime, customs and immigration officers are sharing more intelligence about threats to the country and are increasingly making use of each others' powers to protect the border."
Behind the scenes, the Government is creating a triple ring of steel to control illegal immigration and crime.
Overseas:
At the border:
In the UK:
Unaccompanied child asylum seekers who are denied the right to stay in the UK
Unaccompanied child asylum seekers who are denied the right to stay in the UK are to be deported before they reach 18, the government has announced. Currently, the Border and Immigration Agency waits until the young person turns 18 before beginning proceedings. Children's rights campaigners say the move could put those being sent back at risk on their return. The government said authorities would not deport children until they were "100% sure" of a safe reception. About 2,000 unaccompanied children seek asylum in the UK every year. Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the current policy was a "green light" to organised gangs of child traffickers who knew children would not be sent home once they were in the country. But Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "The government should not try to force any child to return against their wishes where their safety and welfare cannot be guaranteed. "These are not children who come here seeking a better life, with their families waiting for them in peaceful homes. Many of them are children from war zones." Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England, said he welcomed the government's efforts to tackle the problem, but he remained concerned about plans to withdraw support from unaccompanied children, especially those from "conflict-affected countries". "If they feel unsupported in the UK, these children could disappear from a local authority's care well before their 18th birthday. This puts them at serious risk of harm..." Children's charity the NSPCC said children who were frightened, alone and may not speak English would now be forced through an asylum process which was unsuitable for children. It has called for the government to give separated children a right to an independent guardian to help them understand the process. The policy change comes as Mr Byrne announced a series of measures aimed at handling child asylum claims "swiftly and compassionately". They include:
The government will also introduce new procedures to assess the ages of asylum seekers to help stop adults posing as children. One suggestion, which will be consulted on further, was to force asylum seekers to undergo dental X-ray checks to assess their age. Critics though said it was a step towards treating youngsters as suspect immigrants, not children. The Home Office also announced it was consulting on a new code of practice on how immigration officers deal with children and on whether the UK should extend its commitment to the UN convention on rights of the child to include immigration cases. This would follow the lead of most other European countries.
New ID bill 'several years' away
London, Monday 14th January, 2008. UK citizens are unlikely to be made to get an ID card for "several years" because a voluntary scheme needs time to "run in", a minister has said. But Home Office minister Liam Byrne insisted the government remained enthusiastic about compulsory ID cards. Gordon Brown last week appeared to have cooled on compulsory ID cards after describing them as just an "option". But Mr Byrne said the PM was reflecting the fact MPs would have to pass new legislation for cards to be compulsory. Asked on BBC radio 4's Today if ministers would be drawing up such legislation this year Mr Byrne said: "I don't think we will do that this year because a voluntary scheme will take several years to run in." The voluntary scheme refers to the fact that identity cards will be issued from 2009 to anyone getting, or renewing, a British passport - albeit with an opt-out until 2010. That voluntary scheme was a compromise deal struck to overcome Parliamentary opposition to identity cards. The then prime minister Tony Blair promised legislation after the next election to make it compulsory for all Britons to get - although not to have to carry - a card. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both oppose the cards and say they would scrap them if they got into power. But Mr Brown last week prompted talk of a rethink after a series of comments including telling an interviewer "there is no compulsion for British citizens".
Mr Byrne insisted that the government remained as enthusiastic as ever about the cards - which in the past he has said he believes will become a British "institution". He said: "What we will see this year is the introduction of compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals who want to come and stay in Britain. "By Christmas, we will be issuing those ID cards to foreign nationals. "Of course that is a great contrast to the Conservative position who said that they would support the issue of compulsory ID cards to foreign nationals when the UK Borders Act was going through the House, then they cancelled their support." Mr Byrne said ID cards would start being issued for British citizens by 2009, but added: "If we want to make ID cards compulsory for British citizens, we need another Act of Parliament. "But the UK Borders Act does now give us the power to introduce ID cards for foreign nationals and obviously that makes it much easier for us to prevent illegal immigration." After Mr Brown's comments last week Keith Vaz, chair of the Commons home affairs committee, said ID cards for foreign nationals were effectively being used as a pilot for compulsory cards for UK citizens. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who introduced the initial identity card bill, said the scheme would not work unless everyone had to have a card. "In my opinion, without it being mandatory, there is little point in doing it," he added.
New ID bill 'several years' away
London, Monday 14th January, 2008
UK citizens are unlikely to be made to get an ID card for "several years" because a voluntary scheme needs time to "run in", a minister has said. But Home Office minister Liam Byrne insisted the government remained enthusiastic about compulsory ID cards. Gordon Brown last week appeared to have cooled on compulsory ID cards after describing them as just an "option". But Mr Byrne said the PM was reflecting the fact MPs would have to pass new legislation for cards to be compulsory. Asked on BBC radio 4's Today if ministers would be drawing up such legislation this year Mr Byrne said: "I don't think we will do that this year because a voluntary scheme will take several years to run in." The voluntary scheme refers to the fact that identity cards will be issued from 2009 to anyone getting, or renewing, a British passport - albeit with an opt-out until 2010. That voluntary scheme was a compromise deal struck to overcome Parliamentary opposition to identity cards. The then prime minister Tony Blair promised legislation after the next election to make it compulsory for all Britons to get - although not to have to carry - a card. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both oppose the cards and say they would scrap them if they got into power. But Mr Brown last week prompted talk of a rethink after a series of comments including telling an interviewer "there is no compulsion for British citizens".
Identity cards are opposed by the Tories and Lib Dems
Mr Byrne insisted that the government remained as enthusiastic as ever about the cards - which in the past he has said he believes will become a British "institution". He said: "What we will see this year is the introduction of compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals who want to come and stay in Britain. "By Christmas, we will be issuing those ID cards to foreign nationals. "Of course that is a great contrast to the Conservative position who said that they would support the issue of compulsory ID cards to foreign nationals when the UK Borders Act was going through the House, then they cancelled their support." Mr Byrne said ID cards would start being issued for British citizens by 2009, but added: "If we want to make ID cards compulsory for British citizens, we need another Act of Parliament. "But the UK Borders Act does now give us the power to introduce ID cards for foreign nationals and obviously that makes it much easier for us to prevent illegal immigration." After Mr Brown's comments last week Keith Vaz, chair of the Commons home affairs committee, said ID cards for foreign nationals were effectively being used as a pilot for compulsory cards for UK citizens. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who introduced the initial identity card bill, said the scheme would not work unless everyone had to have a card. "In my opinion, without it being mandatory, there is little point in doing it," he added.
by JAMES SLACK - More by this author » Last updated at 10:06am on 18th December 2007
As many as 165,000 asylum seekers are to be granted an "amnesty" to live in Britain, it was revealed. The vast bulk of the migrants are failed refugees whose files were left lying in boxes by bungling Home Office staff. They have now been living here so long that officials have ruled that it would be a breach of their human rights to kick them out. Ministers admitted that the first 19,000 have already been granted leave to remain under what the Tories described as a "stealth amnesty". All will now be free to bring their relatives to Britain - and claim the full range of benefits. The revelation came amid a flurry of alarming admissions rushed out on the last day of Parliament before the Christmas recess. It emerged that more than three million motorists are at risk of identity fraud after their personal details went missing. The Home Office was also forced to admit it had been employing an illegal immigrant - as a security guard - for more than 18 months. But it was the asylum fiasco that caused the greatest concern. Councils have already been warned to make the migrants a priority for council housing. They will also be entitled to apply for British passports in four or five years. The fiasco centres on 450,000 asylum claims uncovered by the Home Office last year in the wake of the foreign prisoner scandal. They were left lying around in boxes, with some files dating back to the mid-90s.
The vast bulk of the migrants are failed refugees whose files were left lying in boxes by bungling Home Office staff (file picture)
Officials say they are a combination of failed refugees who should have been deported, and people whose claims became lost in the chaotic asylum system. Lin Homer, chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency, said of the 52,000 cases concluded to date, 19,000 - or 36.5 per cent - have been given leave to remain in Britain. If, as expected, cases continue to be granted at the same rate, a total of 165,000 will be allowed to stay. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: "The Home Office seem to be dealing with this enormous backlog of cases by dishing out permission to stay to tens of thousands of thousands of people who have not qualified for asylum. "These failed asylum seekers now have a meal ticket for life and a place in the queue for social housing. "It is hard to imagine a more dismal outcome for the billions of pounds that the Government has spent on the asylum system." Some 17,000 of the 52,000 cases checked to date have been discounted, as they were duplicate records. The Home Office said the remaining 16,000 had been removed from Britain since the trawl began. The cases do not apply to any particular date, officials said. The remainder of the 450,000 cases will be considered over the next four years. Shadow home secretary David Davis said: 'After 18 months' effort and on their own numbers the Government can still only claim to have removed 3 per cent of the backlog. "At this rate it will take decades to remove the backlog, by which time we will have another backlog since the Government is also failing to meet its target of removing more failed asylum seekers than arrive. "Since these are people who had not been granted the right to remain in the UK, this combination of low removal rates and lengthy delays, means this is effectively a stealth amnesty. This is a policy by incompetence rather than decision."
The Daily Mail - correctly predicting yesterday's announcement - revealed in August how councils had been sent letters preparing them for the news, as all of those approved will immediately-become entitled to apply for a local authority-house. The major reason why so many of the claims will be approved is the Human Rights Act. Those who have been in the country for many years can claim it is now their home and they no longer have links to their homeland. The legislation, passed by Labour, also prevents the removal of asylum seekers to countries where they could face torture or persecution, which is likely to apply to thousands of cases in the backlog. A Home Office document on how the scheme - known as the Legacy Exercise by the department - will operate says "each case will be evaluated on its individual merits, with an assessment of any human rights factors that may be relevant". Lin Homer said: "This is not an amnesty. Individuals are judged according to the law. "If someone has no right to remain in the UK, they will be removed - forcibly if necessary. Last year we removed record numbers of people. To date we have concluded 52,000 cases. "Two thirds have either been removed, or discovered to be duplicate files or errors." Councils are furious that they are being made to take responsibility for Government bungling. Andrew Carter, alternate leader of Leeds City Council, warned it was "nothing more than a crude amnesty". - Daily Mail.
Misterseed.com in conjunction with Tysons Kenya Ltd. will be bringing to you some coming up housing projects in Kenya. This time Lukenya Hills Park Bungalows, Athi River. Those who love nature and serence environment, you can have it at Lukenya Hills Park Bungalows. This out of the world development comprises of 500, 3 bedroom bungalows each with a plinth area of 96 sqm. all with walk around gardens. Facilities include front and rear entrance doors, lounge cum dining, fitted kitchen, 3 bedrooms (1 ensuite) all with in-built wardrobes. Extra features include 1340 sqm commercial and community centers, roads and parking areas, perimeter boundary wall (2.5m high) with steel gate, guard house, boreholes, elevated water storage tank and landscaped gardens. Also, the complex has 12 play areas. The commercial center in the project has restaurant, salon, barber, cyber and a minimart.
Price: $54,000 (Ksh. 3.2M)
Close and around the estate: Lukenya Hills schools - Primary and Secondary. Acacia valley, Daystar University, mosque at Makadara (4km), Tuskeys Supermarket (1km), Proposed Nakumatt (at mlolongo), Lukenya Gateway (3km-hotel cum picnic site and very popular), A fully occupied neighboring estate, Police/DOs office (2 km). For more information contact Mr. Isaac Maira on imaira@tysonskenyas.com or 0722983655 - he has far much more projects at hand. Visit www.tysonskenya.com
British nationality
Latest News
Changes to the good character requirement
On 05 December 2007 the Home Secretary announced changes to the way that an applicant's good character will be assessed for the purposes of naturalisation and registration as a British citizen.
The changes will take effect as from 1 January 2008.
Applications made on and after that date will normally be refused if the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offence and the conviction has not yet become “spent” in accordance with the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Application forms and guides will be updated in due course.
See the good character requirement page for more information below.
The law requires that a person aged 10 or over who is applying to become a British citizen must normally satisfy the Home Secretary that she or he is "of good character" before the application can be granted.
No. Those aged below 10 when they apply, and certain persons applying on the basis that they are currently stateless or have no other nationality apart from British Overseas citizenship or the statuses of British subject or British protected person are not subject to this requirement.
There is no definition of "good character" in nationality law, but we would normally accept that the requirement is met if:
We make checks with the police in all cases where the "good character" requirement applies. Additional checks may be made with other government departments and agencies, depending on the particular circumstances of the applicant.
If you have a conviction which is not yet "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1978, an application for citizenship made now is unlikely to be successful. We would therefore advise you to wait until the end of the rehabilitation period before making an application.
Information about "spent" periods is contained in a leaflet "Wiping the Slate Clean" which can be obtained from the Home Office, Direct Communications Unit, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.
You may apply if you wish, but should bear in mind that an application in these circumstances is unlikely to be successful.
We will normally disregard a single conviction for a minor offence resulting in a bind over, conditional discharge or relatively small fine or compensation order, if a person is suitable for citizenship in all other respects. By "minor offences" we mean speeding or other "regulatory" offences. Offences involving dishonesty (e.g. theft), violence or sexual offences are not classed as minor offences. Drink-driving offences, driving while uninsured or disqualified are not minor offences either.
The new policy applies to all applications made on or after 1 January 2008. If your application was received in the Home Office before that date, we will apply the previous policy as set out in the guide that accompanied your application form.
All applications received on or after 1 January 2008 will be considered in accordance with the new policy. The information contained in Border and Immigration Agency forms and guides is intended to help people decide whether they are eligible for citizenship, but the forms and guides are not a complete statement of the law or policy and the information in them is subject to change.
We would advise that you wait until the matter has been resolved before considering whether to make an application for citizenship.
London, Sunday 16th December, 2007. Proposals to cut the time tourists from outside the EU can stay in the UK from six months to three are expected to be announced by ministers this week. The move is among measures aimed at further tightening the visa system. A deposit of at least £1,000 to be paid by families who want relatives to visit Britain will also be introduced. Meanwhile, the Home Office has defended the payment of thousands of pounds to failed asylum seekers to persuade them to return to their home countries. The new measures are said to be contained within a consultation document set to be unveiled by immigration minister Liam Byrne. BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said the idea of a cash bond was not a new one but he understood ministers were convinced it was the way forward. It would see people using "sponsored family visits" to enable relatives from outside the European Union to visit on temporary visas would need to put up a cash bond.
New measures are being introduced to tighten the visa system
The bond would then be forfeited if the relative did not leave when the visa expired. Our correspondent also said the existing right of appeal to a full tribunal against a decision by immigration authorities not to grant a visa could be scrapped. He said such appeals, which currently cost between £30m and £40m a year, could be replaced by a simpler and cheaper appeal process. The government has already announced other changes to the visa system which Mr Byrne described as the "biggest shake-up of the immigration system in history". They included a points-based system for economic migrants and the tightening of procedures for people bringing spouses into the country. Separately, the Sunday Telegraph has reported how £36m was paid to failed asylum seekers to enable them to set up businesses back in their own countries. Since 1999, more than 23,000 migrants have received up to £4,000 each under the voluntary assisted return and reintegration programme. According to the paper, the funding has enabled people to set up clothes factories or market stalls back home. Shadow home secretary David Davis said the government was resorting to "bribing them to leave - with the taxpayer picking up the bill". But the Home Office said the programme - part-funded by the EU - was cheaper than forcibly returning failed asylum seekers which costs £11,000 a time.
London, Sunday 16th December, 2007. Frustrated by its inability to remove asylum seekers whose claims were without merit, the Home Office came up with what must, at the time, have seemed a great idea: pay them to go home. Not only would rewarding failed asylum seekers with cash grants to return to their native countries ensure they left Britain: it would also save the Exchequer money, because it would cut out the labyrinthine appeals process, which - as appellants are legally aided - costs the tax-payer a great deal. The more internationally-minded members of the Government noted there would be the additional benefit of helping economic growth in the developing world. So since 1999 the Home Office has operated a scheme which today hands failed asylum seekers £1,000 to leave Britain, and then gives them a further £3,000 towards setting up a business in their own country. The Government may have been proud of the programme, but it evidently did not feel proud enough to inform the public of its workings: today, we report the details of some of the scheme's beneficiaries, and what they did with their money, for the first time. In the eight years since the scheme started, 23,000 failed asylum seekers have been rewarded with tax-payers' funds, at a total cost of £36 million.
We do not know how many of those who received the money actually used it productively, nor do we know how many stayed put in their home countries having been given it - but we do know that 300 of the scheme's beneficiaries have been caught trying to re-enter Britain, probably in the hope of making another baseless claim for asylum, and receiving another £4,000 from the rest of us to go away. That result was entirely predictable. The principal problem with any such scheme is that it rewards, and therefore provides an incentive for, bogus asylum claims - precisely the behaviour that it was meant to diminish. The number of asylum seekers indeed jumped at the time the scheme was introduced: by 2002, the pre-1999 figure of around 40,000 claimants a year had doubled to 80,000. The subsequent fall in asylum seekers to fewer than 30,000 a year by 2005 was the result of the Government's introduction of measures aimed at making it more difficult to make a claim. Those measures included a more aggressive use of technology to identify those who seek to enter the UK illegally, and the stationing of British immigration officers in France and Belgium to deter would-be claimants from crossing the Channel.
The Government also ended the automatic right to have an appeal heard in Britain: henceforth, if the country the asylum seeker came from had been declared "safe", and their claim was found to be bogus, he or she would have to appeal from there. The reward scheme itself has not worked and should be abandoned, not least because it would send a strong signal that law-breaking will not be tolerated. The money should be used to deport failed asylum seekers, not to reward them. Only a small fraction of those whose asylum claims have been refused since 1997 have actually left the country. Although the Government deports about 1,000 failed asylum-seekers every month, there is still a backlog of 240,000 people whose claims for asylum have been rejected. Because around 1,000 additional claimants are added to the "rejected" list every month, the Government's deportations have made no impact on the huge backlog.
Paying bogus asylum seekers to go home does have one benefit, however: it exposes the topsy-turvy world of our asylum procedures, and the extent to which they benefit, not the honest claimant fleeing persecution, but the economic migrant hoping to find a better life in Britain. There is nothing wrong with that motive, of course - but no one could honestly claim that it is fair, right or just that the asylum system should be used to enable economic migrants to settle in Britain. One Armenian who claimed asylum here lived in London for four years before he decided the city "was not for him". He wanted to go home, and received £1,000 to do so, plus £3,000 more to set up a farm back in Armenia. His seems to have been a fairly typical case. It is not a sensible use of tax-payers' money. It is also no way to discourage bogus claims - still less to ensure that, in Britain, only those who abide by the rules are rewarded.
Failed asylum seekers are escorted on a plane
By Ben Leapman, Home Affairs Correspondent
Thousands of failed asylum seekers have been flown out of Britain and set up in business back home in a £36 million taxpayer-funded scheme, it can be revealed.
The unwanted foreigners, who had no legal right to remain, were given free flights, handed £1,000 in cash at the airport, then paid a further £3,000 to start enterprises in their homelands. More than 23,000 migrants have taken advantage of the scheme. Their UK-funded businesses range from market stalls to hotels and clothes factories, in countries as far-flung as South Africa, China and Colombia. Ministers say that paying failed asylum seekers to leave is cheaper than forcibly deporting them, saving money