UK Landlords to check the immigration status of new tenants
The UK Home Office has announced that from 1 December 2014, landlords in some areas will need to check that tenants have a right to rent in the UK before letting a property to them.
Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Limited or BIC for short is an immigration firm specialising in UK and South African Immigration. We pride ourselves on our reputation for excellence, fast results and friendly personal service. Our highly qualified consultants have many years of experience in the field of immigration. We also offer advice and representation in all South African immigration matters. Our UK consultants are regulated by the Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner (OISC). We thus have to adhere to very strict rules. Ref No. F201000144 oisc.gov.uk
The UK Home Office has announced that from 1 December 2014, landlords in some areas will need to check that tenants have a right to rent in the UK before letting a property to them.
I have now decided to relocate back to South Africa, and would like to know whether there is anything I need to do in order to protect my British citizenship?
It is many’s dream to join the prestigious British Army. In fact Commonwealth soldiers serving in the British armed forces have a long and proud history. Due to changes in legislation it has however become increasingly difficult for Commonwealth citizens to join the armed forces at present.
I undertook my life in the UK test in 2012 when I obtained indefinite leave to remain, but I seem to have misplaced it. I now need to apply for British citizenship, will I need to re-do the test or will Home Office have a record?
Family and friends of South Africans living in the UK are often unsure whether they need to apply for a visa when they want to visit the UK, and what type of visitor visa they should apply for.
We are often asked by clients how they can either immigrate to the United Kingdom to take up employment or how they can remain in the United Kingdom if they are already in in the United Kingdom in another capacity, for example as a Student.
BIC are often asked by clients, whether their nanny or domestic worker can accompany them to the UK. Fortunately, there is a route available for such persons in the form of the domestic worker visa.
If you are an entrepreneur looking to do business in the UK, there is good news for you. The Tier 1 Entrepreneur immigration category provides a safe and sensible opportunity to invest monies in the United Kingdom in a business you set-up or that is already a going concern.
One of the biggest concerns for some persons obtaining a Tier 4 Student visa is whether their partner/spouse and children will be able to join them in the UK, and whether these dependants will be allowed to work, whilst in the UK.
Unfortunately the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous determination, allowed the Secretary of States appeal and held that the Immigration Rules concerning the financial requirements for spouse visas were lawful.
The retention and resumption of SA citizenship, when acquiring other nationalities, have created widespread interest amongst South Africans worldwide, over the past weeks.
BIC deals with a large number of student visas, and have compiled a list of issues, that interested persons must take note of, in order to avoid pitfalls, and to clear some issues on the topic of Tier 4 student visas.
According to the latest quarterly report of the UK Office for National Statistics, there were 219,053 student visas issued in the year ending March 2014.
Recently there were reported cases where South Africans were threatened with deportation, as they did not fulfil the English language requirement when they applied for settlement in the UK.
It was recently reported in the South African that there were cases where South Africans who applied for British citizenship ended up being threatened with deportation, due to the fact that they did not provide evidence of their English language ability.
The UK Government closed the Tier 1 (General) category for new applicants in April 2011. The category is however still open for extension and settlement applications, for holders of permits in this category.
It is very important for South Africans in the UK to keep in mind that they need to apply for an extension of their visa, or indefinite leave to remain before the expiry of their current visa.
Since the introduction of the new UK family migration rules in July 2012, thousands of families have been torn and kept apart, as they do not qualify under the new minimum income threshold requirement.
The Immigration Act has now been enshrined into law. The Act contains significant amendments that any applicant for a UK visa, either from outside or inside the UK, should be aware of.
BIC is glad to inform Zimbabwean clients that they are able to apply for the UK ancestry visa, should they qualify.
The UK Government closed the Tier 1 (General) category for new applicants in April 2011. The category remained open for extension and settlement applications, for holders of permits in this category.
The interest on the outcome of the judgement on the UK family migration rules seems to be ever increasing.
South African clients are often in doubt about how their UK immigration status will affect the status of their children. This week we discuss two scenarios, in order to provide some clarity.
Clients with one British born parent are often in doubt on whether they are eligible for a British passport or not.
In 2013 many applicants for the spouse/partner visas felt relief after the UK High Court found the controversial UK immigration rules requiring a minimum income of at least £18,600 for spouse/partner visa applications, as ‘unjustified and disproportionate’ where the sponsor is a refugee or a British citizen.