Immigration services

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Visitor Visa

A visit visa, often referred to as a visitor/tourist visa, allows you to enter the United Kingdom for a temporary period for various purposes. You can apply for a visit visa for a term of 6 months, 2 years, 5 years or 10 years. However, you must not remain in the UK for more than 6 months during any one visit. The Home Office supplies information on who needs a visa. Check to see if you require a visa to visit the United Kingdom: Do I need a visa? Check for my nationality The specific details of a visit visa, including its requirements and application process, can vary depending on the purpose of your visit. What are the requirements for a standard visit visa? To apply for a standard visit visa for the UK, you need to meet the following requirements which will be assessed by an Entry Clearance officer on behalf of the Home Office. Valid Passport - You will need a valid passport with at least one blank page for your visa and your passport must have more than 6 months before it expires. Travel Details – You must supply your travel dates to and from the UK and a travel itinerary that outlines your plans while in the UK, including the purpose of your visit and places you intend to visit. Intention to return – You must show you will leave the UK at the end of your visit. Often, having a return flight will not be enough. Proof of Financial Means - You must show that you have enough money to cover your living costs for the entire period you are in the UK. If you are being supported by a sponsor such as a family member or a friend, the sponsor must show they have sufficient funds to support your living cost for the duration of your visit. Accommodation – You must supply the address you will be staying at while you are in the UK. This can be done with a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation from your UK sponsor. Additional Documentation - You may need to meet other requirements depending on your specific circumstances and your reason for wanting to visit the UK. What can I do whilst I am in the UK? With a Visit Visa for the UK, you are allowed to engage in various activities during your stay such as: Visit Friends and Family Tourism: Visitors can come to the UK for a holiday. You can use your visitor visa to explore the country, enjoy tourist attractions, and have a vacation. Educational Exchanges: Visitor visa holders are allowed to take part in educational exchanges or visits, especially if they are related to state-funded educational institutions. Recreational Study: It is possible to undertake recreational study for up to 30 days on a visitor visa, as long as the course does not lead to a formal qualification. Medical Reasons: You can seek medical treatment or consultations in the UK. Business Activities: Explore a diverse range of business activities in the UK, including, job seeking, remote working, intra-corporate activities, participating in manufacturing and the supply of goods, overseas roles requiring specific activities in the UK, work-related training, graduate of medical, dental or nursing schools as well as professionals engaged in science research and academia. Additionally, athletes, coaches, sports professionals, Artist, performers, individuals involved in religious activities or missions, Legal professionals visiting the UK for specific legal activities can engage in activities in the UK. What am I not allowed to do as a visitor? You must not engage in the following activities in the UK as a visitor: Paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person. Claim benefits (public funds). Live in the UK for long periods by regular visits. Marry or register a civil partnership or give notice of marriage or civil partnership. There is a separate Marriage Visitor visa that will allow you to do this. Why choose us? Our highly trained immigration experts have a thorough understanding of the visit visa requirements and application process. We can help you with your tailored visitor visa application by providing you with: An honest opinion on the positives and negatives of your case. Advice on the visitor visa requirements specific to your circumstances. A customised evidence checklist. Help with preparing and sending your application form and evidence. Challenging a visitor visa refusal decision. We are dedicated to providing you with the most relevant and accurate advice by staying updated with the latest changes and industry trends. Our unwavering commitment lies in delivering individualised care to you and your application. Our team of immigration experts invest their time in understanding your circumstances and needs. This tailored approach empowers us to help you to create a robust visa application for submission to the Visa Application Centre. With our proven track record of successful outcomes, you can have complete confidence in Compass Immigration Law Ltd.

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Family Migration

Family Migration – Entry Clearance You are likely to require a family visa if you are looking to remain in the UK with your UK-based family for more than 6 months. You can apply for a family visa to live with your: Spouse or partner. Fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner. Child. Parent. Relative who will provide long-term care for you. If you want to visit your family members for fewer than 6 months, please see our visitor visa page here. Applying as a Partner The UK Immigration Rules define a partner as: A spouse or civil partner; or A fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner; or An unmarried partner - A couple who have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partner for at least two years. To make a UK partner visa application you must: Provide evidence of your identity and immigration status. Satisfy the Suitability Requirements relating to your character, conduct and associations. Satisfy the Relationship Requirements and demonstrate you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship. Satisfy the Financial Requirements to show you have the funds specific to your economic circumstances. There are multiple ways to satisfy the financial requirements. Satisfy the English language requirements and prove your knowledge of the English language. There are limited exemptions to this requirement. If you can successfully satisfy the partner visa requirements, depending on your circumstances, you could be granted a visa for a period of between 6 months and 33 months. Applying as a Parent To apply for a UK Family Visa as a parent, your child must be under the age of 18 on the day you apply or have been under the age of 18 when you were first granted a UK Family Visa as a parent. To make a UK Family Visa as a parent, you must: Provide evidence of your identity and immigration status. Satisfy the Suitability Requirements relating to your character, conduct and associations. Satisfy the Relationship Requirements and demonstrate an ongoing parent-child relationship. Satisfy the Financial Requirements to show you can maintain and accommodate yourself and your children in the UK without recourse to public funds. Satisfy the English language requirements and prove your knowledge of the English language. There are limited exemptions to this requirement. Applying as a Child If you are applying as a child, you can either be added to your parent’s application as a dependent or apply separately. The Rules for applying as a child will differ according to your age and the immigration status of your parents. With most child visa applications, there will be a requirement to demonstrate an ongoing parent-child relationship and financial requirements amongst others. Adult Dependent Relative You can apply for an Adult Dependent Relative visa if you are aged 18 or over and you are sponsored by a relative in the UK who must be: A British citizen. Settled in the UK. Have protection status. An EEA national who has permission to reside under Appendix EU. You must demonstrate: You require long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks due to age, illness or disability. That care is not available or affordable in your country of residence. Your sponsor can maintain, accommodate, and care for you without claiming public funds. Fees Applications for a family visa can be costly and will differ depending on who you are joining and from where you are applying. Most family visas attract an: Application fee; and Immigration Health Surcharge fee. If you want a quicker decision on your application, you can pay extra for your application to be expedited.

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Indefinite Leave to Remain

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as ‘settlement’ allows non-British citizens to live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like (there is no time limit on your leave once you have obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain). ILR does not automatically grant British citizenship. It is a requirement for those who want to become British citizens. There are various types of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the United Kingdom, each designed for specific immigration categories and circumstances. Some individuals can apply for ILR in various immigration categories, depending on their unique circumstances: If you work in the UK: If you are resident in the UK on a work visa you and your dependents may be able to apply for ILR. The specific requirements may vary based on the type of work visa. If you have family in the UK: If you have a partner, parent or child or other relative settled in the UK, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to apply for ILR. If you are a long-term resident of the UK: If you have lived in the UK continuously for an extended period, usually ten years, you may be able to apply for ILR. It is not tied to a specific visa category and can be made up of different visa categories. If you are a Commonwealth citizen: If you are a Commonwealth citizen and have an ancestry visa, you can apply for ILR after living in the UK for 5 years. If you are an EU, EEA, or Swiss Citizens: Different application routes may apply to EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens seeking ILR in the UK, especially after the end of the EU Settlement Scheme. What are the general requirements? Residency Requirements: For most visa categories, you must have been legally resident for 5 years before you will be eligible to apply for ILR. ILR can lapse if you spend too much time outside the UK. English Language Proficiency: Most ILR applicants are required to demonstrate a certain level of English language proficiency, often at least a B1 level, especially in speaking and listening. There are exemptions for some applicants. Life in the UK Test: Most individuals applying for ILR aged between 18 and 64 need to pass the "Knowledge of Life in the UK Test." Genuine and Subsisting Relationship (for Spouse/Partner/Dependent ILR): If you are applying for ILR as a spouse, partner, dependent or other relative, you typically need to demonstrate that you are still in a genuine and subsisting relationship with your partner. Financial Requirements: In some cases, financial requirements may apply, especially if you are relying on a financial sponsor. Good Character Requirements: The Home Office will undertake checks to ensure you are of good character. Having a criminal record or significant financial problems may affect your eligibility. Why choose us? Applying for ILR is an exciting application to make. However, an application that is not prepared well or that does not meet the requirements is likely to fail. Our highly trained immigration experts have a thorough understanding of the different ILR route and requirements. We can help you with your ILR application by providing you with: Advice on the best ILR route available to you. Advice on the ILR requirements specific to your circumstances. An honest opinion on the positives and negatives of your case. A customised evidence checklist. Assistance with preparing and submitting your application form and evidence. Challenging a ILR refusal decision.

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British Nationality - Naturalisation / Registration

British Nationality - Naturalisation / Registration Naturalisation/ Registration is the process through which you become a British citizen. This typically involves living in the UK for a specified period and meeting certain legal requirements, such as proving good character and knowledge of English language and culture. Pathways to British Nationality Becoming a British citizen is a significant milestone that involves meeting specific criteria set by the Home Office. Becoming a British citizen is a significant milestone that involves meeting specific criteria set by the Home Office. There are several routes through which individuals can get British citizenship, each designed for different circumstances and eligibility criteria. The process of becoming a British citizen is more commonly known as naturalisation or registration. There are 6 different types of British nationality: British Citizenship. British Overseas Territories Citizen. British Overseas Citizen. British Subject. British National (Overseas). British Protected Person. Below, we outline some of the different pathways to become a British citizen. If you were born in the UK If you were born in the UK, depending on your circumstances, you may not automatically get British citizenship. It depends on when you were born and your parent’s circumstances and immigration status at the time of your birth. For example, if one or both of your parents had Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or were British citizens when you were born, you will be automatically a British citizen. If you were born in the UK but are not automatically a British citizen, you may be eligible to make an application to register as a British citizen if either: You were born on or after 01 January 1983; and You are under 18 and since your birth one of your parents became a British citizenship or got permission to stay in the UK permanently; or You lived in the UK until you were 10 or older. You were born outside the UK Ordinarily, British citizenship automatically passes down one generation to children born outside the UK. If you were born outside the UK to a British parent, you will have automatically acquired British citizenship. If you have a child who is born outside the UK, they may not automatically be British. You will need to apply to register your child as a British citizen. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen You can apply for British citizenship as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen if you: Are over the age of 18. Are married to, or in a civil partnership with, someone who is a British citizen. Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of application. As soon as you have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Settled Status, or Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE), you will be eligible to apply. You do not have to wait before you send your application. In addition to the above, you must also: Prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. Pass the Life in the UK Test. Be of good character. Not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the 3 years before your application. Not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in 12 months before your application. If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR), Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme or Indefinite Leave to Enter You may be eligible to apply for British Citizenship if you have lived in the UK for 5 years and have had Indefinite Leave to Remain, Settled Status or Indefinite Leave to Enter for 12 months. You must also: Be over the age of 18. Prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. Pass the Life in the UK Test. Intend to continue living in the UK. Be of good character. Prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day you send your application. Not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the 5 years before your application. Not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in 12 months before your application. Why choose us? Becoming a British citizen is attainable through various paths each designed for different situations. It is essential to understand the specific criteria for your chosen route and meet the necessary requirements. That is where we step in. Our highly trained immigration lawyers have a thorough understanding of British nationality laws, requirements and processes and the various pathways to British citizenship. We can help you navigate the application process effectively by providing you with: Advice on your eligibility to apply for British citizenship based on your individual circumstances. A customised evidence checklist. Help with preparing and sending your application form and evidence. An honest opinion on the positives and negatives of your case. Our nationality lawyers will simplify the citizenship process for you.

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