Immigration and Migration

Call for evidence on the new Independent Appeals Body
Free Movement
Free Movement
Call for evidence on the new Independent Appeals Body Last summer the Home Office announced that they were going to set up a new Independent Appeals Body as part of their plans to reform the asylum system. Some information on how this might work emerged in January, but details ...
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Can asylum seekers work while waiting for a decision on their case?
Free Movement
Free Movement
Can asylum seekers work while waiting for a decision on their case? Asylum seekers who would otherwise face destitution must rely on financial support from the government. This support is limited to either £9.95 a week if the accommodation provides meals or £49.18 in other cases, which means most will struggle to ...
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Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #112
Free Movement
Free Movement
Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #112 Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!  The Home Office announced new immigration and nationality fees last week which come into effect from 8 April. Most fees seem to be increasing by 6 or 7%. For expensive applications like indefinite leave to ...
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What happens if the Home Office grants indefinite leave to remain by mistake?
Free Movement
Free Movement
What happens if the Home Office grants indefinite leave to remain by mistake? If the Home Office accidentally grants someone indefinite leave to remain, can they keep it? The court in R (YC) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWCA Civ 285 held no, sorry. At least, in cases where ...
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Do I need an electronic travel authorisation to enter the UK?
Free Movement
Free Movement
Do I need an electronic travel authorisation to enter the UK? The electronic travel authorisation scheme was first announced in the March 2023 statement of changes to the immigration rules HC 1160. The scheme was rolled out in phases and became fully operational last month. Since 25 February 2026, travellers who are required ...
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Home Secretary concedes use of unlawful evidential threshold in trafficking decisions
Free Movement
Free Movement
Home Secretary concedes use of unlawful evidential threshold in trafficking decisions In a significant concession, the Home Secretary has accepted that her decision-makers relied on an internal policy directing them to apply an unlawful evidential threshold. The threshold in question is the one used to decide whether there are reasonable grounds ...
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Home Office decision to remove public funds from Diego Garcia asylum seekers was unlawful, Upper...
Free Movement
Free Movement
Home Office decision to remove public funds from Diego Garcia asylum seekers was unlawful, Upper... The Upper Tribunal has found that the Home Office acted unlawfully when it imposed a no recourse to public funds condition on three asylum seekers relocated from Diego Garcia. This was on the grounds that it was irrational and represented ...
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Home Office fees going up from 8 April 2026, but child citizenship registration fees coming...
Free Movement
Free Movement
Home Office fees going up from 8 April 2026, but child citizenship registration fees coming... The government has published the new immigration and nationality fees which will come into effect from 8 April 2026. There are increases across the board, with most fees increasing by 6 or 7%. The application fee for indefinite leave to ...
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Closure of Surinder Singh route on 9 August 2023 was lawful, High Court says
Free Movement
Free Movement
Closure of Surinder Singh route on 9 August 2023 was lawful, High Court says The High Court has found that closing the Surinder Singh route of the EU Settlement Scheme to new applicants on 9 August 2023 was a lawful decision open to the Home Office to make. The case is Lin & Anor, ...
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Subjective fears of family members are relevant but not enough to prevent deportation
Free Movement
Free Movement
Subjective fears of family members are relevant but not enough to prevent deportation The Court of Appeal has ruled that the subjective, personal preferences of a partner do not constitute an exception to deportation. Subjective fears, such as their fears to relocate to another country, are not ‘immaterial’. However, those fears only form ...
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Job Ad: The Unity Project is recruiting a Specialist Immigration Caseworker (maternity cover)
Free Movement
Free Movement
Job Ad: The Unity Project is recruiting a Specialist Immigration Caseworker (maternity cover) About the role We are seeking an experienced and qualified immigration advisor to lead on key elements of our Change of Conditions casework service as maternity cover for the coming year including our ‘self-submissions’ support programme and second-tier CoC advice. ...
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Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #111
Free Movement
Free Movement
Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #111 Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!  The Independent Monitoring Authority has found that the Home Office has been failing to process EU Settlement Scheme applications within a reasonable timeframe, breaching the rights of EU and EEA citizens. The inquiry identified delays ...
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Asylum support: what is available and what has changed
Free Movement
Free Movement
Asylum support: what is available and what has changed The cost of accommodating asylum seekers has become a central feature of the political debate on asylum policy. These policies have resulted in asylum accommodation ranging from Ministry of Defence military barracks and shipping vessels to hotels. This article looks ...
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High Court upholds interim removal of EU national terrorism offender
Free Movement
Free Movement
High Court upholds interim removal of EU national terrorism offender In R on the application of Mina Dich v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 502 (Admin), the High Court has dismissed a challenge to the interim removal of an EU national convicted of a terrorism offence. ...
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Interim relief granted to prevent removal of trafficking victim under French one-in-one-out deal
Free Movement
Free Movement
Interim relief granted to prevent removal of trafficking victim under French one-in-one-out deal In AYA & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 552 (Admin), interim relief was granted to a victim of trafficking to prevent his removal to France while his legal challenge was considered in full. Mr Justice Sheldon ...
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When can you get a refund for the immigration health surcharge?
Free Movement
Free Movement
When can you get a refund for the immigration health surcharge? The immigration health surcharge is an additional fee that most applicants must pay upfront when applying for a visa. It essentially adds £1,035 per year per person to the cost of a UK visa, or £776 per person per year ...
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High Court reiterates no right to consular assistance to leave Gaza under Article 8
Free Movement
Free Movement
High Court reiterates no right to consular assistance to leave Gaza under Article 8 The High Court has handed down its judgment in R (RKC1 & Ors) v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs & Anor [2026] EWHC 440 (Admin). While the claimants secured narrow victories on procedural grounds and legitimate ...
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New sponsor compliance duties you need to act on now
Free Movement
Free Movement
New sponsor compliance duties you need to act on now Buried beneath the headlines about visa brakes and Afghan nationals, the Home Office quietly updated its sponsor guidance on 6 March 2026, the day after HC 1691 landed. The refreshed parts one to three, Appendix D and a brand new ...
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Latest statistics show asylum appeal backlog exceeds 80,000 cases
Free Movement
Free Movement
Latest statistics show asylum appeal backlog exceeds 80,000 cases The backlog of asylum appeals at the immigration tribunal has exceeded 80,000 cases, the latest tribunal statistics show. Some of those cases will include dependents as well as main appellants. As recently as 2023, there were only 9,000 cases in ...
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Afghan national’s job too remote from counter-narcotics objectives to qualify for relocation
Free Movement
Free Movement
Afghan national’s job too remote from counter-narcotics objectives to qualify for relocation The High Court has dismissed a judicial review by an Afghan national refused relocation under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. The court held that the claimant did not make a substantive and positive contribution to UK national security objectives ...
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