Augustine Clement

Biometric Residence Permit

The Border Agency has just announced that from 29 February 2012, ALL applicants in the UK will need to obtain a biometric residence permit if they are applying to stay here for more than 6 months. To obtain a biometric permit, applicants will need to enrol their biometric information (fingerprints and facial image) with the UK Border Agency. Please ensure you use the correct application form otherwise your application may be rejected.

The Brightest and the Best

New rules for students are to be announced shortly. The rules will allow only the brightest and the best students to stay and work in the UK.

Currently, all international students who have recently completed their studies in the UK are allowed to remain in the UK for up to 2 years under the Tier 1 (post study work route). From 6 April 2012, only the most talented international graduates will be able to apply and stay in the United Kingdom for work purposes.

Students will have graduated from a UK institution and have an offer of skilled work with a minimum salary of £20,000. These changes are said to encourage growth and benefit the British economy.

International students may be eligible to apply for the new Graduate Entrepreneur route. There will be up to 1,000 places for students working on world-class innovative ideas who may wish to stay in the UK and develop these ideas but do not meet the requirements of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route. Young entrepreneurs or small company directors will get the chance to stay on in the UK after their studies if they have £50,000 to invest in their business. 

Student maintenance rules will change. There will be an increase in the amount of money that students and working migrants (and their dependents) must prove they have to support themselves financially during their time in the UK.

Finally there will be a restriction of work placements for students studying below degree level to one third of their course to discourage those coming to the UK to work but using the student route.

The time that a student can spend studying at degree level will be restricted to a general limit of 5 years.

 

Your visitor visa will be valid for a maximum period of six months and is in most cases non- extendable. However, should you wish to remain in the UK beyond this period, we can, depending on your particular circumstances, advise if this will be possible.

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