Immigration: New rules introduced in June

From 4 June 2020, the following changes will be made:

• The requirements of the Representative of an Overseas Business category will now include more subjective assessments and a test of genuineness.
• So long as they can establish that they are one of the businesses’ founders, an Innovator applicant’s business can already be trading.
• Higher education providers can be endorsing bodies for Innovator visas (currently they can only endorse Start-up applicants).
• Victims of domestic abuse or domestic violence will be able to access to the EU Settlement Scheme.
• Visa extensions for those unable to leave the UK because of coronavirus have been extended to 31 July 2020.
• The deadline for making an application from the UK to switch to a visa that would normally require you to apply from your home country has also been extended to 31 July 2020.

From 24 August 2020, further changes will be introduced. Hopefully, the visa extensions and in-country switching concessions will also be extended in line with the lockdown provisions.

If you’d like specific advice relating to any of the upcoming changes to the immigration rules, don’t hesitate to get in touch.