Visitors to the UK meaning

In this issue: Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Visitors Sponsored work Business, investment and non-sponsored work EU law rights and EU Settlement Scheme Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Key developments Future developments—Immigration calendar Please note: our Immigration calendar highlights key forthcoming milestones of particular interest to business immigration advisers. UK immigration control: how it works Migration Observatory analyses Labour’s progress on migration pledges The Migration Observatory has also released an evaluation of Labour’s delivery against its migration promises after more than a year in office. It measures headway against six pledges: driving down net migration; reducing dependence on overseas labour; curbing small boat crossings; clearing the asylum backlog; stopping the use of asylum hotels; and speeding up removals of people with no lawful status in the UK. According to the report, estimated net migration fell to 204,000 in the...

In this issue: Share plan reporting New and updated content Trackers Useful Information Dates for your diary Weekly highlights from other practice areas Share plan reporting HMRC requires share plan reporting even for tax-exempt short-term business visitors On 10 July 2025, HMRC amended ERSM140030 (see: Trackers below) to set out its position on share plan reporting for short-term business visitors (STBVs). EP Appendix 4 (PAYE82000) does not lessen or remove ERS reporting duties. Consequently, if a UK company or UK branch is a responsible person under section 421L of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA 2003), any events that are reportable under ITEPA 2003, s 421K must be returned, regardless of how many UK workdays are in point. Where an STBV qualifies for UK income tax exemption under a double tax treaty on securities income linked to UK workdays, the UK employer or host employer can seek an STBV agreement so that operating...

In this issue: Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Visitors Sponsored work Long residence, discretion and human rights Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Citizenship applications Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content New Q&A Key developments Future developments—Immigration calendar Our Immigration calendar outlines key upcoming developments relevant to business immigration advisers. UK immigration control: how it works Immigration Minister indicates incoming Ukraine Scheme Visa announcement The Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove MP, indicated that an update on extending the Ukraine Visa Scheme is expected in the coming months. Underscoring the need for clarity, he stated: ‘we are committed to letting everybody know, at least 12 months ahead, what the future holds in terms of the arrangements for any extension of these visas’. His comments point to a grant of further limited leave to remain only, with steps to allow university students to...

The Immigration Rules set out comprehensive schedules of actions expressly banned and clearly allowed for visitors of all kinds. When deciding an application for entry clearance, leave to enter or remain as a visitor, the Home Office assesses whether all the proposed activities amount to any banned conduct or sit within the permitted activities for the relevant visitor route and category applied for. Certain activities are only permitted where visitors satisfy further eligibility criteria set out in and detailed within the Immigration Rules, Appendix V: Visitor, paras V 5.1-V 15.4. For more detail and context, see Practice Note: Visitor: eligibility—Additional eligibility requirements for specific types of visitor applicants. Each time a visitor seeks to enter at the frontier, unless using an eGate, they will normally be asked to explain clearly what they plan to do in the UK and for how long in total. A visitor is expected to have, and be able to state plainly, one or more reasons for coming to the UK. Where a person already possesses...

This review examines the principal amendments to the Immigration Rules (the Rules) contained in HC 617. Released on 10 September 2021 with an Explanatory Memorandum, it is lengthy. Readers can jump to particular sections of this note rapidly via the Table of Contents bar on the left of the screen for quick navigation. Beyond unveiling the International Sportsperson route and renaming the remaining temporary work routes, the Statement of Changes makes numerous small adjustments across assorted areas of detail. These involve minor fixes to policy points and alterations to terminology/wording that have emerged in relation to routes streamlined for the post‑Brexit Immigration framework in HC 813 as implemented. Frequently, revisions are delivered through wholesale paragraph replacement, which gives them a more weighty appearance than they truly warrant (and also increases the time a user must spend to pinpoint what has in fact been altered in practice). This is especially true for the Appendix EU and Appendix EU (Family Permit) revisions within this document. The Law Commission’s very precise proposal that...

This review outlines the principal updates to the Immigration Rules (the Rules) contained in HC 877 that will most concern business immigration advisers. HC 877 was laid on 11 March 2016, accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum (EM). This notice excludes amendments to Tier 2 of the Points-Based System (PBS) recommended by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in its January 2016 report, as the Home Office has not yet issued a formal response to the MAC review. Revisions to the Immigration Rules for Tier 2 are expected in the summer or autumn. Be aware that two sets of corrections were placed on the opening pages of HC 877 in March 2016, before the Statement took effect. You can jump to individual subjects swiftly via the Contents bar. Implementation Unless specified otherwise, the amendments apply to applications submitted on or after 6 April 2016. Applications filed before this date will be determined under the Rules in force as at 5 April 2016. Definitions Apart from definition changes that...

[ To be produced on the official letterheaded paper of the overseas business ] [ Address to either: Chief Immigration Officer [ insert port of entry ] (non-visa nationals) or Entry Clearance Officer [ insert entry clearance post ] (visa nationals) ] [ Add date ] Dear [ insert organisation’s name ] [ Provide the visitor’s full name, date of birth, and nationality exactly as stated in the passport ] Request for entry to the UK for a business visit This correspondence is submitted to back the request of the person named above for permission to enter the UK as a visitor within the standard visitor category for a duration of [ insert number of days/weeks/months ]...

Stop press: The 2026 Regulations—Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No 6 and Transitional and Saving Provisions), SI 2026/82—activate the outstanding parts of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA 2025). Measures on subject access requests, legitimate interests, purpose limitation, automated decision-making, international transfers and enforcement apply from 5 February 2026, while those on penalty notices and complaints take effect from 19 June 2026. For further detail, see Practice Note: Data (Use and Access) Act 2025—employment implications. This Precedent will be refreshed soon to reflect these amendments. Together, these changes complete commencement of the remaining DUAA 2025 provisions. 1 Purpose and scope 1.1 [ Name of organisation ] operates closed circuit television (CCTV) to help ensure a safe and secure environment for staff, visitors and customers, and to safeguard company property...

[ To be printed on the UK business’s official letterheaded paper ] [ Address to either: ] Chief Immigration Officer [ insert port of entry ] (non‑visa nationals) Entry Clearance Officer [ insert entry clearance post ] (visa nationals) [ Insert date ] Dear [ insert organisation name ] [ Include the business visitor’s full name, date of birth and nationality exactly as shown in their passport ] Request for entry to the UK for a business visit This correspondence is submitted in support of the above‑named individual’s request for permission to enter the UK under the standard visitor category for a period of [ insert number of days/weeks/months ]. [ Insert title and last name of applicant ] will be accommodated at [ insert full address, including hotel name if applicable ]...