Substantial rises are set for most immigration fees on 1 October 2010, on the basis of the laughable justification that UKBA ‘want to ensure that we can offer a good […]
It has come to my attention that Google Ads sometimes (or possibly always) show on Free Movement to those not already logged in as WordPress users – i.e. everyone except […]
The tragic demise of Refugee and Migrant Justice, formerly known as the Refugee Legal Centre, leaves a gaping and unfillable void in the immigration sector. With its higher than average […]
The tribunal has allowed two appeals on the basis that Pankina does not only apply to the three month rule and that all an applicant need do is comply with […]
I am back from my very pleasant holidays and thought I would kick off what feels like a new season with some juicy gossip. Many lawyers in the sector will […]
UKBA has laid Statement of Changes CM7929 to give effect (or, at least, limited effect) to the judgment of the Supreme Court in ZO (Somalia) [2010] UKSC 36. This was […]
Following Pankina, UKBA laid Statement of Changes HC 382, different parts of which came into effect on 23 July and 12 August 2010. The main changes were to incorporate into […]
I still use this blog as my own personal note book of developments I might well want to look up later. I’m currently updating and re-writing the HJT Immigration Manual […]
Yet more good news, this time for children and their parents. In LD (Article 8 best interests of child) Zimbabwe [2010] UKUT 278 (IAC) the President of the Immigration and […]
Some tremendously good news for many refugees: in the new case of FH (Post-flight spouses) Iran [2010] UKUT 275 (IAC) the tribunal has found that Article 8 appeals by the […]
Plainly the ratio of HJ is not limited just to sexual orientation cases but will apply to all grounds covered by the Convention. I thought it might be interesting to […]
I’ve been silent on this so far for fear of losing my rag. There is much distress still, and criticism of the administrators seems to be growing. Alan George and […]
R (on the application of Medical Justice) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 1925 (Admin) should be a wake up call to civil servants at UKBA […]
An unpublished UKBA internal investigation has rejected the complaints made by Louise Perrett about the Cardiff asylum team. A summary has been made available. The existence of the ‘grant monkey’ was […]
The Home Office has announced that Certificates of Approval will be scrapped in late 2010 or early 2011. This is a belated implementation of the House of Lords judgment in […]
The Home Office appeal to the Supreme Court in ZO (Somalia) [2010] UKSC 36 has been dismissed. This confirms that in cases where a fresh asylum claim has been made and […]
The concisely monikered Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency yesterday published two very critical reports on UKBA operations. One was on the visa operation in Pakistan and the other […]
I can’t keep up! If things ever quieten down I’ll do a few more weighty analysis posts but in the meantime these alerter ones must suffice. Firstly, the Medical Justice […]
The Government has laid a new Statement of Changes (HC 382) that incorporates the parts of the Points Based System policy guidance ruled unlawful in the Pankina and English UK […]
The Points Based System test case, Pankina, is not being appealed by UKBA. This has been confirmed by Treasury Solicitors. Interim guidance has apparently been issued to UKBA caseworkers. More […]
The related House of Lords decisions of June 2008 (Beoku-Betts, Chikwamba and EB (Kosovo)) should have brought about a sea change in the approach of the Home Office and the […]
I’ve been so busy I forgot to post a link to this recent piece on The Guardian’s Comment Is Free site. I have an excuse to mention that now because […]
The Court of Appeal has adopted a helpfully limited approach to the meaning of ‘false representation’ in Immigration Rules 320(7A) and 322(1A), restricting it to cases of deliberate falsehood rather […]
HJ (Iran) and HT (Cameroon) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] UKSC 31 represents a fundamental change in UK asylum law. The previous settlement, established by the […]
Firstly, I am well aware that this blog is seriously behind with a lot of the developments that have taken place in the last fortnight. And a lot has happened. I’ve […]
UPDATE: see proper post here with analysis. Sorry for the headline, which is in fact an accurate description of what has happened. Although from the half of the judgment I’ve […]
The appeal against the Home Office interpretation of the Points Based System has succeeded in the Court of Appeal. Regular readers may remember I went along to and reported on […]
The union at RMJ is organising a demonstration outside the Ministry of Justice tomorrow. See you there? It is ages since I’ve been to a demonstration. I think the last […]
Refugee and Migrant Justice, formerly known as the Refugee Legal Centre, has gone into administration today. As a lawyer specialising in immigration and family work I have no idea what […]
The new Government is making it a requirement that all spouses coming to the UK will need to know a minimum level of English. That wasn’t in the coalition immigration […]
I re-Tweeted this a few days ago but thought it was worth highlighting for those who (arguably sensibly) do not follow the Free Movement Twitter account. The Times reported a […]
UPDATE: challenge successful. Penningtons have dropped me a line with some interesting information about a challenge to the new English language requirements for foreign Tier 4 students. The challenge is […]
[UPDATE: read about result here] I dropped into court this afternoon to see how the PBS challenge was going. Unfortunately I missed what sounds like a masterclass in the morning […]
Attorney General Trstenjak has given his opinion in the Lassal case (referred to the ECJ by the Court of Appeal) and has concluded that five years of residence under previous […]
No-notice removals have been suspended following a legal challenge brought by Medical Justice. The no-notice policy has been covered here previously and was the subject of a damning judgment by Mr Justice […]
The more detailed coalition government programme is now available. The immigration section doesn’t look too bad so far but is, inevitably in a general purpose document of this nature, very […]
A sign of things to come: Following the UK general election on 6 May 2010, the UK Border Agency website has undergone some changes. All news stories published before April […]
