Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #59

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!

There were reports of widespread issues with eVisas last week as accounts again seemed to be linked to the wrong identities in yet another data breach. It remains unclear what is causing these issues or when and how it is expected to be resolved. In the meantime, it was announced that people would be able to continue to travel using an expired biometric residence permit up to and including 1 June 2025.

Last week the Cranston inquiry, which is looking into the deadliest Channel crossing incident from November 2021, took evidence from one of the two survivors and a coastguard official. Day five of the hearing is underway and can be watched here. 

The latest report from IPPR reveals that nearly half of UK children with parents born abroad are living in poverty. Unsurprisingly, key causes are the use of the no recourse to public funds condition, along with extremely steep immigration application fees which need to be paid several times before settlement.

Another challenge to the recent good character guidance changes has been announced, this one by Wilsons.

On Free Movement, the latest podcast episode is out, covering all things February. This is the last one with Barry for a few months as he takes some well earned time off to do some travelling. On the blog, we took a closer look at what is happening with Afghan cases, as the Home Office has dramatically increased refusals while seemingly acknowledging that removals are not possible, thereby shifting a large number of cases into the tribunal system. A country guidance case is urgently needed.

Some court and tribunal fees are due to increase on 1 April 2025, the details of the rises are here. We have updated our briefing on making a change of conditions application to remove the no recourse to public funds restriction (and for anyone interested, I am running my advanced workshop again at the end of April looking at the more complex issues and remedies with these applications).

We also covered the latest development in the litigation surrounding the family who were separated during a Channel crossing last year. The family court has concluded that the Supreme Court’s decision in G v G no longer applies to prevent a return order being made while a child has an outstanding asylum claim. For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

A Dangerous Journey?: The Good Character Requirement, Naturalisation, Trafficking, and Discrimination against Women – ILPA Blog, 5 March

Denying refugees citizenship? How low can we go? – Bylines Scotland, 6 March

Ministers delaying inquiry into treatment of migrant carers, RCN says – The Guardian, 7 March

UK will not pay Rwanda more for scrapped migrant deal – BBC News, 4 March

He was tortured in Turkey. Then he faced a US immigration judge who almost never grants asylum – The Guardian, 6 March

Give Asylum Seekers Right To Work to Reduce Spend on Migrant Hotels, Lib Dem MP Says – PoliticsHome, 4 March

Afghan man’s despair at delay to UK family reunion – BBC News, 4 March

Man suspected of smuggling hundreds of migrants into Europe arrested in London – The Standard, 4 March

How migrant workers are saving the NHS from crisis – BBC News, 5 March

Overseas students fall a ‘worrying trend’ – firms – BBC News, 4 March

Misinformation on refugees and migrants is rife during elections. We found 6 ways it spreads – and how to stop it – The Conversation, 3 March