British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Peter Beckingham announced new figures on 14 March about India’s investment in the UK over last two years.

According to Beckingham, over 100 new entrepreneurs have invested in the UK over the last two years. Beckingham visited Vadodara to speak with entrepreneurs and attract further investment for the UK. He stated that the UK has been encouraging investment from India by not making stricter UK Visa rules for investors. Tier visa categories used by investors include the Tier 1 entrepreneur visa, the Tier 1 investor visa and Tier 2 Visa.

He added that the UK is looking for investments specifically in areas of advanced engineering, energy sector, automotive sector and oil and gas sector. UK Trade and Investment, a company that works to encourage overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice, has already been working with around 2,000 Indian businesses in over 20 cities since 2009.

He met officials of Federation of Gujarat Industries and local Chamber of Commerce and Industries and said: “We are open to Indians who want to study, invest or travel in the country as tourists. We are not restricting entry for such people. In fact, many Indian companies have been investing in the UK. Indians have been one of the biggest investors in the UK.”  

If you would like to apply for an Investor’s Visa, Vira International Ltd will be happy to assist you. Please call 0044-2088635811 or send an email to anjum@vira.co.uk .

UK Border Agency has decided to limit most increases to approximately 2%. In addition, the fees paid by dependants, for applications made within the UK, are being maintained at the current level of 50% of a main applicant’s fee. In future the UK Border Agency will look to charge the same fee in the UK for dependants and main applicants, as currently already happens for visa applications made overseas

Following Parliamentary approval, an increase in for some overseas visa fees, and UK-based visa application fees, will be introduced from Friday 6 April 2012.

All payments made from 00:01 (UK time) on Friday 6 April, should be paid according to the new fees.

UKBA will not accept any applications where an incorrect fee is paid.

The revenue generated will contribute towards securing the UK’s border and controlling migration for the benefit of the UK.

For any queries related to UK visa application, please contact us on 0208-8635811 or send an email to anjum@vira.co.uk  .

From 14^th June.2012 the UKBA has announced that there will  be an increase in the  funds required to satisfy the maintenance requirement forTier 2 Visa applicants. The changes go into effect from 14 June 2012.

This follows a written ministerial statement from 15 March 2012 that outlines a number of changes to the Immigration Rules, including the closure of the Tier 1 Post Study Work route on 6 April 2012.

 The following changes will be made to the maintenance requirement for Tier 2 visa applicants:

• Tier 2 Visa Applicants: Increased from £800 to £900
• Dependents of Tier 2 applicants who have been in the UK for less than 12 months: Increased from £1,600 to £1,800
• Dependents of Tier 2 applicants – all other applications: Increased from £533 to £600

If you intend to make a Tier 2 visa application on or after 14 June 2012, you must ensure that you have the correct funds held in your account as soon as possible. The funds will need to be held in your bank or savings account for a 90 day period prior to the date of your visa application. The UKBA has delayed the implementation date until 14 June to allow immigrants sufficient time to hold these funds for 90 days, prior to submitting a visa application.

The UKBA has stated that these increases are in line with cost of living rises in the UK.

Other Tier 2 changes that will go into effect 6 April 2012 include:

• Introducing a new minimum salary requirement of £35,000 for Tier 2 general and sportsperson migrants who wish to settle here (indefinite leave to remain or permanent residence) from April 2016 (with exemptions for those in PhD level and shortage occupation categories).
• Introducing a ‘cooling-off period’ across all the Tier 2 routes. Tier 2 migrants will need to wait for 12 months from the expiration of their previous visa before they may apply for a further Tier 2 visa. Although, it is important to note that many Tier 2 visa holders can still apply for indefinite leave to remain if they meet all of the requirements including showing that they meet the new minimum pay requirement of £35,000.
• Introducing new post-study arrangements for graduates switching into Tier 2.

Please get in touch with us for assitance in applying for an Indefinite leave to remain in UK, Family Visa or any other Point Based system related Visa. Please email. anjum@vira.co.uk. or call .0208-8635811.

Following the Migration Advisory Committee report in October 2011 to advise on the 2012-13 annual limit for Tier 2 and associated policies, the government has after careful consideration, announced that:

·         The Tier 2 (General) limit will remain at its current level of 20,700 for the next 2 years until April 2014.

·         The skill level required by migrants who wish to work in the UK will increase. This means the number of middle-management jobs such as IT technicians and security managers will no longer be open to migrant workers. However, highly-skilled occupations such as architect, teacher or chemical engineer will still be available.

·         Additionally, the rules for businesses around advertising highly paid and PhD jobs will be relaxed. This will cut bureaucracy, meaning companies will no longer have to advertise vacancies through JobCentrePlus, where they are unlikely to get applicants for these types of jobs, but will still have to advertise more widely. Furthermore, companies will now be able to select the best candidate for PhD level occupations, even if they require Tier 2 sponsorship.

According to Immigration minister, Damian Green

‘The government has been clear that the UK is open for business and our limit has been designed with the industry’s needs in mind.‘We believe there is no incompatibility between economic growth and controlling migration – our reformed, more selective immigration system can achieve both.’

Prospective workers will still need to have a graduate level job, speak an intermediate level of English and meet specific salary and employment requirements before they are able to work here. Those earning a salary of £150,000 or more will not be subject to the limit.

These changes are part of the government’s radical overhaul of the immigration system. Firm action has already been taken on the student route, settlement and those coming here to work; in order to bring immigration levels back down to sustainable levels and make sure we receive only the brightest and best people. By summer the government will also have made changes to family migration routes

As previously announced, a number of changes to the Immigration Rules are coming into effect on 6 April.

These include changes for migrants coming to the UK under the following routes of the points-based system:

·         Tier 1 – high-value migrants.

·         Tier 2 – skilled workers, including: new arrangements for students switching into  Tier 2 and confirmation that the limit for non-EU skilled workers allowed into the UK will remain at 20,700 for the next 2 years.

·         Tier 4 – students.

·         Tier 5 – temporary workers.

In addition to these changes the government is also increasing from 6 April, the funds that applicants will need to provide evidence of, in order to meet the maintenance requirements for Tier 4 and Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme). Changes to the level of funds needed for applicants in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 5 (Temporary worker) will come into effect on 14 June.

Changes are also being made to:

·         Curtailment (cutting short the leave you have if you fail to start, or have ceased your work or study).

·         The visitor rules, with the creation of a new visitor route for permitted paid engagements to allow a small group of professionals, artists, entertainers and sportspersons who are to come to the UK to undertake short-term remunerated activities, for up to 1 month without formal sponsorship.

·         The overseas domestic worker routes.

·         The extension of leave to remain, so that Tier 2 migrants can now extend for a further 3 years, to take their stay up to a maximum of 6 years in total.