Immigration News

The UK’s “hostile environment” immigration policy—now officially rebranded as the “compliant environment”—was designed to make life unliveable for undocumented migrants. By embedding immigration checks into everyday services like employment, housing, banking and healthcare, the policy shifts the burden of enforcement onto employers, landlords, and public bodies, creating a climate of suspicion and exclusion. More than […]

The UK Home Office has confirmed that several immigration and nationality fees will rise from 9 April 2025, affecting visa applicants, employers, and sponsors. The government states that these increases are aimed at reducing reliance on taxpayer funding for the immigration system while ensuring its sustainability. However, they will also place a greater financial burden on […]

Over the past eight weeks, the Government has invited legal professionals and organisations with interest in Civil legal aid to take part in a consultation on proposed reform to the legal aid structure and fees as a apart of a Review of Civil Legal Aid.  Seraphus has chosen to make a submission to this consultation because we believe […]

The Labour government has introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, claiming it will strengthen border security and dismantle criminal networks exploiting vulnerable migrants. At first glance, this might sound reasonable—but scratch beneath the surface, and it becomes clear that this bill continues the same harmful approach to migration that treats people as threats rather […]

Read the latest update on the UK immigration fees in our article UK immigration and nationality fees to increase from April 2025. The Home Office has announced a series of measures aimed at reducing the migration and borders system’s reliance on taxpayer funding. If approved, these changes will result in significant fee increases across various immigration and […]

2024 has been an important year for UK immigration law, with several significant changes introduced that impact all corners of the immigration system, from changes to asylum policy and digitalisation, to business and family immigration alike. Below, we outline some of the notable updates and what they mean. Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) The phased rollout […]

As immigration solicitors, we are frequently asked to untangle difficult legal situations which have significant consequences to those who have requested our help. This is particularly apparent in UK family applications, where we are tasked with making applications that bring loved ones together.  One of our recent clients was trying to do just this. They […]

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) recently released a compelling report highlighting the urgent need for a shift in how asylum accommodation is managed in the UK. With annual costs for housing and supporting asylum seekers in the UK now at a staggering £41,000 per person, up from £17,000 in 2019/20, the current system is unsustainable. […]

If you’re planning to visit the UK and you’re from a country that doesn’t require a visa for short stays, there’s an important update you should be aware of; the UK is introducing the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme. This new requirement is part of the UK’s effort to improve its border security and will soon apply […]

The UK is transitioning to a fully digital immigration system, replacing physical immigration documents with an online record known as an eVisa. This change will affect millions of people, making it crucial to understand how to navigate the new system effectively. In this article we go through what this change means and what steps you can […]

A changing landscape 2024 has already seen many immigration measures which impact employers recruiting and retaining international staff. From the 65% increase of the Immigration Health Surcharge fee, to the 47% increase of the minimum salary threshold, we have seen the previous UK government implement steep measures to reduce net migration, which have negative impacts […]

In response to the recent surge in organised racist, Islamophobic and violent riots across the United Kingdom, we, Seraphus, stand in solidarity with those targeted by these despicable acts. The disturbing wave of far-right violence has not only inflicted fear upon racialised communities but has also attacked the institutions dedicated to supporting migrants and asylum seekers. Attacks […]

Although there was a highly publicised increase in fees for immigration applications in October 2023 and to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees in February 2024, there have been other increases brought in gradually since that time in April and July 2024. Amongst these changes, it is largely underreported that there is scheduled to be […]

The Labour Party’s landslide victory in the recent general election has the potential to mark a turning point for UK immigration policy. With a clear mandate, Keir Starmer’s government is could implement changes to reshape the UK’s approach to asylum, skilled workers, and broader immigration issues. But will they? Or will they instead sell surface […]