Media

Optimus Law has recently been using these blog pages to take a deep look into the specific immigration issues affecting individual countries. This has been…

Once again, the topic of forced immigration is high on the news agenda – and once again, it has become an unwelcome by-product of war.…

It was only last week that we wrote on this page that the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia is threatening to unleash one of…

The history of immigration to the United States is a long one, stretching almost right back to when the land was founded. The nation experienced…

The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban during the summer last year was an action that horrified the world. At the time, we discussed on…

One of the most significant proposed pieces of new UK legislation currently continuing its passage through the statute-making process is the Nationality and Borders Bill.…

While most people across Europe were full of the Christmas spirit and celebrating with their loved ones on Christmas Day, it was business as usual…

Delays in processing asylum claims are at record levels on both sides of the Atlantic, placing increased pressure on already overstretched governments in both the…

There cannot be anyone who has failed to be moved by the appalling deaths of those migrants whose journey to the UK from France has…

To say that the year 2021 has been a momentous one when it comes to immigration issues is somewhat of an understatement. Indeed, we here…

There are many professions where making a mistake could have devastating consequences. A doctor, for example, must make life-or-death judgements every day. Airline pilots, roofers…

As the UK’s leading, specialist immigration lawyers, it is important that the Optimus Law team maintains an awareness of all news and analysis when it…

On July 6, 2021, the Nationality and Borders Bill (the bill) was introduced in the UK Parliament with the aim of amending the current asylum and immigration system…

Just a few weeks ago, the news headlines were being dominated by stories of fuel shortages across the UK. The issue came to a head…

Law is one of the most popular academic disciplines in the world. With attractive salaries, strong job stability, and the respectable status often associated with…

As would be expected from the UK’s leading, specialist immigration lawyers, we at Optimus Law take a keen interest in what is happening regarding immigration…

Anyone who has ever travelled into the UK from overseas, be it for holidays or business, using air, sea, or land, will have seen the…

We recently analysed the issues faced by UK immigrants who have fallen victim to the Covid “cowboy” companies, charging fees for delivering inadequate – and…

Our specialist immigration law team at Optimus Law would like to invite you to remember the complex processes that UK immigrants go through to ensure…

The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban has horrified the world – including everyone here at specialist immigration lawyers, Optimus Law. With horrific images of…

Now that the UK’s Nationality and Borders Bill is at Committee stage – where detailed examination of the Bill is taking place – it makes…

“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” Never has this saying been so apt as a recent case of The Guardian newspaper…

Now that the much-anticipated Nationality and Borders Bill is nearing its second reading in the UK’s House of Commons, immigration law specialists, Optimus Law, is…

British industry chiefs have warned the UK is facing a summer of food shortages similar to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a…

Immigration law specialists, Optimus Law, has learned that “security concerns” lie behind the UK government’s decision to review all Tier 1 (Investor) visas which were…

The month of June is the Pride month, 30 days dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. As legal professionals, Optimus Law,…

Immigration law specialists Optimus Law would like to highlight that with only two days to go until the end of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS),…

A new report has outlined the devastating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on UK migrants with limited or insecure status has been read…

The immigration law firm, Optimus Law, have learned that a cross-party group of 24 UK MPs have signed an open letter to the US President,…

A new migration and mobility partnership, announced by the Home Office on 4th May, will provide a “bespoke route” for young working professionals from India…

What you need to know in light of the fast-approaching deadline The deadline for EU Settlement Scheme applications is fast approaching. European Union, European Economic…

Analysis by the Cato Institute reveals that some 186.6 million immigrants had moved to freer countries by 2019   187 million immigrants moved to freer…

The pandemic has brought about a sea-change in working patterns in the UK – and the tide shows no signs of turning any time soon…

EU countries have refused to guarantee the extradition of suspected criminals to the UK Some 20 EU countries have told the UK that they will…

The new plan is the most significant overhaul of the UK’s asylum system in decades On 24th March, Home Secretary Priti Patel set out the…

A virulent epidemic has been playing out behind closed doors in the UK over the past year. It is not, however, viral in nature. Instances…

With the vaccine rollout in the UK continuing apace – as of the 12th of March, over 23 million first doses and almost 1.5 million…

Step 1 - File a Police Report (If Appropriate) Domestic abuse or violence is a crime and should be reported to the police – there…

The launch of the UK’s visa citizenship scheme has sparked fresh political discord – and China could yet respond with further measures   The aftershocks…

The early signs indicate that Joe Biden’s Immigration policies will differ heavily from those of his predecessor   Donald Trump’s departure from the White House…

A recent ruling by a French court could mark a watershed moment for refugee law   As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate media headlines…

Vaccines provide a road out of lockdowns – and hope for a return to normality in 2021 – but misinformation and disinformation must be countered…

According to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, there were 79.5 million forcibly displaced people globally by the end of 2019, amounting to 1% of the…

The Home Office has found itself under the pressure of late after it came in for criticism from campaigners, lawyers, politicians and celebrities over the…

A number of British expats were denied entry to Spain after arriving in Barcelona on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow on the 2nd…

Relations between the US and China have been bordering on icy in the past couple of years, with a long-running trade war standoff defining the…

UK diners feasted on more than 100 million discount meals in August as part of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme. The Treasury…

After riding to power on the back of promises to an electorate that felt abandoned by the ‘Washington elite’, some may feel that Donald Trump…

With just weeks to go until the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, the precise nature of Britain’s relationship with the European Economic Area…

The UK has introduced a point-based system that will be implemented from the 1st of January 2021 once the free movement ends. The new points-based immigration…

The UK is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. The country is not only popular because of its magnificent lakes and…

The UK tourist visa allows a person from outside the EEA or Switzerland to visit the UK for up to 6-months. This visa type is…

RiFew can be enjoying the resurgence of the Irish border conundrum, least of all Boris Johnson – so why bother with the trade deal bluster?…

Rishi Sunak’s rapid and decisive move to introduce generous furlough payments to a third of the UK’s workforce temporarily saved hundreds of thousands of jobs…

Britain and France have decided to embark on a mutually agreed-upon plan for blocking the migrant routes across the channel, Chris Philip, the British Immigration…

Just a few months ago we had never even heard of COVID-19 and now our lives have been changed forever, as we try to adjust…

Whether you want to work or study in the UK, you’ll need a UK visa to enter the country. There are multiple visa categories, each with its own…

Shamima Begum (born 1999) is a British woman who left the UK, aged 15, to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)…

Most foreign nationals applying from outside the EEA are required to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge. Notably, this fee is separate from the visa application…

From COVID confusion to Channel crossings and organised crime, Britain’s border problems paint a picture of confusion First, there were outright travel bans, then bubbles,…

The spread of the Covid-19 virus is already having a massive impact on colleges and universities around the world. If you are already pursuing a degree programme…

It may be futile to make sense of what is really happening in the world of COVID-19, but one segment of society seems to have…

If you want to study or work in the UK, but you are dependent on immigration rules, you must apply for a UK visa. The…

The Coronavirus outbreak is a human tragedy. Unlike other disasters such as 9/11 and Tsunamis, whose impact was limited to geographical locations, the novel Covid-19…

The UK Government has imposed a strict lockdown in the country after observing a massive rise in the positive Covid-19 cases. Although there may be…

Sweden is being hailed by some as a model of Scandinavian Pragmatism and by others as a Dangerous Game of Russian Roulette with People’s Lives…

Surely the biggest hurdle for those of us desperate to get an EasyJet to somewhere hot this year is the ‘stale’ air we all share…

The current coronavirus pandemic has taken every industry by storm – be it education, e-commerce, healthcare, or immigration. The Foreign Office has already advised against…

The current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the way many of us live our lives. At Optimus Law, we hope that you, your family, and loved…

The novel COVID-19 pandemic is now spreading well beyond China and is affecting more than 210 countries across the globe. Businesses are closed, schools are…

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises UK nationals to halt all non-essential international travel. Also, many countries have already imposed travel restrictions and border closures…

The COVID 19 pandemic has forced countries to impose lockdowns, travel restrictions, and halt ongoing immigration decisions and processes. Retail is closed, people whose citizenships…

As the novel Coronavirus continues to spread, there are serious implications for people’s health and the NHS, coronavirus (COVID-19) is also having a significant impact…

In response to the current COVID 19 pandemic, the Board of Directors at Optimus Law has created a practical and result-driven operational plan to safeguard…

The total number of active COVID-19 cases in the UK stands at 25,150 out of which 135 have been fully recovered while the death toll…

The UK government has announced that it will introduce a fast-track Global Talent Visa scheme on the 20th of February to attract the World’s leading…

The current COVID-19 pandemic is infiltrating every aspect of life be it education, business or travel. Because of the ongoing travel restrictions, non-UK nationals may…

Brexit isn’t over yet. However, the country has already started their new post-Brexit plans including to cease what it called the UK’s reliance on ‘cheap…

A Spouse Visa UK is a settlement visa that enables you to live with your British partner for up to 30 months in the UK,…

Acquiring British nationality in the words of Theresa May is a Privilege, not a right! Unlike the nationality of any other country, British Citizenship has…

Unless you’re an EEA or a Swiss citizen, you’ll need to acquire a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK. Once you have…

Brexit nearly happened, didn’t happen, nearly happened and didn’t happen again. However, the dithering didn’t stop a wholesale reform of the UK’s immigration laws.  …

Deportation can be a heartbreaking situation if you or your family have been settled in the UK.  Deportation separates families! It is therefore important to…

You may be asked to leave the UK if you have violated any immigration or criminal law. This forceful removal is called ‘deportation’ or ‘administrative…

You can become a British national either by birth or you have to apply for naturalisation if you’re an adult (i.e. over 18 years of…

UK Startup Visa 2019 – An Overview As promised, the Government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has finally announced a 2-years UK start-up visa with…

Big Ben or Beckham, England is famous for many things. It is believed to be one of the major destinations for international migrants around the…

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) also known as ‘Permanent Residency’ is an immigration status granted to the citizens of countries outside the EEA region, who…

The success ratio of your visa application depends on a number of different factors. For instance, it takes into account the country you’re applying for,…

Immigration lawyers are extremely beneficial especially if you have zero knowledge about the immigration procedure. They can help you out with completing your UK visa…

The Surinder Singh principle, or ‘route’ as commonly referred to, takes its name from the old Court of Justice judgment in R v IAT and…

On Friday 27th September 2019, Optimus Law held its second Macmillan Cancer Coffee morning at 10 New Bartholomew Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 5QS. People…

Free Immigration Advice Every Wednesday 1pm - 7pm Often clients need to speak with a lawyer for a short amount of time to understand the…

The first bit of good news is that you only need to show you've lived in the UK for one day in the last six…

On 9th May, a married couple from Oxford both who werre  EU citizens  were prevented from boarding their British Airways flight home after a holiday in…

Innovator Visa As we previously discussed in our recent blog post, the new Tier 1 categories; Innovator Visa and Start Up Visa are the newest…

Despite the UK still being in the EU after its scheduled departure date, the ‘post-Brexit’ EU settlement scheme remains in place. On 30th March, a…

The scrapping of the Tier-1 Entrepreneur Visa was met with consternation by some and applause by others. But, how will its replacements be received? The…

On 1st August 2019, the UK Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa will be abolished. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this may be a strange mood…

BREXIT, IRISH VISAS AND EU RECESSION   As we near the Brexit End game – now 41 days away from the legally mandated day of…

Theresa May scraps the £65 fee The government has recently stated that the £65 fee, to be paid for the application under the EU Settlement…

The PM’s post-Salzburg comment that, “Even in the event of no deal, your rights will be protected” have been interpreted by many commentators as a…

What is GDPR? The GDPR is the new framework for data protection laws for businesses in the EU replacing the previous directive and the current…

It is estimated that the economic impact of International students is circa £25 billion that includes spending on or off the campus. The spending of…

As negotiations progress, a common question asked is based on travelling to the EU with a UK passport and no Brexit deal, and here’s everything…

There are currently between 20,000 and 26,000 undocumented men, women and children in Ireland. Many of these are in Ireland for the long-term, they work…

The Prime Minister has been genuinely apologetic about the anxiety caused by threatening those of the Windrush generation with deportation. The Windrush generation is are…

In order to meet the requirements, the British spouse must meet the following requirements: Financial requirements –  £18,600 additional if they have non-British children Accommodation…

Theresa May has been elected as the Prime Minster, despite running what is widely regarded as a poor and madly managed campaign. As we look…

The year 2017 began with an air of great uncertainty as Britain’s fledgling Prime Minister pondered what to do about article 50, Donald Trump prepared…

Right in the heart of England is the UK’s ‘second city’ – Birmingham. It’s attracting record levels of investment domestically and from abroad and, despite…

Away from the Westminster gossip and Brexit scare stories, Britain and its second city are well and truly open for business.   In early 2016,…

More than 11% of the labour market in UK is non-nationals ranging from different countries, including EU. More than 1.5 million people are non-UK nationals working…

Over the past twenty years foreign nationals within the UK job market, have increased rapidly to seven million people. The share of foreign nationals employed…

Since the triggering of “Article 50” there has been a surge in Irish passports.. For those with Irish relatives, the question we hear most frequently…

For the first time since 2013, annual EU net migration fell below 100,000 according to the Office for National Statistics. The figures added to the…

The topic of UK immigration has never been far from the top of the news agenda since 2016’s EU Referendum result. Whether it’s the City…

Laws for nationality in UK keep changing time to time. It is therefore paramount for a person seeking the UK nationality to keep him or…

Laws for nationality in the U.K. have changed over time. It is important to keep yourself updated if you are planning on applying for nationality…

Optimus Law presents a step by step guide for applying for a sponsorship licence. On 18 January 2017 Theresa May’s Brexit speech set out the…

As many will be aware in the current climate immigration is a hot topic with a general perception that there is a need to drive…

Since the 25th of June, 2013 The Home Office enforced there will be no right of appeal against the refusal of a family visit visa…

Despite the UK government announcing in June that none of the three million EU citizens currently residing in the UK would be asked to leave…

A visitor is a person who is coming to the United Kingdom, generally for up to six months, for a temporary purpose, for example to…

The government introduced the Immigration Health Surcharge on 6th April 2015. The increase will come into effect on the 8th January 2019. The Immigration Health Surcharge…

Doubling the health surcharge rate is expected to reduce visa applications but make major savings on public services. On 8th January 2019, the Immigration (Health Charge)…

The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) recently drafted a joint commentary on the EU Settlement Scheme for EU citizens and their family members living in…

The Home Office appears to have drawn up potentially controversial immigration contingencies for a no-deal Brexit At the time of writing, absolutely nobody knows how…

The EU Settlement Scheme explained In June 2018 the Home Office released a Statement of Intent setting out a Scheme, the EU Settlement Scheme, that outlines specifics on how…

MIGRATION AND POLITICS IN 2018 TRAGEDY AND COMEDY If the past few years have told us anything, it’s that dealing with global migration flows is…

The Home Office has recently launched its third EU Settlement Status pilot. The one currently in function opened on the 29th of November and is aimed to…

Are you an EEA National and vulnerable? Do you have financial constraints and are worried about paying for your settled status application?? The most encouraging…

Immigration laws are constantly changing and it is important that you keep up with them at all times as changes are usually in favor of…

What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is a violation of one’s human rights. Whilst it can affect men and women from all ethnic backgrounds and…

“Gold-plated’ Tier 1 investor visa to be halted Taking effect at midnight on Friday, Caroline Nokes, Immigration Minister has announced a suspension of the Tier…