Righting wrongs: interview with Martin Forde QC – Counsel

‘One year on from the launch of the Windrush compensation scheme, the silk who oversaw its design talks to Natasha Shotunde about the scandal, British attitudes to migration and citizenship, and misconceptions holding applicants back from rightful compensation.’

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Counsel, June 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Windrush scandal: only 60 victims given compensation so far – The Guardian

‘Only 60 people have received Windrush compensation payments during the first year of the scheme’s operation, with just £360,000 distributed from a fund officials expected might be required to pay out between £200m and £500m.’

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The Guardian, 28th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sole Representative Visa: Ownership and Control – Richmond Chambers

Posted May 29th, 2020 in immigration, news, regulations, subsidiary companies, visas by sally

‘Compared to other routes under the Rules the requirements for a representative of an overseas business were relatively simple. For at least the past year, the Home Office sought to remedy this through unlawfully reading in an additional requirement: ‘genuineness’. From 4 June 2020, the Rules will be amended to explicitly refer to this requirement, by inserting the word ‘genuinely’ before listing the requirements for entry clearance.’

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Richmond Chambers, 21st May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Sole Representative Visa Route to Change from 4 June 2020 – Richmond Chambers

Posted May 29th, 2020 in immigration, news, regulations, subsidiary companies, visas by sally

‘In the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules presented to Parliament in May 2020, released last week, the Secretary of State has made clear that she will significantly tighten the sole representative of an overseas business visa category from 4 June 2020.’

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Richmond Chambers, 18th May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Public Funds Part 3: Change of conditions to allow access to public funds – Richmond Chambers

Posted May 26th, 2020 in benefits, chambers articles, immigration, news by sally

‘In this third post, following on from Public Funds Part 1: Public Funds and Coronavirus and Public Funds Part 2: Claiming Child Benefit we consider how to apply for a change of conditions to allow access to public funds, for individuals who are in the UK with limited leave to enter or remain subject to a condition of having no recourse to public funds.’

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Richmond Chambers, 15th May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Court rules bar set too high for NHS surcharge and visa fee waivers – The Guardian

‘A court ruling has given hope to thousands of migrants, including health and care workers, that they will no longer have to pay visa and NHS surcharge fees if they cannot afford them.’

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The Guardian, 21st May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Article 6 applies to challenge to conditions imposed on suspected Al-Qaeda affiliate – an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 21st, 2020 in human rights, immigration, news, proscribed organisations, terrorism by sally

‘In a complicated but very important decision, the High Court has ruled as a preliminary issue that the procedural protections under Article 6 which require a person to be given sufficient information about the allegations against them so they can give effective instructions to their lawyers will apply to a challenge to conditions imposed by order on a man suspected to have affiliations to Al-Qaeda.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th May 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Lawyers deny British army to blame for veterans’ illegal immigrant status – The Guardian

‘Government lawyers have rejected a claim brought by eight Commonwealth army veterans, dismissing their allegations that, on discharge, officials failed to assist them with complex, unaffordable immigration rules, leaving them classified as illegal immigrants.’

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The Guardian, 20th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Public Funds Part 2: Claiming Child Benefit – Richmond Chambers

Posted May 19th, 2020 in benefits, children, coronavirus, immigration, news by sally

‘In this second post, following on from Public Funds Part 1: Public Funds and Coronavirus we examine the one benefit that can potentially be claimed by migrants subject to the no recourse to public funds condition – child benefit.’

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Richmond Chambers, 15th May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Public Funds Part 1: Public Funds and Coronavirus – Richmond Chambers

‘No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) is a condition imposed on an individual’s immigration status in the UK, which prevents them from accessing certain benefits and forms of support. This continues to cause concern and particularly more so now for those whose income has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This article will form part of a series of 3 articles on public funds and the recent developments in light of the Coronavirus outbreak.’

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Richmond Chambers, 15th May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

Migrants Falling Through Cracks In Covid-19 Homelessness Support, Lawyers Warn – Each Other

‘Undocumented migrants are being forced to sleep rough during the coronavirus pandemic amid an increase in illegal evictions and a lack of government guidance, lawyers have warned.’

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Each Other, 13th May 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Immigration Law Update May 2020 – 4 King’s Bench Walk

‘Immigration Law Update with articles from Kate Jones, Tori Adams, Daniel Wand, Ben Haseldine and Jyoti Wood.’

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4 King's Bench Walk, 5th May 2020

Source: www.4kbw.co.uk

Boy, 8, Wins Legal Bid Against Home Office Policy Which Left Him Street Homeless – Each Other

‘An eight-year-old British boy and his migrant mum were unlawfully made street homeless by a Home Office policy which denied them social security payments, a court has ruled.’

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Each Other, 8th May 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Home Office’s denial of benefits to migrant families unlawful, court rules – The Guardian

‘Lawyers for an eight-year-old British boy have won a ruling that a Home Office policy denying families like his access to the welfare safety net is unlawful.’

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The Guardian, 7th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The desire to live: AM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] UKSC 17 – No. 5 Chambers

‘In AM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] UKSC 17, Lord Wilson calls the European Court on Rights out on its claim that in Paposhvili v Belgium [2017] Imm AR 867, it was doing no more than “clarifying” its judgment in N v United Kingdom (2008) 47 EHRR 39 as to the circumstances in which removal or deportation will breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Close readers of the judgment in Paposhvili will be well aware of the numerous points at which the court uses, it is hard to doubt, intentionally, the very same language as is used in N to come to different conclusions.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 29th April 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Court of Appeal upholds hostile environment policy requiring landlords to check immigration status of prospective tenants – 5SAH

Posted May 7th, 2020 in human rights, immigration, judicial review, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘The ‘hostile environment’ policy was introduced in 2012 by then Home Secretary Theresa May. It combines administrative and legal measures designed to make life in the UK so difficult for irregular migrants that they are forced to leave the country. The hallmark of the policy is the empowerment of private citizens and public servants to routinely carry out immigration checks as part of many aspects of everyday life, including renting a property, applying for jobs and accessing public services.’

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5SAH, 7th May 2020

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Eight-year-old boy takes Home Office to court for denying family benefits – The Guardian

Posted May 7th, 2020 in benefits, children, coronavirus, immigration, judicial review, news by sally

‘An eight-year-old British boy is taking the Home Office to the high court over its policy of denying families like his access to the welfare safety net.’

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The Guardian, 6th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: UK detention centres ’emptied in weeks’ – BBC News

Posted May 7th, 2020 in coronavirus, detention, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘The number of people held in UK immigration removal centres has dropped by more than two thirds during the pandemic, figures reveal.’

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BBC News, 7th May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office accused of pressuring judiciary over immigration decisions – The Guardian

‘The Home Office has been accused of interfering with the independence of the judiciary after it emerged that judges were asked to provide written explanations for a rise in the number of detainees released from immigration centres during the Covid-19 pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 6th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

What is a ‘relationship akin to marriage’? – Richmond Chambers

‘Under the Immigration Rules, a person who is British or Settled in the UK can bring their unmarried partner to the UK. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘partner visa’ or ‘de facto visa’. This is an option that more couples are currently considering, partly due to the ongoing restrictions around the world on wedding ceremonies due to covid-19.’

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Richmond Chambers, 1st May 2020

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk