Navigating UK Immigration: Stay Informed with Wesbridge Associates' Expert Insights

Navigating the UK immigration system requires a comprehensive understanding of the Immigration Rules, strict procedural deadlines, and the precise evidentiary standards enforced by the Home Office. Successful applications depend on identifying the correct legal route, satisfying mandatory financial and suitability thresholds, and maintaining flawless compliance throughout the period of grant. This guide provides a detailed operational breakdown of the core immigration routes, procedural steps, caseworker assessments, and risk mitigation strategies for individuals and sponsoring organisations.

Understanding the UK Immigration System Framework

UK immigration law is governed primarily by the Immigration Act 1971 and supplemented by subsequent primary legislation, including the Immigration Act 2014, the Immigration Act 2016, and the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020. The operational core of the system lies within the Immigration Rules, which are laid before Parliament through periodic Statements of Changes.

The modern Immigration Rules are heavily codified into specific appendices. Each appendix operates with its own set of definitions, validity requirements, suitability criteria, and eligibility provisions. To navigate an application successfully, an applicant or sponsor must review not only the headline route provisions but also cross-cutting appendices such as:

• Appendix Skilled Worker: Governs the primary sponsored work category, defining salary floors, eligible Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020 codes, and genuine employment provisions.
• Appendix FM and Appendix FM-SE: Control family life with partners, children, and adult dependent relatives, alongside the specified evidential rules for income and cash savings.
• Appendix Continuous Residence: Dictates the calculation of qualifying residential periods, permitted absences, and breaks in continuity for settlement applications.
• Appendix Finance: Standardises how maintenance and living funds must be demonstrated, including bank holding periods and approved financial institutions.
• Appendix English Language: Sets out acceptable forms of testing, educational degrees taught in English, and nationality-based exemptions across various routes.
• Appendix ATAS: Regulates the Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance needed for study or research in sensitive technological subjects.
• Part 9 of the Immigration Rules (Suitability Grounds): Details mandatory and discretionary refusal grounds relating to criminal convictions, false representations, past immigration breaches, and unpaid NHS debts.

Because the Home Office updates these appendices regularly through Statements of Changes, eligibility must always be audited against the version of the rules in force on the exact date the online application fee is paid.

Key Routes Under the Points-Based and Family Systems

Applicants must select the precise route that matches their purpose of stay, employment, or family connection. Each route carries individual statutory criteria that dictate permissible activities, switching parameters, and settlement trajectories.

The Skilled Worker Route

The Skilled Worker route is the principal sponsored work visa for individuals employed by UK businesses holding a valid Worker Sponsor Licence. To qualify, an applicant must be assigned a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), possess an offer for a genuine job at an appropriate skill level (RQF Level 3 or above), meet the English language requirement at CEFR Level B1, and satisfy the relevant salary threshold.

Following regulatory updates, the baseline general salary threshold for new entrants to the route is £38,700 per year, or the specific going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code, whichever is higher. Tradeable points exist for specific cohorts:

• Holders of relevant PhDs: May be paid a reduced general salary threshold of £34,830 or 90% of the going rate (or £30,960 / 80% for STEM PhDs relevant to the job).
• Immigration Salary List (ISL): Jobs listed on the ISL allow a minimum salary threshold of £30,960 or 100% of the occupational going rate, whichever is higher.
• New Entrants: Individuals under 26, recent UK graduates, or those training towards recognised professional qualifications can be sponsored at a minimum of £30,960 or 70% of the occupation going rate for a maximum cumulative period of four years.

Global Business Mobility (GBM) Routes

The GBM routes facilitate temporary intra-corporate transfers and overseas business operations. These routes do not lead directly to settlement, though time spent can count towards the ten-year long residence route under Appendix Continuous Residence.

• Senior or Specialist Worker: For senior managers and specialist employees transferred to a UK entity linked to their overseas employer. The general threshold is £48,500 or the going rate, and applicants must have worked for the overseas business for at least 12 months unless earning £73,900 or more.
• UK Expansion Worker: Designed for overseas businesses establishing a first UK presence. The applicant must be a senior employee or specialist, and the sponsor licence is restricted until a full trading presence is established.
• Secondment Worker, Service Supplier, and Graduate Trainee: Specialised subcategories catering to high-value contractual service delivery and structured corporate training programmes.

Family and Partner Routes

Appendix FM provides entry and leave to remain for spouses, civil partners, proposed partners (fiancés), unmarried partners, and children of British citizens, individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or those with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Key eligibility pillars under Appendix FM include:

• Relationship Requirement: Partners must show a genuine and subsisting relationship. Unmarried partners must show that they have cohabited in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years, or establish that they have been in a genuine and subsisting relationship for two years while providing acceptable reasons why they could not live together.
• Minimum Income Requirement (MIR): The standard gross annual income requirement is £29,000. This can be met via salaried or non-salaried employment (Category A or B), self-employment or directorship of a specified limited company (Category F or G), non-employment income (Category C), pensions (Category D), or cash savings (Category E).
• Adequate Accommodation: The family unit must possess adequate accommodation that is owned or occupied exclusively without relying on public funds, and which does not create statutory overcrowding under Part X of the Housing Act 1985.

Global Talent and Innovator Founder Routes

These unsponsored or endorsement-led routes are intended for high-calibre professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs.

• Global Talent: Requires an endorsement from an approved body (such as Arts Council England, the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, or Tech Nation / designated body) or holding an eligible prestigious prize. It provides complete labour market flexibility and an accelerated path to settlement (three years for exceptional talent or research endorsers; five years for exceptional promise).
• Innovator Founder: Aimed at individuals seeking to establish an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the UK. The business concept must be assessed and endorsed by an approved endorsing body, with mandatory contact check-ins at 12 and 24 months.

Student and Graduate Routes

• Student Visa: Requires a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed student sponsor, evidence of financial maintenance under Appendix Finance, and proof of English language proficiency at CEFR Level B2 for degree-level courses.
• Graduate Visa: An unsponsored post-study work visa granted for two years (or three years for doctoral graduates). The applicant must have completed an eligible UK degree while on a Student visa and be in the UK at the point of application. It does not lead directly to ILR, but permits unrestricted employment while transitioning into sponsored routes.

Comprehensive Comparison of Core UK Immigration Routes

The following table outlines the statutory requirements, financial metrics, and settlement rules across primary visa categories.

Step-by-Step Application Process and Decision Points

Every UK immigration application follows a rigorous administrative pathway. A failure at any decision point leads to invalidity, delay, or an outright refusal with associated loss of statutory fees.

Step 1: Route Selection & Eligibility Assessment
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Step 2: Securing Pre-Application Prerequisites (CoS, CAS, Endorsement, TB, ATAS)
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Step 3: Financial & Continuous Residence Audits
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Step 4: Compiling Specified Evidential Documentation
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Step 5: Online Submission & Statutory Fee Payments (Visa Fee + IHS)
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Step 6: Biometric Verification (ID App or VAC Appointment)
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Step 7: Home Office Caseworker Assessment & Decision

Step 1: Route Selection and Eligibility Assessment

The applicant must confirm that they meet the statutory requirements of the selected route without relying on non-permitted exceptions.

Decision Point: Is the applicant eligible to switch inside the UK? If the applicant holds visit leave, short-term student leave, or is on immigration bail, in-country switching is prohibited under the rules. The applicant must depart the UK and submit an entry clearance application from their country of nationality or lawful residence.

Step 2: Securing Pre-Application Prerequisites

Before launching the online form, all third-party statutory certificates and clearance documents must be secured:

• Sponsorship / Endorsement: A Certificate of Sponsorship (Defined CoS for entry clearance, Undefined CoS for in-country switching/extensions), CAS statement, or formal endorsement letter must be issued. The Certificate must not be assigned more than three months before the date of application.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Screening: Required if the applicant has lived for six continuous months or more in a country listed in Appendix T of the Immigration Rules immediately preceding the application.
• ATAS Clearance: If studying or conducting research in advanced science and engineering disciplines, an ATAS certificate must be obtained prior to visa submission.

Decision Point: If a Defined CoS has not yet been approved by the Home Office, the applicant cannot proceed. Sponsoring employers must anticipate potential delays in Defined CoS allocation and licensing requests.

Step 3: Financial and Continuous Residence Audits

The applicant must verify that their financial profile matches the prescriptive requirements of Appendix Finance or Appendix FM-SE.

Decision Point: Have the required funds been held continuously for the specified duration? For general maintenance under Appendix Finance, the minimum balance must be held for a consecutive 28-day period ending no more than 31 days before the application date. If funds dip below the required baseline even for a single day, the condition is not met and the application will be refused.

Step 4: Compiling Specified Evidential Documentation

Evidence must be gathered in strictly conforming formats. Document requirements are absolute rather than indicative:

• Bank statements must show account holder details, account number, date range, bank logo, and confirm that funds are held in an institution regulated by the relevant national authority.
• Translated documents must contain a certified translation showing the translator's credentials, contact details, date, and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original.

Step 5: Online Submission and Statutory Fee Payments

The formal legal date of application is the day the online application form is submitted and all applicable statutory fees are paid. These fees include:

• Visa Application Fee: Varies depending on route and duration.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): Standard rate of £1,035 per year of leave for adult applicants, or £776 per year for children under 18, students, and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants.

Decision Point: If the applicant fails to pay the IHS within the mandated deadline following an administrative payment request, the application will be rejected as invalid under Paragraph 34 of the Immigration Rules.

Step 6: Biometric Enrolment and Identity Verification

Applicants complete biometrics either via the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app (for eligible passport holders) or by attending an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) overseas or a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre in the UK.

Decision Point: If an applicant fails to attend their biometric appointment or does not provide mandatory facial scans and fingerprints without reasonable explanation, the Home Office will invalidate the application without a substantive merits assessment.

Step 7: Home Office Caseworker Assessment and Outcome

A caseworker reviews the file against the validity, suitability, and eligibility rules.

• Grant: Leave is granted with specific conditions regarding access to public funds, study limits, work authorization, and police registration (where applicable).
• Refusal: The caseworker issues a refusal notice detailing which specific paragraphs of the Immigration Rules were not satisfied.

Decision Point: What remedy exists if an application is refused?

• Administrative Review: Available for eligible decisions (such as points-based routes) where a caseworker made an administrative or factual error.
• Statutory Right of Appeal: Available under Section 82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 for human rights claims (such as Appendix FM partner visas) or protection claims, heard before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).
• Judicial Review: Where no statutory appeal right exists and an Administrative Review does not resolve an unlawful, irrational, or procedurally unfair decision, an application for permission to apply for Judicial Review may be lodged in the Upper Tribunal or High Court.

Evidentiary Standards: What Home Office Caseworkers Examine

Home Office caseworkers operate under strict operational guidance notes. They do not operate on assumptions; every material assertion made in the application must be proven through specified documentary evidence.

   Caseworker Evidentiary Scrutiny
 ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │ 1. Authenticity and Third-Party Cross-Checks            │
 │    - HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) checks            │
 │    - Companies House register verification              │
 │    - Bank verification requests                         │
 ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
 │ 2. Mandatory Timing and Currency of Evidence            │
 │    - 28-day / 31-day statement currency limits          │
 │    - CoS 3-month assignment validity window             │
 ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
 │ 3. Strict Compliance under Appendix FM-SE               │
 │    - Exact matching of payslips and bank deposits       │
 │    - Employer letter confirming employment status       │
 ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
 │ 4. Genuineness and Credibility Assessments              │
 │    - Skills match against SOC 2020 job description      │
 │    - Subsisting relationship evidence over 2-year period│
 └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Appendix FM-SE: Strict Partner Visa Evidence

Caseworkers assessing financial requirements under Appendix FM-SE apply zero tolerance for missing components. For salaried employment under Category A (working for the same employer for at least six months):

• Wage Slips: Must cover the full six-month period prior to the date of application. If paid monthly, six consecutive payslips are required; if paid weekly, 26 consecutive payslips.
• Bank Statements: Must correspond exactly to the operational dates of the payslips, showing that net pay was paid directly into the applicant's or sponsor's personal account.
• Employer Letter: Must be signed, on headed paper, and dated within 28 days of submission. It must state: (i) the employment duration, (ii) job title, (iii) type of contract (permanent, fixed-term), (iv) gross annual salary, (v) length of time paid at current rate, and (vi) confirmation that the wage slips are genuine.

If any one of these three elements is omitted or contains mismatched values (for instance, the bank statement shows £2,400 deposited but the payslip states net pay of £2,450), the caseworker must refuse the application unless they invoke Evidential Flexibility under Paragraph D of Appendix FM-SE, which is entirely discretionary.

Appendix Finance: Living Costs and Maintenance

Under Appendix Finance, funds must be held in cash form. Caseworkers do not accept:

• Overdraft facilities, credit lines, shares, bonds, or cryptographic assets.
• Accounts managed by financial institutions that do not use electronic record-keeping or are not regulated by the official regulatory body in the country where the bank operates.
• Funds held in an account in the name of a third party (except where a parent/legal guardian provides written consent, birth certificates, and proof of legal custody for student or dependant applicants).

Genuineness Tests and Cross-Agency Checks

Caseworkers routinely cross-reference submitted data against external government systems:

• HMRC RTI (Real Time Information): For Skilled Worker extensions, ILR, and partner applications, caseworkers cross-check the declared salary against the PAYE returns submitted to HMRC by the employer. Any discrepancy triggers a genuineness investigation or refusal under suitability.
• Companies House: For sponsors and directors under Category F/G, company incorporation, active trading status, PSC (Persons with Significant Control) registers, and filed accounts are audited directly.
• Sponsor Management System Audits: For Skilled Worker visas, caseworkers verify whether the sponsor holds an active licence, has unallocated CoS allowances, and whether the job duties align with the skill level required by the designated SOC 2020 code.

Managing Complexities and Edge Cases

Immigration matters rarely adhere strictly to baseline scenarios. Legal strategy requires identifying statutory exceptions, transitional relief, and potential points of exposure.

Switching In-Country vs Applying for Entry Clearance

Under Immigration Rules Part 3, individuals present in the UK with valid permission may switch into alternative routes unless explicitly prohibited by the rules of that route.

• Prohibited Statuses: Visitors, Short-Term Students, Seasonal Workers, and individuals on Immigration Bail cannot switch into the Skilled Worker, Student, or Partner routes from within the UK.
• Consequences of Incorrect Switching: An application submitted by an individual in a prohibited category will be rejected as invalid, or refused without a right of appeal, leaving the individual at risk of falling into overstaying status.

Dependants Eligibility and Restrictions

Dependant policies have undergone substantial reform across multiple routes:

• Care Workers and Senior Care Workers (SOC 6135 and 6136): Individuals sponsored in these occupations who were assigned their initial CoS on or after 11 March 2024 are prohibited from bringing dependants to the UK. Sponsoring workers who were in the route prior to 11 March 2024 and are extending or changing employers within the same codes retain grandfathered rights to maintain or extend their dependants.
• Students: International students starting courses from 1 January 2024 onwards cannot bring dependants unless enrolled in a postgraduate research programme (such as a PhD or research-based Master's degree) or a course supported by a government sponsorship scheme.
• Dependant Children Turning 18: Children who turn 18 while in the UK do not lose dependant status on extension applications, provided they continue to form part of the family unit, do not lead an independent life, and are not married or in a civil partnership.

Continuous Residence and Calculating Permitted Absences

For applicants tracking towards Indefinite Leave to Remain under Appendix Continuous Residence (such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, or Innovator Founder), absences from the UK must not exceed 180 days in any rolling 12-month period.

• Rolling Basis Calculation: The Home Office evaluates every 12-month window across the entire qualifying period, not simply calendar years or visa grant years.
• Permitted Exceptions: Absences do not break continuity if they were caused by:
  • Assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis overseas.
  • Travel disruptions caused by natural disasters, extreme weather, or pandemics.
  • Compelling, compassionate personal circumstances (such as life-threatening illness of the applicant or close family member), evidenced by contemporary medical records.
• Impact of Excess Absences: If an applicant exceeds the 180-day threshold without an exempt reason, the continuous residence clock resets to zero, delaying ILR eligibility until a full new qualifying period is established.

Transitional Arrangements and Grandfathering Rules

Recent major reforms introduced transitional protections to safeguard individuals already within specific routes:

• Skilled Worker Salary Protections (Pre-4 April 2024 cohort): Workers who were granted permission under the Skilled Worker route before 4 April 2024, and have held continuous permission since, are assessed against transitional salary thresholds when extending, changing sponsors, or applying for ILR. Their baseline general threshold is £29,000 (rather than £38,700), and their going rate is benchmarked against the 25th percentile of the SOC 2020 distribution rather than the 50th percentile (median), up until 4 April 2030.
• Partner Minimum Income Requirement (Pre-11 April 2024 cohort): Applicants who applied for or were granted leave as a partner under Appendix FM prior to 11 April 2024 remain subject to the historical minimum income threshold of £18,600 (plus additional sums for non-British children) when extending or settling on the five-year route, avoiding the £29,000 threshold.

Sponsor Licence Compliance and Employer Reporting Duties

Employers sponsoring overseas workers hold strict duties under the Home Office Sponsor Guidance. Breaches can lead to licence suspension, downgrading, or complete revocation, which subsequently curtails the leave of all sponsored employees to 60 days.

Key compliance obligations include:

• 10-Day Reporting Rule: Sponsors must report events via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) within 10 working days if a worker fails to start work on their agreed start date, is absent from work for more than 10 consecutive working days without permission, resigns, is dismissed, or experiences a change in salary or core job duties.
• 20-Day Reporting Rule: Sponsors must report changes in company structure, ownership, trading address, or insolvency events within 20 working days.
• Right to Work Checks: Employers must complete compliant statutory right to work checks (typically via the Home Office online checking service with an employee share code) prior to employment commencing. Failure to do so subjects the business to civil penalties of up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach, and up to £60,000 for repeated breaches.

Section 3C Leave and Timing Application Submissions

Under Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971, an individual's existing immigration leave is automatically extended if they submit a valid in-country application for further leave before their current permission expires.

• Conditions of Section 3C Leave: The applicant retains all rights, conditions, and work entitlements attached to their previous visa while the application, and any subsequent in-time Administrative Review or appeal, remains pending.
• Extinguishment of Section 3C Leave: If the applicant leaves the Common Travel Area (the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands) while their application is pending, the application is treated as withdrawn under Paragraph 34J of the Immigration Rules, and Section 3C leave instantly lapses. The individual cannot re-enter the UK without a new entry clearance.

Common Pitfalls and Refusal Triggers

Immigration applications are commonly refused due to avoidable procedural oversights or misinterpretations of strict requirements.

Common Application Failure Modes

[ Financial Defects ] ──► Bank statements ending >31 days before submission
                     ──► Balance dropping below threshold for a single day
                     ──► Using unapproved or non-regulated financial institutions

[ Coding & Salary ]   ──► Assigning an incorrect SOC 2020 code to lower the salary floor
                     ──► Misapplying new entrant criteria beyond the 4-year limit
                     ──► Failing to prorate going rates for non-standard working hours

[ Suitability Traps ] ──► Non-disclosure of minor driving or criminal penalties
                     ──► Failure to declare previous visa refusals from any country
                     ──► Outstanding NHS debts exceeding statutory limits (£500+)

[ Procedural Errors ] ──► Submitting an in-country switch from a prohibited visitor visa
                     ──► Traveling abroad while an application is pending (Section 3C lapse)
                     ──► Incomplete employer letters lacking mandatory Appendix FM-SE text

1. Financial Documentation Non-Compliance

• Statement Currency: Submitting a bank statement where the closing date is more than 31 days older than the date the application fee was paid online.
• Fluctuating Balances: Allowing maintenance funds to dip below the statutory figure for even a single day during the mandatory 28-day holding cycle.
• Unverified Institutions: Holding funds in banks that do not appear on standard regulatory registers or do not allow electronic verification by Home Office officials.

2. Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Mismatches and Underpayment

• SOC Code Manipulation: Assigning a lower-skilled SOC code to bypass higher going rates, which caseworkers routinely identify and refuse under the genuine vacancy test.
• Failure to Prorate Hours: Home Office going rates are typically based on a 37.5-hour working week. Sponsoring an employee for 40 or 45 hours at the unadjusted baseline going rate results in underpayment under the rules, triggering a mandatory refusal.
• Exceeding New Entrant Limits: Sponsoring a candidate under new entrant salary provisions when they have already held permission as a Student, Graduate, or Skilled Worker for four cumulative years.

3. Suitability Breaches (Part 9 Grounds for Refusal)

• False Representation / Non-Disclosure: Failing to declare historical visa refusals (including refusals from other jurisdictions such as the US, Canada, Schengen zone, or Australia), criminal convictions, fixed penalty notices, or historical immigration breaches. Caseworkers evaluate non-disclosure under Paragraph 9.7.1 or 9.7.2, which carries a mandatory refusal and a potential 10-year re-entry ban under Paragraph 9.8.1.
• Outstanding NHS Debts: Holding unpaid National Health Service debts of £500 or more. The Home Office receives automated notifications from NHS trusts, resulting in mandatory refusal under Paragraph 9.11.1 until the debt is cleared and evidenced.

4. Overstaying and the 14-Day Discretion Window (Paragraph 39E)

• Submitting an application after the expiry of existing leave constitutes unlawful presence (overstaying) unless covered by Paragraph 39E of the Immigration Rules.
• Paragraph 39E provides an exception only if the application is made within 14 days of the leave expiring, AND the applicant demonstrates compelling reasons beyond their control (such as emergency hospitalisation) that prevented an in-time application. Caseworkers apply this test strictly, and poor planning or lack of documentation does not qualify.

Staying Compliant and Monitoring Regulatory Changes

The UK immigration framework undergoes systemic shifts multiple times per calendar year. Legal practitioners, HR managers, and individual applicants must proactively monitor several statutory pipelines:

• Statements of Changes in Immigration Rules: Formal command papers presented to Parliament (typically in spring and autumn) that amend thresholds, close routes, or introduce new appendices. Reviewing implementation dates is essential, as changes are frequently phased in across distinct milestones.
• Home Office Caseworker Guidance Updates: Internal operating manuals published on GOV.UK that reveal how caseworkers are instructed to interpret specific legal provisions, exercise discretion, and audit evidence.
• Sponsor Guidance Revisions: Updates to the Worker and Temporary Worker guidance documents that impose new compliance, reporting, and record-keeping mandates on sponsor licence holders.

Maintaining active oversight of these regulatory instruments ensures that applications are drafted against the active legal framework, preventing unnecessary refusals, administrative delays, and operational disruption.

Strategic Next Steps for Applicants and Sponsors

Navigating the UK immigration landscape requires early planning, precise evidential collation, and continuous awareness of rule changes. Whether you are an individual preparing a settlement submission, a professional switching employment categories, or a business managing sponsor licence compliance, taking a structured approach is critical:

1. Conduct a Full Eligibility Audit: Verify that you or your prospective employee satisfy all validity, suitability, and eligibility requirements under the relevant appendix before incurring Home Office fees.
2. Verify Evidential Compliance: Ensure all financial statements, employer letters, and institutional certificates match the strict formatting rules outlined in Appendix Finance, Appendix FM-SE, or specific route codes.
3. Review Processing Timelines: Factor standard Home Office service standards (typically 3 to 8 weeks for in-country applications, and 3 to 12 weeks for entry clearance) and priority processing availability into your scheduling.
4. Seek Regulated Advice: If your case involves past refusals, complex corporate structures, international absence limits, or transitional salary protections, seek professional analysis from an Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) regulated adviser to safeguard your status and achieve a compliant outcome.

Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates team on 31 August 2026. We check our published guidance against GOV.UK and current Home Office rules.

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