Home Office launches £500 Priority Service promising 30-day decisions for British citizenship
Parliament flags new Right-to-Work and Right-to-Rent codes in Immigration Regulations laid 23 July
UKVI publishes new guidance requiring travellers to prove their immigration status to airlines
Latest News
Channel Tunnel warns EU Entry/Exit System software glitch could postpone biometric checks
Getlink says EU-supplied software for the new EU Entry/Exit System is still unstable, putting the 6 September start of mandatory biometric checks for Channel Tunnel car passengers at risk. A delay would avert potential summer gridlock but prolongs uncertainty for operators and business travellers dependent on the route.
Migration Advisory Committee recommends first Temporary Shortage List covering 28 mid-skill jobs
The MAC’s Stage 2 report recommends giving temporary visa access to just 28 mid-skill occupations, each for 18 months and at full market salary. Employers must lodge “Jobs Plans” to prove they will train locals, and many roles have been excluded entirely. The move signals a tougher, skills-driven immigration stance that will force mobility planners to rethink talent pipelines.
UK universities launch online scholarships for students hit by ‘visa brake’
Nine UK universities have created a remote-learning scholarship for applicants from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan and Cameroon after the Home Office suspended their study visa route. The ‘Mosaik Scholarship’ keeps affected students in the UK higher-education ecosystem while complying with the visa brake.
Getlink warns EU software flaws could stall biometric border checks in Channel Tunnel
Getlink says EU software problems threaten to push back the start of biometric car-passenger checks under the Entry/Exit System. A postponement would avert major holiday queues but leaves transport firms uncertain about staffing and infrastructure plans for September.
Fast-track British citizenship decisions now available—for a £500 fee
The Home Office has introduced a £500 Priority Service promising British citizenship decisions in about six weeks. The premium option is aimed at applicants who need a passport urgently for work or travel, but it does not relax the underlying eligibility tests.
UK travellers urged to pre-verify digital immigration status with airlines
The Home Office has published new instructions telling passengers to prove their immigration status digitally before boarding transport to the UK. Travellers must ensure their passport details match their UKVI eVisa or ETA record, or be ready to present a share code or physical document. The move tightens carrier liability and underscores the UK’s shift to a fully digital border, making advance checks essential for business travel planning.
Channel data show first small-boat crossings in a week as 172 arrive
Provisional Home Office data show 172 migrant arrivals in small boats on 22 July after a week-long lull. The spike underscores the volatility of Channel crossings and their potential to disrupt coastal transport and logistics.
Migration Advisory Committee unveils first ‘Temporary Shortage List’ for mid-skill visas
The MAC’s Stage 2 report recommends that only 28 mid-skilled occupations qualify for the new Temporary Shortage List, giving them 18-month visa access in exchange for sector training plans. The move tightens employer sponsorship options and signals a tougher stance on using migration to fill routine skill gaps.
Perk integrates real-time eVisa and ETA payments into corporate booking tool
Perk’s new “Entry Ready” tool lets travellers see requirements and pay for eVisas or ETAs without leaving the booking screen, eliminating manual checks and expense claims. The launch comes ahead of the UK’s full ETA roll-out and signals the booking-tool industry’s drive to bake immigration compliance into trip approval workflows.
Home Office schedules first post-eVisa quarterly ‘Immigration system statistics’ release
The Home Office has pencilled 27 August for its first quarterly ‘Immigration system statistics’—the main dataset to track visa and eVisa trends after Britain’s switch to digital status. Mobility teams will soon get faster intelligence on refusal rates, sponsorship demand and carrier compliance.
Home Office schedules major immigration statistics release for 23 July
The Home Office will publish its year-to-June 2026 immigration statistics on 23 July, offering the first comprehensive data since the latest policy tightening. HR and mobility teams should review the figures for trends that could affect sponsorship strategies.
Heathrow reports record 40 million passengers in H1 2026 and presses government on third-runway policy
Heathrow’s half-year figures show passenger numbers at an historic high and underline the airport’s push for policy certainty on its third runway. Record demand strengthens Heathrow’s case for early capacity growth, a development that could reshape UK business-travel networks later this decade.
First Channel crossings under new UK government resume after 11-day hiatus
An overloaded dinghy carrying migrants crossed the Channel on 22 July 2026, ending an 11-day lull and marking the first arrival since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. The incident highlights continuing border-security and logistics risks for employers with staff or freight movements through Dover and northern France.
UKVI updates published visa-processing times: what business travellers need to know
UKVI’s 22 July refresh restores three-week decision targets for most overseas visa applications and re-opens premium upgrade services. Faster, predictable processing helps employers plan start dates and reduces cost exposure, but in-country family routes still face longer waits.
Home Office warns EU Settlement Scheme holders to update e-Visa details before new border checks
The Home Office is asking all EU Settlement Scheme status holders to update the identity documents on their UKVI accounts before enhanced carrier checks go live in 2027. Travellers with outdated passport details could be refused boarding. The alert also unveils a looser 30-month residence requirement for upgrading to settled status – good news for mobile EU staff.
UKVI publishes July update of licensed-sponsor register ahead of salary-threshold rise
UKVI’s 22 July update lists 128,029 organisations authorised to sponsor migrant workers – data global-mobility teams can use to audit suppliers and prepare for the September salary-threshold rise.
Commons Library publishes definitive guide to UK immigration appeal rights
Parliament’s research service has issued an up-to-date explainer on who can still appeal a Home Office immigration decision. Most work and study refusals lack appeal rights, but EU Settlement Scheme and human-rights cases do. The briefing is a must-read for HR teams handling refusals and potential removals.
FCDO adds EU Entry/Exit System warning to Germany travel advice
On 22 July the UK government inserted detailed guidance on the EU’s new Entry/Exit System into its Germany travel advice, warning of possible delays at Dover, Eurostar and continental airports once biometric border checks begin on 12 October. Firms should adjust travel-risk and scheduling policies accordingly.
MPs invite evidence on sweeping new Immigration and Asylum Bill
Parliament’s Public Bill Committee has begun gathering evidence on the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which would tighten sponsorship rules, limit visa switching and create fast-track asylum appeals. Businesses and universities have six weeks to lobby for amendments before detailed scrutiny starts in September.
Home Office weekly small-boat statistics confirm lowest July totals since 2021
Official Home Office data for the week ending 22 July show only 251 small-boat arrivals – the lowest July week in five years. The publication inaugurates Labour’s promise of timelier border statistics and gives employers better visibility of accommodation and workforce-planning pressures.
Sponsor register tops 77,000 employers after latest Home Office update
The 22 July update to UKVI’s sponsor register shows steady growth to over 77,000 licensed employers but also a sharp rise in compliance downgrades. Mobility teams should monitor the register to avoid placing staff with non-compliant partners.
Free Movement tracker flags switch to eVisa-only status for Homes for Ukraine applicants
Free Movement’s 22 July feed highlights a Home Office change: Homes for Ukraine visa holders will now receive eVisa status only, signalling the accelerating phase-out of physical BRP cards. Corporations employing Ukrainian nationals should move quickly to eVisa-based right-to-work processes.
FCDO updates Sri Lanka travel advice as Middle East tensions disrupt flight routes
UK officials have warned that Middle-East airspace closures are disrupting UK–Sri Lanka flights and advised travellers to check alternative routings. The update also makes Sri Lanka’s ETA free until November 2026. Businesses should review itineraries and insurance coverage.