Immigration newsletter 08 Oct 2010

There have been proposals that in future may result in adult dependents of skilled workers under say the Tier 1 visa and Tier 2 visa scheme not being able to apply for indefinite leave to remain.   In most cases dependents over the age of eighteen can apply for indefinite leave to remain at the same time as their parents.   In future  children of say Tier 1 visa and Tier 2 visa holders may have to come under another visa category to be able to stay in the UK;  They may, for example, be able to remain as Tier 4 students or try and come under the Tier 1 visa or Tier 2 visa scheme themselves.

As it has become more difficult to come under the Tier 1 and Tier 2 visa scheme many children of skilled workers will find it difficult if not impossible to remain in the UK.   If the Tier 1 post study work scheme is also abolished in future this will make it even more difficult for dependents over eighteen years of age to remain in the UK.

There is continuing opposition against the UK immigration cap brought in by the David Cameron Conservative Liberal Coalition Government.   There are concerns that the annual immigration limit which largely affects applications under the Tier 1 visa and Tier 2 visa scheme will cause serious problems for UK science and industry.

Eight Nobel prize winning scientists in the UK have expressed concerns over the immigration cap in a letter to “The Times”.   This include two Russian born scientists Professor Andre Geim and Professor Konstantin Novoselov.  Another scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan who was born in Tamil Nadu and who won the Nobel prize for chemistry also opposes the cap.

Tens of thousands of people every year are granted a Green Card under the Diversity Visa Lottery. If you have always dreamed of living and working in the United States, it may be worth submitting your details for the 2012 Diversity Visa Lottery (otherwise known as the Green Card Lottery).

If you are a citizen of a country with low levels of immigration into the United States, you may be eligible for entry in the Green Card Lottery. If selected you can then apply for permanent residence. The government provides 50,000 Diversity Visas every year.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced they will raise fees for most US immigration services. Only the naturalization fee will remain unaffected. The increase is an attempt to close the $200 million deficit for fiscal year 2010-11.

Most fees are expected to increase by an average of about 10 percent. In some cases, fees will actually drop and fee waivers will be expanded to a number of "new categories". The adjusted fees will go into effect on 23 November, 2010.