You must apply to the Home Office for an extension of your current visa before it expires if you required a visa when you entered the UK and currently have limited leave to remain. If you have made a valid application for further leave, your current leave will be extended on the same conditions until the Home Office make a decision on your application, and any subsequent appeal process. Note that if the visa says that you have leave ‘until’ a certain date, then you must submit your application before that date.

If you are in the UK with a visa issued by the Home Office which is not under the EEA Regulations, you will have leave to remain for the period stated on the stamp or biometric residence permit.

If you are in the UK with a status that allows work (not including Tier 2 visas), then you do not need permission from the Home Office to change your job. If you are on a Tier 4 visa there are restrictions about how many hours you can work. If you have a Tier 2 visa and you want to change your job, you may need to make a change of employment application to the Home Office. We can advise in detail on the circumstances in which an application needs to be made to the Home Office.

If you required a visa when you entered the UK, you will need to make an application to the Home Office in order to change your status. If you are in the UK and you submit a valid application before your current visa runs out, the conditions of your existing status continue unchanged beyond the normal expiration date. This extension lasts until the Home Office make a decision on your case and until any subsequent appeal process concludes. If you need advice about which type of visa is most appropriate for you, we can offer you a consultation.

The First-Tier Tribunal hears appeals against immigration decisions of the Secretary of State and Entry Clearance Officers. Only some immigration decisions come with a right of appeal to the Tribunal. In recent years the government has reduced the number of decisions which come with a right of appeal. If you have been given a notice of decision which carries a right of appeal, you may begin an appeal by sending the notice of the decision and completed appeal forms to the Tribunal. This process must be done within strict time limits. The correct procedure for conducting appeals before the Tribunal is not obvious and you may wish to seek legal advice. We can suggest a suitable advocate for your needs. When the Home Office or Entry Clearance Officer (at an Embassy or High Commission) makes a decision which comes with a right of appeal, they should notify the applicant and provide them with the relevant forms. However, this is not always done. If you think you may have a right of appeal against a decision you can contact AC Immigration Ltd who will advise you if it is possible to lodge proceedings with the Tribunal.