COVID-19 Update For Migrants Whose Leave Expires After 31 July 2020

30 Jul 2020, 45 mins ago

This is an update to the blog published earlier today in respect of Home Office guidance for migrants whose leave will expire or has expired between 24 January 2020 and 31 July 2020. 

The Home Office has now updated this guidance to include migrants whose leave has expired or will expire between 24 January 2020 and 31 August 2020. This therefore means that migrants who hold leave which expires in August 2020 can also benefit from the Coronavirus concessions. 

Migrants whose leave has expired or will expire within the qualifying period will be eligible to remain in the UK until 31 August 2020 by virtue of a grace period. They may also be eligible to switch into certain long-term visa routes from within the UK during this time.

For further information please refer to our blog or contact us.

Migrants who have not already obtained permission from the Home Office to remain in the UK beyond the validity of their leave must do so before 31 August 2020. Failure to do so will result in the migrant overstaying their leave and may impact future immigration applications. Please contact us if you need to obtain permission to remain in the UK during the grace period or if you require assistance in regularising your leave. 

Please note the Home Office has not updated the concession in relation to visitors (or those with leave of up to 6 months), who are only able to switch into a family or private life route from within the UK if their leave expired between 24 January 2020 and 31 July 2020. At present, those migrants whose temporary leave expires after 31 July 2020 must leave the UK in order to make a valid entry clearance application under the family or private life routes. 

We continue to monitor updates in relation to the Home Office’s coronavirus policies. 

Please note that the information in this blog is current at the date and time of posting. The situation regarding policy and guidance based on the COVID-19 pandemic is subject to change at short notice. We shall be monitoring all aspects of UK immigration which may be impacted by the coronavirus closely, so please do keep updated with further blogs and articles which we will be posting on this site.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

©Gherson 2020