Statement of changes announced on 19th July 2023

The UK Government have announced some changes to the immigration policies on the 19^th July 2023. 

The changes are being imposed to nationals of Dominica, Honduras, Namibia, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu from the 19^th July 2023. 

The national interest on immigration are the reasons for the immediate changes. It is anticipated that providing the customary 21-days’ scrutiny period before implementing the visa regimes would trigger a substantial increase in nationals from these countries travelling to the UK, before the visa regime comes into force.

This would place an unpredictable and potentially unmanageable strain upon the UK’s Migration & Borders system. 

The imposition of these visa regimes will include a transition period for any nationals of these countries who are travelling to the UK without a visa. This period will commence at the same time as the visa regime is imposed and run until four weeks after the imposition date.

During this period, those nationals who hold a confirmed booking to the UK made before the exact time of the imposition, and where arrival in the UK is no later than four weeks after the imposition, will be exempt from the visa requirement. Those booking on or after the imposition, or due to arrive in the UK four weeks after the imposition, will require a visa.

If you are impacting by those changes and wish to take some legal advice, please email us at info@icslegal.com or give us a call on 0207 237 3388.