Bridging the Gap Migration

Bridging the Gap  Migration Bridging the Gap Migration Bridging the Gap is a British Immigration consultancy.
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At Bridging the Gap Migration, nothing makes us prouder than hearing from our happy clients! Our team is dedicated to ma...
21/11/2024

At Bridging the Gap Migration, nothing makes us prouder than hearing from our happy clients!

Our team is dedicated to making UK migration a smooth, stress-free experience for you, just like we’ve been doing since 2012.

Contact us today to find out more:
[email protected]
www.bridgingthegap.co.za

Do you have British-born grandparents? Recent updates to the British Nationality Act mean YOU might now qualify for Brit...
20/11/2024

Do you have British-born grandparents? Recent updates to the British Nationality Act mean YOU might now qualify for British Citizenship!

This could be your opportunity to live, work, and thrive in the UK. Let us help you navigate the process with ease.

📞 Contact us today to find out more:
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.bridgingthegap.co.za

Your UK dreams could be closer than you think! ✈️🇬🇧

Our team is dedicated to making UK migration a smooth, stress-free experience for you, just like we’ve been doing since ...
16/11/2024

Our team is dedicated to making UK migration a smooth, stress-free experience for you, just like we’ve been doing since 2012.

📞 Contact us today to learn how we can help you!

📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.bridgingthegap.co.za

🌍✨ Dreaming of the UK? We've got you covered! ✨🌍At Bridging the Gap Migration, we specialise in helping you achieve your...
15/11/2024

🌍✨ Dreaming of the UK? We've got you covered! ✨🌍

At Bridging the Gap Migration, we specialise in helping you achieve your goals—whether it's a short-term stay or a long-term plan in the UK. From visitor visas to work, study, family, or settlement visas, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way.

💼 Looking to advance your career?
🎓 Ready to pursue your education?
👨‍👩‍👧 Reuniting with loved ones?
🚶‍♂️ Planning a quick visit?

Whatever your needs, we’re here to make the process smooth and stress-free.

📞 Contact us today to discover how we can help you secure your UK visa and make your dreams a reality!

📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.bridgingthegap.co.za

At Bridging the Gap Migration, nothing makes us prouder than hearing from our happy clients! Our team is dedicated to ma...
14/11/2024

At Bridging the Gap Migration, nothing makes us prouder than hearing from our happy clients!

Our team is dedicated to making UK migration a smooth, stress-free experience for you, just like we’ve been doing since 2012.

📞 Contact us today to learn how we can help you!

📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.bridgingthegap.co.za

12/11/2024

Are you dreaming of a festive holiday season in the UK? 🎄

The holidays are fast approaching, and so are visa deadlines! If you want to spend Christmas in the UK, now is the time to act to apply for your Priority

Our expert immigration team is here to help you every step of the way – from preparing your application to making sure you meet all requirements, so you can make this Christmas one to remember. 🎅🏽

Contact us today to secure your UK visa!

📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.bridgingthegap.co.za

09/09/2024

It is that time of year again!

With a very short December at hand in the immigration world, we ask all current and potential future clients that would like to settle in the United Kingdom or even just pay a short family visit or business travel, during December 2024 to March 2025, to contact us now to deliver optimum results.
Applicants that are ready to commence or pursue their nationality applications and would like to complete the process by June 2025, to have a British passport in hand, will have to submit now to enable us to make this a reality.

BTG greetings!

Bridging the Gap re-introducing more visitor and business visitor visa options due to client’s demand!
23/07/2024

Bridging the Gap re-introducing more visitor and business visitor visa options due to client’s demand!

30/04/2024

UK Going digital: Transition to eVisas for Biometric Residence Permit holders

As part of the Home Office’s plan to develop a border and immigration system which is ‘digital by default’, current Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) holders are being invited to apply for an eVisa. Below, we explore what this means for existing BRP holders and the role that UK employers and education institutions can play in the transition process.

What is a digital immigration system?
The Home Office’s stated aim is that by 2025, most customers will have a secure and seamless digital journey when they interact with the UK’s immigration system. Physical documents including BRPs, Biometric Residence Cards and travel vignettes in passports are being phased out and replaced with a digital immigration status, known as an eVisa.

What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of your UK immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. eVisas have numerous benefits including being more secure and they cannot be tampered with, lost or stolen. They will make it quicker and easier to prove your immigration status at the UK border as well as to third parties such as UK employers, landlords or student sponsors.

Why is there a phased rollout of eVisas?
With an estimated four million BRP holders in the UK, the transition to eVisas is a mammoth task for the Home Office. The Home Office’s Future Border and Immigration System programme is currently inviting BRP holders to apply for eVisas in a phased rollout. An initial cohort of BRP holders, including 30,000 Student Visa holders, began receiving individual-tailored emails in April 2024 from the Home Office, inviting them to apply for an eVisa.

Currently, BRP holders can only apply for an eVisa if they receive a specific email invitation to do so from the Home Office. The Home Office email will be sent to the email address used in a BRP holder’s last UK immigration application.

The Home Office has indicated that from early June 2024, however, all BRP holders with an expiry date of 31 December 2024 will be able to apply for an eVisa. This means that even if a specific invitation email has not been received, a BRP holder can apply for an eVisa without restriction from this summer, and are encouraged to do so as early as possible.

How do I apply for an eVisa?
Applying for an eVisa is free and is essentially a three-stage process. Firstly, you will have to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account which will include entering details of your current, valid passport. You will then need to confirm your identity using the UK Immigration: ID check app. You will then need to complete questions on a short application form to link your UKVI account to your eVisa. Once you have completed these three steps, you should receive an email within a few days from the Home Office confirming that your digital eVisa is ready to access.

Remember the ability to create a UKVI account is currently by invitation only. So if you have not received a Home Office invitation email or try to apply before the wider rollout to all BRP holders from this summer, it may not be possible to create your UKVI account or view your eVisa.

Those individuals who have already created a UKVI account (and therefore hold an eVisa) do not need to take any action. You will already have a UKVI account if you applied to the EU Settlement Scheme or used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to prove your identity when applying for a UK visa. You can therefore continue to present employers, student sponsors or landlords with a share code to prove your immigration status. No action is required for British or Irish passport holders.

Do I still have to travel with my BRP?
Until 31 December 2024, Home Office advice is to still travel with your BRP as well as your current passport. However, in the future, you will be able to use your eVisa to travel to the UK and you will only need to travel with your current passport.
Your eVisa will be linked to the passport in your UKVI account so it will be very important to keep your UKVI account updated with any changes to your passport details. Existing eVisa holders should also ensure that they keep their UKVI account updated with changes to their passport details.
The Home Office also intends that carriers (including airlines) will be able to access the immigration status of travellers on their services. As long as your passport is updated in your UKVI account, your UK immigration status can be easily verified by carriers and on entry to the UK.

What can I do as an employer/education institution ahead of 31 December 2024 deadline?
Updating a physical immigration document to an eVisa does not affect an individual’s UK immigration status nor the conditions of their permission to enter or stay in the UK. However, affected employees and students may encounter difficulties with proving their UK immigration status and travelling to the UK if they do not obtain a UKVI account by the end of the year.
To avoid disruption (as well as facilitating future right to study and right to work checks), employers and education institutions should plan a communications strategy to notify affected staff and students that they need to register for a UKVI account and apply for an eVisa before 31 December 2024.

In summary, BRP holders should apply for an eVisa well in advance of 1 January 2025 to ensure that you can continue to evidence your right to live, work or study in the UK and travel in and out of the UK smoothly.

For further information or assistance, please contact the Home Office if any of the information is not clear.

01/02/2024

Dear reader,

Please receive the below mentioned information.

News Alert: Government announces timelines for introducing measures to
reduce net migration

The Minister of State for Legal Migration has announced key dates for
introducing measures which aim to significantly reduce legal migration into
the UK. The dates announced include:

* 19 February 2024, Immigration Rules will be laid which will remove
the right for care workers and senior care workers to bring dependants. This
will come into force on 11 March 2024.

* 14 March 2024, Immigration Rules will be laid to:

o Increase the earnings thresholds for those arriving on the Skilled
Worker route, with the minimum threshold rising by 48% from £26,200 to
£38,700. These changes will come into force from 4 April 2024.

o Remove the 20% going rate discount for occupations on the Shortage
Occupation List, as well as temporarily add any occupations as recommended
by the MAC to the new Immigration Salary List.

o Increase the minimum general salary threshold under the Family Route in
line with that for a Skilled Worker of £38,700. The plan is to raise the
minimum income requirement incrementally and in stages. On 11 April 2024 the
threshold will raise to £29,000 (with a further increase at some stage to
£34,500) and finally to £38,700, by early 2025.

The Minister of State reiterated that these changes will ensure the UK's
immigration system is focused on attracting skilled, highly paid talent from
around the world and help tackle the abuse of the Health and Care Visa.

The announcement comes shortly after legislation was passed this month to
enable the Immigration Health Surcharge to be raised by 66% to £1,035, in
respect of applications made on or after 06 February 2024.

23/01/2024

Dear BTG client


Immigration Health Surcharge Set to Rise on 6 February 2024

The UK Parliament has approved amendments to the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), and these changes are set to take effect from 6 February 2024.

The revised IHS rates which will be payable are as follows:

Standard rate

Current: £624 per year / Revised: £1,035 per year

Student, Youth Mobility or Under 18 rate

Current: £470 per year / Revised: £776 per year

The IHS is a mandatory upfront payment that accompanies visa applications for those intending to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months.

08/01/2024

Dear BTG client

Please take note of the below mentioned. If you are planning to initiate a
Spousal settlement visa or have already begun your process with us, please
ensure to remain in contact with me, to hopefully sidestep the threshold
increase implementation.

NEWLY INTRODUCED
FIVE-POINT-PLAN-MODIFIED

The Home Secretary announced the five-point plan on 4 December 2023, as part
of the effort to reduce net migration and to prevent the abuse of the UK
immigration system. The Home Office has now released guidance on
how these changes will be implemented:

Skilled Worker visa

The minimum salary level for Skilled Worker visas will increase from £26,200
to £38,700. The 'going rates' will also increase in line with the median
full-time salaries for skilled jobs.

Individuals who are currently present in the UK on this route will be exempt
from these changes when they extend, change employers, or apply to settle.

Further, individuals coming to the UK under the Health and Care worker
route, and education workers on national pay scales, will also be exempt
from the increased minimum salary requirements.

Care workers - (Health and Care worker visa)

Overseas care workers will no longer be permitted to bring their dependants
(partner and children) with them to the UK. Sponsors must also be regulated
by the Care Quality Commission to sponsor care workers.

Care and senior care workers currently present in the UK under this route
will be able to remain with their dependants when making applications to
extend, change employers or settle. Similarly, care and senior care workers
who are already on this route can bring their dependants before the rules
change. Individuals who switch to this route after Spring 2024 will not be
able to remain with or bring their dependants to the UK.

Family Route

The Home Office initially proposed to increase the minimum income level for
family visas to £38,700 in Spring 2024. The proposal has now been modified,
and the minimum income will be increased gradually.

The minimum threshold will be increased to £29,000 in the first instance and
will ultimately be raised to £38,700. The Home Office is yet to clarify the
timeframe for the above. The Home Office will also remove the additional
income requirements for children included in applications made under the
family route.

Individuals who are currently present in the UK on this route, or apply
before Spring 2024, will not need to meet the new minimum income
requirement. However, once the changes have been enforced, individuals in
the UK who wish to switch to this route will be subject to the new minimum
income requirements.

Shortage Occupation List

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will be reviewing the roles that
currently appear on the Shortage Occupation List (SoL).

The SoL will be revised and renamed as the Immigration Salary List (ISL).
The 20% reduction on the 'going rate' salary for jobs on the SoL will be
abolished. Therefore, individuals will no longer be able to benefit from the
lower salary level required for jobs that were included on the SoL.

Dirk

Compliments of the Season!
13/12/2023

Compliments of the Season!

Address

Spaces V&A Waterfront, Dock Road Building, Corner Of Stanley & Dock Road
Cape Town
8001

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 16:30
Tuesday 09:00 - 16:30
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:30
Thursday 09:00 - 16:30
Friday 09:00 - 16:30

Telephone

+27214036423

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