Topical:
A Russian politician has accused two American pop stars, Lady Gaga and Madonna of breaching Russian visa rules. Vitaly Milonov, a member of the St Petersburg assembly, claims that the two stars separately visited Russia with cultural visas which did not permit them to undertake paid work. They then both gave concerts for which they were paid.
Badar Azim, a footman at Buckingham Palace who helped with the announcement of the birth of the new-born Prince George has left the UK and returned to his native India because he did not qualify for a Tier 2 (General) skilled worker visa.
On 22nd July 2013, Badar was seen on television, placing an announcement of the birth of the UK's new prince on a golden easel outside Buckingham Palace. Prince George is the first son of Prince William and his wife Katherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. George is now third in line to the British throne.
A spokesman for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has said that a UK government plan to require Indian nationals applying for UK visas to pay security bonds are 'a matter of concern'.
From November, some applicants for UK visas from six 'high risk' countries will be required to pay the bonds if the Home Office believes that they are likely to overstay their visa. The maximum bond payment will be £3,000. The money must be paid before a visa is issued and will only be repaid once the visa holder has left the country.
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps made a speech on 31st July 2013 which signals that the Conservatives intend to fight the next election as a party that is tough on immigration.
The UK now has fixed term parliaments and so the parties know that the next election will be held in June 2015. While this is still nearly two years away, commentators say that Mr Shapps's speech can be seen as 'a drawing of battle lines for the election.
The speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner, has criticised a Republican Representative for making racist remarks about Mexican illegal immigrants. The remarks were made by Representative Steve King of Iowa.
Albert Buitenhuis, a South African chef, faces deportation from New Zealand because he is too fat. Mr Buitenhuis, 50, is five feet eight inches tall (173cm) and weighs 286 pounds ( 20 stone 6 pounds, 130kg) and has lived in New Zealand for six years.
Mr Buitenhuis had worked in New Zealand for six years with an Essential Skills work visa. He then applied to Immigration New Zealand for a resident visa but was refused in May 2013 because his weight means that there is a significant risk that he would become a heavy burden on the New Zealand health system.