Immigration news

The High Court in the UK has dismissed a legal challenge to a new immigration rule requiring people to be able to speak English before coming to the UK to live with their spouse.The law was implemented back in November 2010 and had recently been challenged by three couples who deemed the rules to be unfair and racist. However the UK High Court dismissed the challenges.Justice Beatson, presiding judge over the appeals, stated, "The new language test was not a disproportionate interference with the couples' right to family life."

A recent report from the Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency (UKBA), John Vine, looked at UK visas processing in New York. According to the report, more than three in five decisions to refuse family visas to those wanting to come to the UK from New York were overturned by managers before going to appeal.

New relaxed visa rules in Indonesia for four Middle Eastern countries could trigger an influx of people trafficking to Australia. Indonesia plans to relax visa rules for nationals of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan; The changes have raised concerns with Australian Immigration authorities that the new laws could cause a rise in people smuggling operations to Australia. This year, Australian immigration authorities have already intercepted two vessels trying to smuggle people into Australia.

According to new research half of all foreign professionals would consider immigrating to London if they ever looked to work overseas. Next on the list of popular destination cities was New York at 28 percent, Singapore at 16 percent, Paris at 15 percent and Sydney at 10 percent. Dubai, Tokyo, and Shanghai were also in the top destination Cities for foreign professionals.

UK immigration officials are warning of possible delays this summer due to the London Olympics. Olympic VIPs will be given dedicated passport lanes at Heathrow Airport in order to fast-track UK visit visas for 25,000 athletes, coaches and officials. This reallocation of resources will likely mean delays for other travelers, according to the UK Border Agency.

Beginning 1 January 2012, Taiwanese youth can apply for the UK's Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa. The UK visa enables young people from participating countries to come and experience life in the UK under the Tier 5 visa of the points-based system.