Expiry of 30-day Visa Vignettes and other Covid-19 UK Immigration developments

Below we have compiled some short guidance on the latest UK Immigration developments.  

The expiry of 30-day Visa Vignettes

One of the biggest concerns for many clients is that they have a 30-day visa vignette that has expired or is due to expire, and the client cannot travel to the UK due to the travel restrictions. 

Fortunately, Breytenbachs has, at last, received official confirmation from the Home Office on the expiry of the 30-day visa vignettes.

You can request a replacement visa with revised validity dates until the end of 2020, if your 30-day visa to travel to the UK for work, study, or to join family has expired or is about to expire. 

Please get in touch with your Breytenbachs consultant for assistance to request this replacement visa.  You can contact your consultant directly. If you are not currently a client of Breytenbachs, please send an email to us at info@bic-immigration.com

The Home Office has also confirmed that applicants would not be penalised for not being able to collect their Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) while Covid-19 measures are in place.

Extension of attendance of British Citizenship Ceremonies

Some readers received an invitation to attend their British citizenship ceremony shortly before lockdown. They are now worried as they obviously cannot attend it. 

Breytenbachs can confirm that one normally, a person has three months to attend their British citizenship ceremony. The UK Government has now extended this to six months, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  You will, therefore, now have six months to attend your British citizenship ceremony after receiving your invitation to do so from the Home Office.

You are welcome to contact your Breytenbachs immigration consultant for more information.

Emergency Loans for Repatriation Flights to the UK

Several readers like to take repatriation flights to the UK, but are having severe financial constraints, and cannot pay for the cost of the airplane ticket. 

The UK Government said that they would make emergency loans available to persons who cannot afford the travel costs and have exhausted all other options for getting funds. The loan will help the person to get a commercial flight back to the UK, where flights are still operating. The loan will need to be repaid when the person is back in the UK.

For more information on this, readers can visit the Home Office website at  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-emergency-loans-for-return-flights-how-to-apply

How Breytenbachs can assist you

To arrange a consultation with Breytenbachs to discuss your immigration matter, please contact us at info@bic-immigration.com or visit our website at www.bic-immigration.com 

You are also welcome to fill out the form below. 

Please note that the information in this article does not constitute professional advice. It is provided for general information purposes, without giving any warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.

Contact BIC

• Name*
  First Last
• Email*
• Phone*
• Leave a note for BIC*
• I agree to the Terms and Conditions listed on thesouthafrican.com*
  • Yes