NEW ID CARDS FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS
From 25 November 2008 the Home Office began issuing identity cards to foreign nationals applying for further leave to remain in the United Kingdom under certain categories. The cards will be issued to migrants applying as:
Students and their dependants, the husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner of someone holding permanent residence in the United Kingdom and any foreign national dependants. Holders of the card will not receive a vignette in their passport and must carry both their passport and their ID card if they travel abroad.
Applicants for further leave to remain in the UK will have to supply their fingerprints and have their photo taken at one of the following UK Visas & Immigration offices - Croydon, Sheffield, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Armagh. The ID card will not be issued on the day and will be delivered by secure delivery normally within one week. This also applies to premium applications made in person and paying the extra fee.
If an ID card is lost, stolen or damaged this must be reported to UK Visas & Immigration within three months or a penalty of £1,000 may be faced. The telephone number to report is 03001232412. If it has been stolen the police must be informed and a crime report number will be needed. The UK Visas & Immigration will cancel the card and a new one must be applied for on form ICFN(RC) and a fee is payable, this service is only available by post.
In the event that the card is lost or stolen whilst overseas this must be reported to the nearest British diplomatic post (usually an Embassy or Consulate) and a visa to travel to the UK on a category D vignette which will authorise one single journey will need to be applied for. A new card must be applied for on your return to the UK. A police report must be made in the country where the card has been lost or stolen.
The new cards will be issued to those making applications under these categories using application forms FLR(S) or FLR(M).
FURTHER LEAVE TO REMAIN APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS APPLIED FOR ON OR AFTER 9th JULY 2012
Application must be made for further leave to remain as a spouse or partner to total 5 years residency in the UK before indefinite leave to remain (permanent residecy) can be applied for. If an applicant fails to meet the English language requirement further leave to remain can be applied for until 10 years lawful residency in the UK has been achieved when an application for ILR based on long residency may be made.
The financial requirements must be met for each stage of applications for further leave to remain.
FURTHER LEAVE TO REMAIN BASED ON MARRIAGE FOR PEOPLE GRANTED ENTRY CLEARANCE (VISA) THAT WAS APPLIED FOR PRIOR TO 7th JULY 2012 ONLY.
Form FLR(M) is the most commonly used form for people who have entered the UK on a fiancée visa who have now registered their marriage or Civil Partnership and wish to start the five year probationary period leading to settlement/ indefinite leave to remain in the UK. It can also be used for unmarried or same sex partners who wish to apply for a visa extension.
Any children under 18 years of age at the time the form is submitted admitted to the UK to join a parent should be included on the form.
People who have married in the UK using the Certificate of Approval COA(M) must also apply for further leave to remain on this form.
All applicants for FLR(M) must have passed or otherwise have satisfied the English language requirement for partners. This is NOT the same as the level required for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
If the applicant or the spouse or partner has previously been married they MUST provide the final divorce certificate or death certificate with an authorised translation into English if the document is in any other language.
Further leave to Remain can also be applied for in the following categories: Immigration Employment Document holder; Student; Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme; Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme; Business person, sole representative or retired person of independent means. Each of these uses a different FLR form.
For any applicant who does not fit into any of the above categories it is possible to make an application outside the rules on form FLR(O).
The fee for processing an application by the UK Visas & Immigration is shown on our fees scale page.
A FLR application can be made 28 or less days before the current leave to remain expires but if it is received by the Home Office after the current leave has expired it will normally be refused and the applicant will be in the UK illegally and may be subject to deportation. You should seek our advice if you are in this position.
Additionally proof that the applicant can either support themselves or that their British partner can do so without recourse to public funds will be required. It is acceptable if the British partner is claiming public funds in his right only.
It should be noted that the Home Office fee is for processing the application only and it is not refundable in the event of refusal.
Should it be necessary to have to request the passport back from the Home Office before the application has been decided then the application is treated as withdrawn and the fees paid are not refunded. This may place the applicant in the position of no longer having permission to remain in the UK and a new visa will need to be applied for overseas normally in the home country of the applicant.
NOTE if further leave to remain is being applied for when the two year probationary period is coming to an end instead of the usual indefinite leave to remain application (for example because the Life in the UK Test has not been passed) then you will need to supply at least six documents from at least three different sources in your single or joint names at the same address proving that you are and have been living together throughout the previous two years.
OTHER LEAVE TO REMAIN
FLR(O) requests depend on the circumstances and complexity of the case and a quote will be given after we have received your full details the fee is likely to be in the region of £1000.00.
If you wish to make a FLR application please E-mail us with your contact details, the nationality of the applicant and the type of FLR required. We will then contact you. Payment of our fee is required in advance and can be made online by prior arrangement or by cheque or postal order to the address on our contact details page.
FLR(M) is the commonest visa extension until 5 years in the UK have been reached. All applicants must attend the UKVI partner firm Sopia Steria to have their biometrics taken and hand in the documents to support their application to be scanned at the appointment. There are very few free appointments available and paid for appointments can cost up to an extra £300 on top of the other fees. Our fee does not include scanning any documents.
Current fees payable are shown on our Fees Scale page.
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