Gaining indefinite leave to remain in the UK, or British citizenship, can take some time. In the interim, you may be subject to different checks and entitlements that will have an impact on other aspects of your life. At Saracens Solicitors, we provide comprehensive guidance on how your immigration status can affect other areas of your life when we are acting as your immigration solicitor in London.

Housing

As of 2016, all landlords are required to check that their tenants have the right to rent property in the UK. They do this by viewing and keeping copies of immigration paperwork or some other proof of residency, like a passport. This means that they need to check that every person who will live in the house is eligible for residency in the UK, regardless of whether they appear on the tenancy agreement. It is illegal for them to only check those that they suspect of being ineligible. Landlords also have to do follow-up checks at least every 12 months during a tenancy unless their tenant(s) have unlimited permission to remain in the UK.

Access to public funds and services

Many visas require you to have the means to support yourself and any other family members during your stay in the UK. This applies for long-term residents as well as visitors. This is because you are unlikely to have access to public funds. Some benefits count as public funds whist others do not. Saracens Solicitors can advise you on what you may be entitled to and point you in the right direction to make an application for support when we act as your immigration solicitor in London.

If you want to visit a GP, have a nurse consultation or you need the Accident & Emergency department of a hospital, these are all free regardless of your immigration status. Access to secondary care services, such ongoing hospital treatment, might incur a charge for some people. Foreign nationals who intend to stay in the UK for more than six months may have to pay a health surcharge on top of any visa fees. We can let you know about the latest fees when we act as your immigration solicitor in London.