Below are some highlight changes to the UK visa I would like to bring to your attention effective October 18, 2022:
Changes to grant non-visa national status to Colombia, Guyana, and Peru.
7.29. Citizens of Colombia, Guyana, and Peru are being made non-visa nationals. This means they will no longer have to obtain a visit visa before coming to the UK and can be examined and granted entry on arrival.
7.30. The risk of immigration abuse and criminality from these countries has consistently fallen in the last five years. Additionally, there are significant potential rewards for granting these nationalities non-visa national status, such as improved trade, diplomatic relations, and tourism.
Changes to Visit policy to facilitate visits from midwifery students and sports officials
7.33. Changes made to Appendix V: Visitor will allow midwifery students who are studying degree level equivalent courses overseas to come to the UK as a visitor and undertake electives with a UK higher education provider, providing these are unpaid and involve no treatment of patients.
7.34. Changes made to Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities will remove the requirements for sports officials supporting sports tournaments or events in the UK to be attending the same event as a sports person who is undertaking permitted sporting activities.
Changes to endorsement and evidential requirements for the Global Talent category
7.39 The evidential requirements for arts and culture applications are being amended to require applicants to provide letters of support from organisations or individuals who have directly worked with the applicant and can therefore comment on their skills through personal experience rather than via reputation. This is intended to ensure that
the authors have first-hand knowledge of the applicants work and prevent the submission of more generic letters which do not adequately support a claim of exceptional talent or promise.
7.40. The evidential requirements for digital technology applications are being amended to require applicants to provide letters of support from individuals who have detailed knowledge of applicant’s work over a period of at least 12 months. This is intended to ensure authors are able to comprehensively consider the applicants work in a way which will support a claim of exceptional talent or promise.
Changes to the Creative Worker route
7.48. An amendment is being made to remove the ability for those on the Standard Visitor and Permitted Paid Engagement routes to switch into the Temporary Work – Creative Worker route as this is incompatible with the requirements of the Visitor route.
7.49. Updates are being made to the Appendix Creative Worker Codes of Practice to:
• separate the Performers in theatre or opera section to reflect their differing reliance on overseas talent
• amend the outdated references to advertising media for posts in opera and theatre.
Below is a link to the document for “the statement of change to the UK visa changes and immigration rules” for more in depth reading
