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UK Immigration Glossary
 his glossary is intended as a brief reference for UK immigration. The definitions are not legal definitions. If you are in any doubt as to your immigration status or have further queries on UK work permits, please contact
murugesh@assureconsulting.com for further information.
Adjudicator: The person who considers and makes a decision in relation to immigration appeals.
Asylum: Allowing a refugee to stay in a country to avoid threat of persecution in his or her own country. Asylum Support Adjudicators
(ASA) Independent organisation which considers appeals from asylum seekers who have been refused support from the National Asylum Support Service.
British diplomatic post: A British embassy, high commission or consulate overseas.
Carriers Liability Act 1987: An Act of Parliament that orders carriers to make payments to the Secretary of State for any passengers brought into the United Kingdom without the correct documentation.
Carrier (in the context of the Act): The owner or agent of the aircraft, ship, bus, coach or, in certain circumstances train.
Civil penalty: A provision under the Immigration and Asylum Act to place a penalty on those found responsible for transporting a clandestine entrant into the UK.
The Common travel area: The common travel area includes the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Except in limited circumstances, a person's movement within these places is not immigration controlled.
Deportation order: An order authorising the removal of a foreign national from the United Kingdom and preventing them fromcoming back to the United Kingdom.
Direct airside transit visa: A visa issued solely to permit a person to pass through an airport in the UK on the way to their final destination. It does not allow them to enter the United Kingdom.
Entry clearance: A collective term for: visas; entry certificates; and family permits for family members of EEA nationals. British diplomatic posts overseas issue entry clearance which acts as evidence of a person's eligibility for entry into the United Kingdom. As of now, visas and entry certificates (with the exception of Direct Airside Transit Visas and exempt visas) will give the holder leave to enter the UK.
European Union (EU): The member States of the European Union are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom.
European Economic Area (EEA): Countries that are members of the European Union together with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Nationals of these countries can move freely between, and work in, all countries. Exceptional leave to remain. This is a discretionary status granted by the Home Secretary. It can be granted for various reasons, but is most usually granted for compassionate or humanitarian reasons.
Further leave to remain: An extension of permission to stay granted to someone who is already in the United Kingdom.
IM2A: The application form to be completed when applying for entry clearance to the United Kingdom at a British Embassy or High Commission abroad.
Integrated Casework Directorate: The Home Office department that considers immigration, nationality and asylum applications.
Investor Status: Investor status may be granted to a person who has at least £1 million to invest in the United Kingdom. At least £750,000 of this money needs to be invested in UK government bonds or UK businesses. There are several other criteria which need to be met.
Immigration Acts: The various Acts of Parliament which deal with immigration and asylum issues.
Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB): The Home Office department that answers telephone enquires from the public about immigration.
Immigration Officer (IO): A person who controls the entry of foreign nationals into the United Kingdom.
The Immigration Rules: The rules to be followed in the administration of the Immigration Acts.
Immigration Service Commissioner: An independent organisation that is responsible for regulating the way immigration advice and services are provided.
Indefinite leave to remain: Permission to stay in the United Kingdom permanently.
Joint Entry Clearance Unit: A new unit staffed jointly by the Foreign Office and Home Office, to co-ordinate the visa-issuing process. This should be the first point of contact for posts overseas.
Landing card: A card recording personal details to be completed on arriving in the United Kingdom by all
non-EU/EEA passengers.
Leave to enter: Permission to enter the United Kingdom.
Leave to remain: Permission to stay in the United Kingdom.
National Asylum Support Service: A national unit that provides support for asylum seekers-who would otherwise be destitute-until their claims for asylum have been determined. Naturalisation A way of applying for British citizenship which is open to people who have indefinite leave to remain and have lived in the United Kingdom for a minimum period.
Naturalisation: The process whereby adults who are not British may apply for British citizenship.
Overseas Labour Service: (OLS) Now known as Work Permits (UK).
Overstayer: A person who stays in the United Kingdom longer than the period of time they have been granted.
Presenting Officer: An officer who presents the Home Office case in an immigration appeal before an adjudicator.
Public Caller Unit (PCU): Also known as the Public Enquiry Office. The Home Office department that people can visit in person to apply or enquire about their application. There are public caller units in
Croydon, Liverpool, Glasgow, Belfast and Birmingham.
Registration: A further process for obtaining British citizenship, used for example by children, as well as persons who hold other kinds of British nationality (such as British Overseas citizens).
Retired Persons of Independent Means: Persons aged 60 or over who have an income of at least £25,000 a year may apply to enter the United Kingdom as retired persons of independent means provided that they have a close connection with the UK and intend to make the UK their principal home.
Refugee: A person who, because of fear of persecution on grounds such as race, religion or political reasons, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or unwilling to return.
Right of abode: The right to live and work in the United Kingdom. A person who has right of abode is free to enter and leave the United Kingdom.
Settlement: A person is settled in the United Kingdom if they are ordinarily resident here without any restriction on the period for which they may remain.
Settlement Permission: Permission to stay in the United Kingdom permanently (another term for 'indefinite leave to remain').
Sole Representative Status: A person may apply to enter the United Kingdom as a sole representative in order to establish an office of an overseas business in the United Kingdom. The person must intend to work full-time in this capacity and must not be a majority shareholder in the overseas parent.
Ten Year Concession:
Actually part of the Long Residence Concession, it may apply where people
have remained wholly lawfully in the United Kingdom for a continuous
period of at least ten years. Where it is applied, indefinite leave is
granted.
Third country: A country whose authorities agree to allow an asylum
seeker to go there from the United Kingdom and to determine the asylum
seeker's claim for asylum. A third country is not the United Kingdom and
is not the asylum seeker's own country.
Travel document: A document used to travel and gain entry to other
countries.
UK Ancestry Status: Commonwealth citizens aged 17 or over having a
UK born grandparent can apply to come to the UK for work purposes. They
need to prove their descent from the British grandparent and will be
allowed to enter and remain in the United Kingdom for four years and
thereafter seek settlement.
Variation of Leave: An application for variation of leave may be
made in the United Kingdom to the Home Office in Croydon. Such application
should be made before a person's current leave expires.
Visa: A visa is a form of entry clearance issued at British
diplomatic posts overseas. Certain nationalities must have a visa to
travel to the United Kingdom.
Visa national: A person who needs to apply for a visa before
entering the United Kingdom.
Work permit: A document issued by Work Permits (UK) that allows a person to work in the United Kingdom for a particular employer.
Work Permits (UK): Part of the Department for Education and Employment
(DfEE). responsible for issuing work permits. Formerly known as the Overseas Labour Service
(OLS).
Working Holidaymakers: Commonwealth citizens aged 17 to 27 inclusive may be granted entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom for a period of up to two years on what is known as a working holiday. Any work that a working holidaymaker takes should be incidental to their holiday, they are not allowed to pursue a career in the United Kingdom, and they should not work for more than 50 per cent of the time.
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