Changes made to UK visa rules have come into effect. As of the end of November, married and equivalent couples between 18 and 21 years of age were re-allocated the right to be eligible for a spouse UK visa.
The alteration came after a ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of Quila and Bibi v Secretary of State for the Home Department, which sought to overturn the raising of the eligibility to 21.
In 2008, the then government had implemented the increase in eligibility in a bid to crack down on forced marriages and immigration fraud. However, in the recent development, it was ruled that despite the underlying purpose of the amendment to reduce crime, the exclusion of genuine couples between the ages of 18 and 21 signified a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Commenting on the development, UK Visa Bureau spokesperson Marissa Murdock said: “I would anticipate quite a notable increase in the number of settlement applications being lodged both in-country and abroad,” UK Visa Bureau reports.
She added: “The intention to now drop the age back down to its original 18 years is one that will be met with a lot of anticipation and relief. A great many couples abroad, or where one partner is in the UK and the other waiting abroad until both parties are 21, can now apply to be together.”
Ms Murdock went on to state that this will mean families that have been separated for some time will be able to reunite.
Meanwhile, couples or individuals seeking help with immigration, whether they are after a UK, USA visa or permits for other countries, can now head online for assistance. This can make the process of getting a UK or USA visa much faster and more straightforward.