Glossary of Terms

Able to support themselves
Anyone making an application for leave must show they can adequately accommodate and maintain themselves in the UK. This is not normally a problem for someone applying to come and work in the UK, but some applicants may need to show they have enough money to support themselves and their dependants while they are looking for work after arrival in the UK, if they do not already have a job.

Asylum seeker/refugee
An asylum seeker has applied for asylum, a refugee has been granted asylum.

British High Commission/ Embassy/Consulate
These are the different types of diplomatic mission abroad. A British High Commission is what most people would understand to be an embassy, but it is in a Commonwealth country.

Commmonwealth Countries
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Hebrides (see Vanuatu), New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papau New Guinea, St Christopher & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia (see Zimbabwe), Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

EEA
The European Economic Area. It consists of all European Union member states plus one or two other countries not in the EU: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain. Sweden, United Kingdon.

There are special provisions that apply to citizens of those EEA member states given in bold type.

Swiss nationals have had the same rights as EEA nationals within the UK since 1 June 2002.  They can work without a work permit.

Entry Clearance
People from certain countries, known as visa nationals, need entry clearance to enter the UK for any reason; those from other countries need one only for some reasons. A list of visa nationals can be found in Appendix 1 to the Immigration Rules on the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau website.

Since 2 October 2000, entry clearance confers leave to enter. Further details on entry clearance and how to apply, including locations of British Missions overseas, can be found on the UK Visas website.

Home Office
The Home Office, a large government department with offices throughout the UK dealing with specific issues, determines UK immigration policy.

Keep a copy
This concerns criminal liability for employers under s.8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. A "copy" can be a photocopy or an electronically scanned copy, but the latter must be done on a particular type of programme.

Leave to enter or remain
This is permission to enter the UK or to remain here and can be granted for a limited period ('limited leave') or permanently ('indefinite leave').

Leave to enter is usually stamped onto an immigrant's passport or travel document, a UK residence permit is usually inserted into the passport when leave to remain is approved; both are accompanied by conditions of leave, such as permission to work. Leave to enter may be in the form of Entry Clearance.

Long-term partner
A long-term partner is someone with whom the applicant has lived in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years.

Points Based System
The UK is in the process of moving over to a points based immigration system. Tier 1 (Highly Skilled Migrants), Tier 2 (skilled workers) and Tier 5 (Temporary workers) are in place 

Refugee
A refugee is an asylum seeker who has been granted refugee status.

Settlement
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) is settlement in the UK. There are no conditions attached to it and someone with ILR or ILE can always work. After a certain period, those with settlement can apply for British citizenship.

UK Border Agency
This is the part of the Home Office that deals with all immigration and nationality issues, including Tier 2 skilled worker (formerly work permit) applications.  Their website  contains details of the Immigration Rules and categories of leave (for work and other purposes).

Ukvisas
This is a joint Directorate of the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which manages the UK's entry clearance (visa) system abroad. It has a website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk