UK Immigration Strategy for Businesses, Professionals and Families

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Four service levels, from a quick professional opinion to us handling everything.

What our clients say

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 Brenda Pinto 
 
 
 
  
I just had my e visa approved by the Home Office. I wish to say a Big Thank You to Ana Maria for helping me through the whole process. Ana is brilliant! I was very apprehensive at first but Ana reassured me and helped me through the whole application! She is very good at her job & knowledge of the immigration.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Andrea Yanet 
 
 
 
  
Morgan Smith Immigration service was outstanding! From the moment I first contacted them, their professionalism and dedication were evident.
Ana Maria guided us through every step of the process with clarity and precision. She provided expert advice tailored to our specific situation, ensuring that we understood all the requirements and deadlines. Attention to detail was impeccable, which made the whole experience much smoother than I anticipated.
She took the time to address all my concerns and was always just a phone call or email away. Their responsiveness and willingness to go the extra mile made me feel supported and confident throughout the entire process.
Thanks for an exceptional service. Muchas gracias!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Jeffrey Boateng 
 
 
 
  
Ana Maria was professional from inception to completion. She provided legal & administrative support throughout the leave to remain, ILR & naturalisation process. I will recommend Ana and the firm with no hesitation!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Bouchiar Imane 
 
 
 
  
Exceptional Service.
I want to thank Ana for all her help and guidance. she took our case and it was a bit complicated, but she managed to guide us through it when it comes to documentation and the overall process she did an amazing job she was working with us even through her time off which we appreciate - Our application was successful and she will be our go to person for our future visa plans
Thank you Ana!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Jose Miguel Lopez Bermudez 
 
 
 
  
I have been an user of their legal services over the years, they always provide great advice and reassurance in each immigration process, ending with very successful outcomes each time.

Dr Ana Duque is an objective, diligent and kind immigration adviser, that knows really well the UK's immigration system, and is a well prepared professional.

I highly recommend their services and advice in any immigration process.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Achier Deng Akol 
 
 
 
  
Our little kids were able to have their mum around to care for them in the UK because of Morgan Smith Immigration Firm in general but Ana Maria in particular! We cannot thank them enough. Victoria and Achier
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Loreinis Mejia 
 
 
 
  
Ana María guided us through all the process to apply for skilled workers visa for my sister, she was very patient explaining all the new changes the Home Office put in place and make her best to reapply on our behalf following the new guidelines. My sister now has her visa thanks to Ana María’s help and guidance.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Hafiz Jarabanda 
 
 
 
  
Is great service
Ana dealed with my wife case from day one in the Uk and she’s absolutely great solicitor ,  great person
We never had any problem with her
I just want to say many many thanks for everything she done for us
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Laeto Moor 
 
 
 
  
I'm writing this review to express my deepest gratitude to Ana Maria of Morgan Smith Immigration. As a Nigerian citizen applying for a UK visa, the process felt incredibly daunting, especially after a previous refusal.

Despite these challenges, Ana Maria was incredibly professional and supportive. She took on my case and provided exceptional guidance throughout the entire process. Her deep understanding of the UK immigration system and her specific knowledge of navigating situations like mine were invaluable.

Ana Maria's advice was clear, concise, and put me in the best possible position to succeed with my visa application.  I'm thrilled to say that, thanks to her expertise and dedication, my visa was approved!
I highly recommend Ana Maria at Morgan Smith Immigration. Her knowledge, professionalism, and unwavering support will make a world of difference in your journey.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 iris domingo 
 
 
 
  
I highly recommend their services.  Ana is amazing and very knowledgeable.  From my first phone call she took time to listen to my concerns and offered the best advice based on my situation, this was followed by her quickly sorting everything out for me.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
    
 
 

Insights

The latest from our immigration desk, updated automatically.

• UK Announces Further Expansion of Global Talent Visa06/11/2026
  UK Government has announced plans to expand the Global Talent visa route to more research-intensive and technology businesses, with UKRI tasked to identify further eligible businesses by spring 2027.
• Already in the UK? The Rule Change That Could Add Five Years to Your ILR Wait06/11/2026
  The Government’s earned settlement reforms could change ILR timing for Skilled Workers already in the UK. If you are nearing five years, check whether your current route still protects your settlement date.
• 500,000 Migrants Will Wait Longer for ILR. Are You One of Them?05/11/2026
  500,000 Migrants Will Wait Longer for ILR. Are You One of Them? On 2 November 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the biggest change to UK settlement in decades. Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) will no longer follow almost automatically after five years. Under the new “earned settlement” model, how long you wait will depend on what you earn, the work you do and your immigration record. The Home Office’s own estimate is that over 500,000 people will now wait longer than five years to settle. If you hold a work visa today, this article explains the new pathways, who is protected and where you are likely to sit. The End of Automatic Five-Year Settlement Under the framework confirmed in the Government’s consultation response, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, the standard qualifying period for ILR rises from five to 10 years. Faster routes of three and five years remain for higher earners and certain public service workers. People who breach immigration rules face a path of at least 20 years. Earnings are not the only test. Every applicant must also meet a set of mandatory requirements, which the Government says higher earnings cannot offset. Figure 1 sets out the full picture. Figure 1: Earned settlement pathways at a glance Qualifying period Who it is for Main contribution test 3 years Highest earners and the Highest Talent Group (for example, Global Talent and Innovator Founder) Earned at least £125,141 in 3 of the last 4 years 5 years Higher earners, eligible health and education public service workers (for example, doctors, nurses and teachers) and people with a British connection Earned at least £50,271 in 3 of the last 5 years, or 5 years in an eligible public service occupation, or a British connection 10 years The new default for everyone else Earned at least £12,571 in 5 of the last 7 years (couples may combine earnings to meet £25,142) 20 years People with a qualifying immigration breach or who have accessed public funds in the last 5 years Earned at least £12,571 in 5 of the last 7 years All pathways Mandatory requirements that higher earnings cannot offset Clean criminal record, no debt owed to Government, English at B2, Life in the UK test, sustained National Insurance contributions Source: Home Office, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government Response to the Consultation (Table 1) and GOV.UK announcement of 2 November 2026. The Non-Negotiables: Requirements No Salary Can Offset Whichever pathway applies to you, the Government has said you will first need: • a clean criminal record, a stricter standard than today’s threshold of a 12-month suspended sentence • English at B2 level, which the Home Office describes as equivalent to A-Level English as a foreign language • no outstanding debt owed to the Government • a sustained record of National Insurance contributions (the Home Secretary referred to three years) • a pass in the Life in the UK test How Many People Will Wait Longer? The Home Office forecasts that, without these reforms, around 1.9 million people would have settled in the UK between 2026 and 2030. With earned settlement, its central estimate falls to 1.4 million (Figure 2). Figure 2: Forecast settlement grants, 2026 to 2030 (central estimate) Scenario Settlement grants Without earned settlement ██████████████████████████████████████ 1.9 million With earned settlement ████████████████████████████ 1.4 million Difference Over 500,000 people settle later than under current arrangements Source: Home Office, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government Response, Annex A (forecast excludes EUSS and EEA Family Permit grants). Work routes account for much of the change. The Home Office expects around 146,000 Skilled Workers and 85,000 of their dependants to move onto the 10-year path. By contrast, people on a family route sponsored by a British citizen who meet the core requirements keep their five-year route. Who Still Gets the Five-Year Route? The Home Office has confirmed that family members of British citizens, Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and members of the armed forces will keep their current pathways. It has also made targeted transitional arrangements for people who arrived before the Immigration White Paper was published in May 2025: • Care workers who earned at least £25,000 a year and met their sponsorship and employment conditions keep the five-year route. Those who did not, which the Home Office puts at around a quarter of the cohort, will be offered a further five-year Health and Care visa before applying again. • Workers in health and education roles below RQF 6 that are paid on a national pay scale, such as nursing auxiliaries and teaching assistants, keep the five-year route if they meet their visa requirements. • Skilled Workers who joined the route before April 2024 will be able to extend their visas on their current terms until 2035. The Government response is clear that these arrangements “do not create a wider exemption for everyone already living in the UK”. On the current plans, a Skilled Worker in a mid-salary role who does not fit one of these groups will be assessed under the new framework. Not Law Yet: What Happens Next Earned settlement is announced policy. It will only apply once the Immigration Rules are amended, and no implementation date has been published. The Government has said it will publish further technical guidance before implementation, and the Home Secretary has said a full impact assessment will be published as the reforms are implemented. Settled status will not be removed from anyone who already holds it, and the Home Office has said no one will be forced to leave. How Morgan Smith Immigration Can Help If you are working towards ILR, the most useful step you can take now is to find out which pathway you are likely to fall into, and whether you can still qualify under the current five-year rules before the changes take effect. Our ILR Eligibility Calculator gives an initial estimate of when you may qualify under the current Immigration Rules: https://morgansmithimmigration.com/ilr-calculator/#ilr-latest-changes For advice on your own circumstances, contact Morgan Smith Immigration on 0203 959 3335 or email [email protected].
• UK Home Office Plans to Expand Facial Recognition for Immigration Enforcement05/11/2026
  The Home Office is considering wider use of live facial recognition in immigration enforcement. Here is what the current published guidance says and what remains unconfirmed.
• Migrant and Refugee Organisations Raise Concerns Over UK’s Earned Settlement Reforms05/11/2026
  The UK Government’s earned settlement reforms are facing criticism from migrant and refugee organisations, with concerns over longer routes to ILR, family impacts and uncertainty for existing visa holders.
• UK Student Living Costs 2026–2027: Expenses and Financial Support04/11/2026
  Planning to study in England in 2026–2027? Review expected living costs, Maintenance Loan levels, and the support available so you can budget with confidence.