E-Visa Seminar with Martinsons
We were recently honoured to co-host a free legal seminar on the topic of "eVisa" with the London Chinatown-based charity, the Chinese Information and Advice Centre (CIAC), at St. Mary's Church in Soho, London. The event provided legal advice and assistance to CIAC members and the Chinese community in London.
華人資料及諮詢中心 e-visa 法律咨询
The seminar was highly successful. In addition to sharing the latest updates on the Home Office's "eVisa" regulations and a step-by-step guide on how to register for an eVisa, the Martinsons team also provided one-on-one consultations to address various challenges attendees had encountered while applying for the eVisa or during border crossings. For example:
Some faced confusion due to discrepancies in the order of their first and last names on the eVisa, caused by naming conventions in certain countries such as Malaysia.
While the Home Office website states that holders of traditional physical documents (such as passports with wet-ink stamps or indefinite leave to remain stickers) can continue using them to prove their immigration status, one attendee reported being questioned upon re-entering the UK from abroad. So, how should such situations be handled?
Another attendee had applied for a No Time Limit (NTL) endorsement but still could not successfully register for an eVisa. The Martinsons team even assisted some attendees in contacting the Home Office on the spot or resolving their eVisa issues online.
The eVisa is part of the Home Office’s effort to develop a more digital and streamlined border and immigration system, transitioning from physical documents to electronic records. It allows individuals to view, prove, and share their immigration status online—such as their right to work or rent in the UK—without needing physical proof. Many UK government services and benefits can be accessed without presenting immigration status documents. Certain departments and authorities in England and Wales, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the National Health Service (NHS), can securely and automatically verify immigration status through system checks.
However, according to Home Office data released at the end of February, an estimated 600,000 people have yet to register for their eVisa.
If you would like to discuss your visa status, obtain a free information guide on eVisa updates, or receive step-by-step instructions on registration, please contact us via our website or email enquiries@martinsonslegal.co.uk. Our team is happy to provide legal assistance to the Chinese community in the UK to complete eVisa registration, especially for those with limited English proficiency or elderly individuals.
Given the recent continuous changes in UK immigration policies, our law firm—with over 20 years of experience in immigration—is enthusiastic to collaborate with Chinese community organisations across regions to raise awareness about the latest immigration rules/policies. Chinese community groups in need of such services are welcome to contact us via our website or email enquiries@martinsonslegal.co.uk.
我们很荣幸最近与位于伦敦唐人街的慈善机构 - 伦敦华人资料及咨询中心（CIAC）在伦敦苏豪区的圣玛丽教堂联合举办了一场主题为“电子签证 (Evisa)”的免费法律讲座，为伦敦华人资料及咨询中心的会员和伦敦社区的华人提供法律建议和帮助。
该次讲座非常成功。讲座里除了向参会者讲述了内政部实施的“电子签证”条例的最新动态以及如何注册电子签证的指南以外，Martinsons 团队还现场一对一为参会者解答了各种他们在办理“电子签证”时所遇到的难题以及出入境时碰到的问题，例如：因某些国家的姓名前后排序情况而导致“电子签证”里显示的姓和名排序出现混乱；又例如：内政部官网指出，持有传统纸质文件的人，包括带有湿墨水印章或永居签证贴纸的护照持有人可继续使用他们的实体文件秋证明他们的移民身份，但现实情况下，有参会者表示她在海外回英国时就遇到被质疑查问的问题。那么，遇到这种情况应该如何应对和处理呢？又例如：有参会者办理了永久居留许可（NTL）申请，但仍未能成功注册“电子签证”。Martinsons团队甚至协助部分参会的华人即场联系内政部或在线解决在“电子签证”里碰到的问题。
电子签证是内政部开发的一个更加数字化和精简化的边境和移民系统，将实物移民文件过渡到电子签证， 以数字方式、电子方式记录个人移民身份，使人们能够在线查看和证明、分享他们的移民身份，例如他们在英国工作或租房的权利。人们无需出示移民身份证明即可获得许多英国政府服务和福利。英格兰和威尔士的一些特定政府部门和当局，包括工作和养老金部以及国家医疗服务体系，可以通过系统对系统检查安全地自动获取移民身份信息。
然而，根据英国内政部2月底公布的数据表示，内政部估计仍有60万人仍未注册“电子签证”。
如果您想讨论您的签证状态或获取有关电子签证更新的免费信息指南，以及如何注册的分步说明，请通过我们的网站与我们联系或发送电子邮件至 enquiries@martinsonslegal.co.uk我们的团队非常乐意为英国的华人提供法律服务以完成“电子签证”注册，特别是英文沟通不佳的华人或老人。
鉴于英国移民政策最近在不断变化，我们律师行在移民方面有20多年的丰富经验，愿与各地区的华人社团合作，为当地华人普及最新的移民条例/政策。请有需要的华人社团通过我们的网站与我们联系或发送电子邮件至enquiries@martinsonslegal.co.uk。