Making a Valid Application to the UK Home Office: New Application Forms 2016

As of 1 December 2016, the FLR(O) form has been archived and discontinued. The FLR(O) forms were used to make an application to extend your stay in the UK in categories that are not covered in other application forms e.g. FLR(M) – family life as a partner, FLR(FP) – family life as a parent/partner on the basis of your private life, private life in the UK, FLR(DL) – Discretionary Leave on Article 8 Human Rights basis, and FLR(BUS) – extension of stay as a representative of an overseas business or a retired person of independent means. The FLR(O) form is now substituted by two different forms – the FLR(HRO) and the FLR(IR). You must ensure that you make a valid application by using the correct forms for your applications or else your application may be rejected as invalid without even being considered.

Legal Advice on UK Immigration Valid Applications from LEXVISA Immigration Solicitors

What is an UK Immigration Valid Application?

For any immigration application made in the UK, you must ensure that you submit a “valid application”. For leave to remain applications specifically, the rules about making a valid application can be found in paragraph 34 of the Immigration Rules.

The paragraph states that an application must be made on an “application form which is specified for the immigration category under which the application is applying”. Further, for an application to be deemed valid, you must also ensure that the following are satisfied:

  • All mandatory parts of the application form must be completed;
  • Where a fee is required to be paid, the fee must be paid in full and must be paid in accordance with the process set out in the application form;
  • If the Immigration Health Surcharge fee is applicable, it must also be paid in full and paid via the specified process;
  • You must provide all specified mandatory documents such as identity documents and passport photographs; and
  • You must ensure that you provide your biometric information in accordance with the the instructions provided to you.

As you may notice, the above points are merely to ensure that a valid application is submitted; at this point it does not even yet matter whether the applicant satisfies the requirements to be granted a visa. The Home Office is not obliged to process or even look at invalid applications and invalid applications are often rejected right away.

UK Immigration Valid Application: Form FLR(HRO)

You must not use the FLR(HRO) form for any family or private life or humanitarian or asylum claims.

If you satisfy one of the following categories, the FLR(HRO) form will be the correct application for you:

  • Discretionary Leave (DL) where you have previously been granted a period of DL but have not previously been refused;
  • Medical grounds or ill health;
  • Human Rights claim (except on grounds of family or private life or for protection claims);
  • Leave outside of the Immigration Rules;
  • Other claims not elsewhere covered.

You must be careful when choosing the right application form to use as it will directly affect the validity of your application. If you are ensure whether your situation fits any of the categories, you should always seek legal advice before making an application.

UK Immigration Valid Application: Form FLR(IR)

The FLR(IR) form is the second form that is used to substitute the FLR(O) form. If you fall under one of the following categories and you wish to make an application to extend your stay in the UK, the FLR(IR) form is the correct form for you:

  • Visitors (except transit, Approved Destination Status, Permitted Paid Engagement Status, and visitors);
  • UK ancestry;
  • Domestic worker who is a victim of slavery or human trafficking;
  • Parent of a Tier 4 (child) student;
  • Dependant joiners who are applying separately from the main applicant;
  • Relevant Civilian Employee or Locally Engaged staff of Diplomatic Mission;
  • Member of an Armed Force who is subject to immigration control and their dependants who are not a member of HM forces;
  • Representative of an overseas business;
  • Retired person of independent means; and
  • any other grounds not covered by another form.

If you are unsure whether you fall under these categories, you should always seek legal advice from our specialist immigration solicitors before you make an application. Further, you will also need to satisfy a number of requirements in order to be successful in your application.

Legal Advice from LEXVISA Immigration Solicitors

As you may now be aware, the Immigration Rules and laws are complex and for any application to succeed, there are numerous prerequisite and necessary requirements to satisfy. The complex nature of the UK Immigration policies make it disturbingly easy for an immigration application to be turned down – either by being invalid or refused because the application was not prepared strong enough. Making a valid application is obviously important, compiling a strong and easy to process application is also equally important. We pride ourselves with our meticulous and efficient approach and in providing our clients with the best possible legal representations.

In addition to the legal representations, our team of solicitors also provides multiple substantial reviews of documents to ensure that applications are submitted with the correct documentary evidence in the correct format which meets the Home Office’s requirements. We also prepare and assist our clients with their online or paper visa application forms and any other relevant and required forms.

Successful UK Immigration Applications to the Home Office

Our team of experienced and professionally qualified solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of the law. Please always call us for a telephone case assessment even if you wish to consider other advisers. If you wish to consider your options, please call our Immigration Team so we can assess your matter and if necessary advise you of the next steps you should take in a consultation.

We are based in the legal epicentre of London, just across the road from the Royal Courts of Justice in order to ensure we get the best results for our clients. We are minutes away from the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal, the Royal Courts of Justice and other central London courts.

We can ensure that you remain compliant with your visa conditions and will be able to demonstrate your eligibility for an extension visa or indefinite leave to remain. Get in touch with our business immigration lawyers now on 02030110276.   You can also reach us via our contact form.

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