14 year long residence

[Pyotr]

Can someone please provide information on whether any changes are being made as part of the recent/current overhaul of the immigration rules to the 14-year rule/concession?

Also, in addition to the usual good character/no criminal record requirements, does the size of an individual's bank balance really matter (say, if it were demonstrably earned figure of £1m post-tax?) or is this not that important as long as one can prove 14 years continuous residency?

Thank you

P

[Jeff Albright]

Can someone please provide information on whether any changes are being made as part of the recent/current overhaul of the immigration rules to the 14-year rule/concession?

Unheard of so far. Don't think there will be any (no point in my opinion)

Also, in addition to the usual good character/no criminal record requirements, does the size of an individual's bank balance really matter (say, if it were demonstrably earned figure of £1m post-tax?) or is this not that important as long as one can prove 14 years continuous residency?

Good character is a necessary criterion. However, your bank account falls outside the standard requirements but you should include this information in the application and expand on that in the accompanying letter you will be writing. THe fact that you have been economically active and have been contributing strongly to the economy of the country is always a strong point in your favour. However, this will not speed up the application process, unfortunately.

[jei2]

Don't forget that any refusal which carries a liability to removal will stop the clock on an applicant's time.

This means that unless they have stayed 14 years before service of any such notice they will never be able to meet the residence rules for being granted settlement.

[OL7MAX]

If your account balance is not required for considering of your application I would urge you to leave it out.

I was in a similar position to you a year ago. I went against my solicitor's strongly worded advice on bank statements. She wanted every single one for the last x years. I instructed her to either convince me that they were indispensable or refrain from sending them with my application.

Not that I have anything to hide but there are very sound reasons for businessmen like us to not give any arm of the government more data on me than they need.

A few years ago one of my businesses faced a tax enquiry. Now these are normal things, there's a lottery system and I got picked. I hired a good specialist tax accountant and having him on my side was invaluable because I learnt some of the tricks HM government uses - like getting personal statements that they are not entitled to. I was inclined to give them the statement as I had done nothing wrong till my accountant explained a few things about how data in my statements could be used. I'm telling you, you're giving yourself no end of a headache if you let those statements fall into the wrong hands. And the HO is the wrong hands because data sharing across government departments is not the taboo it used to be some years ago.

Despite Jeremy Clarkson's experience, I'd rather let a crook and fraudster have my last 10 years bank statements than give them, without cause, to HMRC.