E-visa roll out problems may cause chaos from tomorrow
From tomorrow, 1st January 2025, most non-British children who live in the UK will need an e-visa to prove their immigration status.
31/12/2024
CCLC responds to Ministry of Justice Review of Civil Legal Aid
The Ministry of Justice Review of Civil Legal Aid is a large-scale review to identify options for improving the civil legal aid system. CCLC has delivered specialist advice and representation to children across many areas of law for decades, and has used that experience to respond to the review with 50 recommendations to make the system work for children and prioritise children’s needs, rights and best interests.
You can read our submission and recommendations here.
Rosalyn Akar Grams, Managing Director of Legal Practice and Children’s Rights at CCLC, said:
Legal aid is the backbone of access to justice for children in the UK, and we are proud that it is at the very heart of the work that we do. CCLC has over 40 years’ experience in providing legal advice and representation to children, and in that time we have seen the civil legal aid system damaged by strain and neglect. The review of civil legal aid is a valuable opportunity for the Ministry of Justice, not only to provide life support for a system that is on its knees, but to think again about building a framework for access to justice in the UK with children’s needs and rights at its core.
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Home Office ordered to provide adequate accommodation to mother and child after intervention case brought by CCLC
The High Court has ruled that the Home Office breached its duty to provide adequate asylum accommodation to a mother and her severely disabled child following a successful judicial review initiated by CCLC. The claim was brought by an asylum seeker and her severely disabled 5-year-old child. The child experiences frequent seizures and requires close…
20/12/2024
What are eVisas, and how will they affect people?
The Home Office plans to replace all physical immigration documents with digital ‘eVisas’ by 31 December 2024. Here we provide some basic information on what we know so far. The Home Office has started the process to replace all physical immigration documents, called biometric residence cards (BRPs), with digital ‘eVisas’ by 31 December 2024. This…
11/12/2024
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One in ten children in care has an immigration or nationality issue
At least one in every ten children in care has an unresolved immigration or nationality issue, according to new research published by Coram Children’s Legal Centre and the South London Refugee Association and endorsed by many major children’s organisations.
The report, Taking Care: How local authorities can best address immigration issues of children in care, also finds that delaying help on immigration and nationality issues could be costing local authorities hundreds of thousands of pounds per year. A citizenship application for a child costs £1012; by contrast, waiting until the young person leaves care can cost as much as £130,000 in Home Office fees and support with living.
Coram Children’s Legal Centre and other charities are working with local authorities, asking them to sign a pledge to:
- identify all looked-after children and care leavers with immigration and nationality issues;
- connect looked-after children and care leavers with good quality legal support as soon as possible;
- take a proactive and informed role in supporting looked after children and care leavers through any immigration applications and appeals;
- enable those who are eligible to apply for permanent status and British citizenship