Colin Yeo
@colinyeo.bsky.social
Barrister, blogger and author of Welcome to Britain: Fixing Our Broken Immigration System. Fully updated paperback out now.
Pinned
Colin Yeo
@colinyeo.bsky.social
· Nov 12
An immigration lawyer reviews Paddington in Peru: A very British bear - Free Movement
They grow up so fast. As we will see, Paddington himself has almost certainly reached the age of ursine majority, whatever that might be. When I took my
freemovement.org.uk
“It isn’t unusual for a former asylum seeker like Paddington to become British. In fact, 70% of all refugees granted asylum over ten years ago ultimately went on to naturalise as British. What are the requirements that Paddington must have fulfilled?” freemovement.org.uk/an-immigrati...
Reposted by Colin Yeo
🇺🇦🇬🇧 A generation of Ukrainian children growing up in Britain are facing uncertainty about their future
👇 @zoecrowther.bsky.social explores how they are testing the UK’s immigration and education systems
👇 @zoecrowther.bsky.social explores how they are testing the UK’s immigration and education systems
How Thousands Of Ukrainian Children In The UK Are Growing Up In Limbo
More than 60,000 Ukrainian children have grown up in the UK since fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion. Zoe Crowther explores how the absence of a ...
www.politicshome.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:45 AM
🇺🇦🇬🇧 A generation of Ukrainian children growing up in Britain are facing uncertainty about their future
👇 @zoecrowther.bsky.social explores how they are testing the UK’s immigration and education systems
👇 @zoecrowther.bsky.social explores how they are testing the UK’s immigration and education systems
Reposted by Colin Yeo
On 1 February 1979, The Guardian first reported on the gynaecological examinations conducted by UK border control officials upon South Asian women. Often called ‘virginity testing’, we wrote this article on the Home Office archival records on this practice.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Uncovering the ‘Virginity Testing’ Controversy in the National Archives: The Intersectionality of Discrimination in British Immigration History
This article explores the practice of ‘virginity testing’ by British immigration officers in the late 1970s through the internal documents of the Home Office held at the National Archives in London. ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:48 AM
On 1 February 1979, The Guardian first reported on the gynaecological examinations conducted by UK border control officials upon South Asian women. Often called ‘virginity testing’, we wrote this article on the Home Office archival records on this practice.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Colin Yeo
Mysterious emails, incessant demands and a fake lawyer — read our editor’s note about a serious threat we’re facing
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...
January 30, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Mysterious emails, incessant demands and a fake lawyer — read our editor’s note about a serious threat we’re facing
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...
In case you missed it: High Court exceeded powers in making orders in Afghan cases | Sonia Lenegan
High Court exceeded powers in making orders in Afghan cases - Free Movement
The Secretaries of State for Defence, the Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs have succeeded in an appeal against three orders made
freemovement.org.uk
January 30, 2026 at 12:33 PM
In case you missed it: High Court exceeded powers in making orders in Afghan cases | Sonia Lenegan
From yesterday: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter
Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa - Free Movement
The high potential individual visa is aimed at individuals who have recently graduated from a top global university. There is considerable international
freemovement.org.uk
January 30, 2026 at 12:05 PM
From yesterday: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter
The Verge, a consumer tech website, reviews gas masks. www.theverge.com/policy/86857...
Best gas masks
“How did these people go out and get gas masks?” AG Bondi asked.
www.theverge.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:49 AM
The Verge, a consumer tech website, reviews gas masks. www.theverge.com/policy/86857...
That’s a lot of money. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown
Palantir and Deloitte among beneficiaries of spending by government agencies
giftarticle.ft.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:55 PM
That’s a lot of money. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
In case you missed it: Court of Appeal dismisses asylum appeals from domestic workers trafficked to the UK | Sonia Lenegan
Court of Appeal dismisses asylum appeals from domestic workers trafficked to the UK - Free Movement
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals of two women who worked as domestic workers and were trafficked to the UK from the Philippines via Saudi Arabia.
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 4:31 PM
In case you missed it: Court of Appeal dismisses asylum appeals from domestic workers trafficked to the UK | Sonia Lenegan
In case you missed it: Home Office U-turn over grants of leave to trafficking victims after legal challenge | Freya Wainstein
Home Office U-turn over grants of leave to trafficking victims after legal challenge - Free Movement
In the absence of a reported decision on the matter (yet), we are writing to set out our recent experience and success in challenging Home Office refusals of
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 12:31 PM
In case you missed it: Home Office U-turn over grants of leave to trafficking victims after legal challenge | Freya Wainstein
In case you missed it: Job Ad: ATLEU are recruiting a Community Lawyer (Immigration) | Free Movement
Job Ad: ATLEU are recruiting a Community Lawyer (Immigration) - Free Movement
Community Lawyer (Immigration)
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 12:02 PM
In case you missed it: Job Ad: ATLEU are recruiting a Community Lawyer (Immigration) | Free Movement
Reposted by Colin Yeo
Source: bsky.app/profile/that...
And you *cannot* do that any more, that's why this is such a problem.
And you *cannot* do that any more, that's why this is such a problem.
January 29, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Source: bsky.app/profile/that...
And you *cannot* do that any more, that's why this is such a problem.
And you *cannot* do that any more, that's why this is such a problem.
Reposted by Colin Yeo
ETA requirements: www.gov.uk/guidance/ele...
Electronic travel authorisation (ETA): guide for dual citizens
What dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship (or right of abode) need to do to travel to the UK.
www.gov.uk
January 29, 2026 at 11:13 AM
ETA requirements: www.gov.uk/guidance/ele...
New from FM: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter
Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa - Free Movement
The high potential individual visa is aimed at individuals who have recently graduated from a top global university. There is considerable international
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 11:05 AM
New from FM: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter
What's going on with this?
Reminder for my fellow UK dual/multi nationals that from 25 Feb 2026 you MUST travel into the UK on a UK or Irish passport.
You will no longer be able to travel to the UK on another passport — quite the change from the status quo, and problematic for those of us who travel frequently…🧵
You will no longer be able to travel to the UK on another passport — quite the change from the status quo, and problematic for those of us who travel frequently…🧵
January 29, 2026 at 10:51 AM
What's going on with this?
From yesterday: Briefing: AI and immigration law – what guidance is there for lawyers? | Sonia Lenegan
Briefing: AI and immigration law - what guidance is there for lawyers? - Free Movement
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the complexity of immigration law combined with the ongoing legal aid advice crisis mean that many people
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 10:32 AM
From yesterday: Briefing: AI and immigration law – what guidance is there for lawyers? | Sonia Lenegan
New from Free Movement: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter freemovement.org.uk/how-to-apply...
Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa - Free Movement
The high potential individual visa is aimed at individuals who have recently graduated from a top global university. There is considerable international
freemovement.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 10:04 AM
New from Free Movement: Briefing: how to apply for a high potential individual visa | Nichola Carter freemovement.org.uk/how-to-apply...
Reposted by Colin Yeo
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
From yesterday: Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #104 | Sonia Lenegan
Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #103 - Free Movement
Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!
freemovement.org.uk
January 28, 2026 at 6:35 PM
From yesterday: Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #104 | Sonia Lenegan
In case you missed it: High Court orders reinstatement of trafficking support in public order disqualification case | Sonia Lenegan
High Court orders reinstatement of trafficking support in public order disqualification case - Free Movement
The High Court has ordered the Home Secretary to reinstate support to a potential victim of trafficking where the Home Secretary had made a public order
freemovement.org.uk
January 28, 2026 at 4:31 PM
In case you missed it: High Court orders reinstatement of trafficking support in public order disqualification case | Sonia Lenegan
Reposted by Colin Yeo
It appears that the Rwanda claim against UK is not based on a badly drafted termination clause, but...
...because the current government did not formally terminate the contract in time, hence the payments still due and owing.
If true, whoopsie.
Rwanda statement www.gov.rw/fileadmin/us...
...because the current government did not formally terminate the contract in time, hence the payments still due and owing.
If true, whoopsie.
Rwanda statement www.gov.rw/fileadmin/us...
January 28, 2026 at 2:25 PM
It appears that the Rwanda claim against UK is not based on a badly drafted termination clause, but...
...because the current government did not formally terminate the contract in time, hence the payments still due and owing.
If true, whoopsie.
Rwanda statement www.gov.rw/fileadmin/us...
...because the current government did not formally terminate the contract in time, hence the payments still due and owing.
If true, whoopsie.
Rwanda statement www.gov.rw/fileadmin/us...
In case you missed it: Supreme Court addresses fairness concerns in deprivation appeals | Sonia Lenegan
Supreme Court addresses fairness concerns in deprivation appeals - Free Movement
Having been given a very hard time of it in the Court of Appeal, the Home Secretary has finally been vindicated in her series of appeals concerning the
freemovement.org.uk
January 28, 2026 at 12:34 PM
In case you missed it: Supreme Court addresses fairness concerns in deprivation appeals | Sonia Lenegan
Reposted by Colin Yeo
Sad to say that I come across these sorts of schemes regularly and, what is neglected in the Times piece, they are used as vehicles for modern slavery.
I have clients who have been lured into schemes (some do include 'jobs' ) and ended up Home Office recognised victims.
Step 5 is the big 🚩
I have clients who have been lured into schemes (some do include 'jobs' ) and ended up Home Office recognised victims.
Step 5 is the big 🚩
A Times investigation has found that visa agents are selling Skilled Worker visas for positions that don't exist.
It's well worth reading the full article (link in the next post), but here's how it works.
It's well worth reading the full article (link in the next post), but here's how it works.
January 28, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Sad to say that I come across these sorts of schemes regularly and, what is neglected in the Times piece, they are used as vehicles for modern slavery.
I have clients who have been lured into schemes (some do include 'jobs' ) and ended up Home Office recognised victims.
Step 5 is the big 🚩
I have clients who have been lured into schemes (some do include 'jobs' ) and ended up Home Office recognised victims.
Step 5 is the big 🚩
The asylum support costs of the Rwanda scheme and its shut down of the UK domestic asylum system ran to billions, much of which was plundered from the foreign aid budget.
Rwanda's £290 million was about 40% of £715 million spent directly on the failed UK/Rwanda policy. (There were much higher costs of associated policies, esp hundreds of millions spent on hotel accomodation, with claims not being processed at all, to wait for Rwanda deal)
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
January 28, 2026 at 10:56 AM
The asylum support costs of the Rwanda scheme and its shut down of the UK domestic asylum system ran to billions, much of which was plundered from the foreign aid budget.
From yesterday: Possibility of legal aid in some Windrush compensation cases opened up by Court of Appeal | Sonia Lenegan
Possibility of legal aid in some Windrush compensation cases opened up by Court of Appeal - Free Movement
The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision of the High Court that a refusal to grant exceptional case funding for legal aid to a person applying to the
freemovement.org.uk
January 28, 2026 at 10:32 AM
From yesterday: Possibility of legal aid in some Windrush compensation cases opened up by Court of Appeal | Sonia Lenegan
Reposted by Colin Yeo
This stuff is so depressing and so harmful for genuine sponsors and sponsored employees too. And particularly depressing how desperate people who have lost care jobs are being drawn to these schemes.
A Times investigation has found that visa agents are selling Skilled Worker visas for positions that don't exist.
It's well worth reading the full article (link in the next post), but here's how it works.
It's well worth reading the full article (link in the next post), but here's how it works.
January 28, 2026 at 10:17 AM
This stuff is so depressing and so harmful for genuine sponsors and sponsored employees too. And particularly depressing how desperate people who have lost care jobs are being drawn to these schemes.