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...
You get a bit of an idea of how they were put together when you read a lot of them. Looks like a combination of cut and paste and a trained checklist approach to justifying a decision on truthfulness.
February 2, 2026 at 5:24 PM
You get a bit of an idea of how they were put together when you read a lot of them. Looks like a combination of cut and paste and a trained checklist approach to justifying a decision on truthfulness.
In case you missed it: Claim for British Overseas Citizenship made by UK-born child of Northern Rhodesian parents rejected by High Court | Sonia Lenegan
Claim for British Overseas Citizenship made by UK-born child of Northern Rhodesian parents rejected by High Court - Free Movement
The High Court has dismissed a claim for a declaration that a woman was a British Overseas Citizen on the basis that her parents were born in Northern
freemovement.org.uk
February 2, 2026 at 5:07 PM
In case you missed it: Claim for British Overseas Citizenship made by UK-born child of Northern Rhodesian parents rejected by High Court | Sonia Lenegan
I'm not sure I've seen anyone write on that subject recently. Might be an interesting one to attempt, but would have to be based mainly on a reading of lots of asylum decisions - which by nature are refusals. I'd love to see something on how/why positive decisions get made.
February 2, 2026 at 3:18 PM
I'm not sure I've seen anyone write on that subject recently. Might be an interesting one to attempt, but would have to be based mainly on a reading of lots of asylum decisions - which by nature are refusals. I'd love to see something on how/why positive decisions get made.
In case you missed it: Partial success for immigration barrister in challenge to Legal Ombudsman decision | Sonia Lenegan
Partial success for immigration barrister in challenge to Legal Ombudsman decision - Free Movement
A barrister has succeeded in arguing that the Ombudsman made a mistake of fact in its decision on a former client's complaint, but the majority of his grounds
freemovement.org.uk
February 2, 2026 at 12:32 PM
In case you missed it: Partial success for immigration barrister in challenge to Legal Ombudsman decision | Sonia Lenegan
If civil servants and ministers spent as much time using the powers they already have rather than dreaming up new ones then they wouldn't be in the mess they are in today. Discuss.
February 2, 2026 at 12:16 PM
If civil servants and ministers spent as much time using the powers they already have rather than dreaming up new ones then they wouldn't be in the mess they are in today. Discuss.
One of the things about generating loads of data about immigration compliance is that it creates an expectation that one will do something with it and about it. The Home Office already cannot manage basic immigration enforcement like asylum removals.
The companies that do digital identity verification say they have tons of data on fraud but can't find anyone at the Home Office who wants it committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence...
February 2, 2026 at 12:16 PM
One of the things about generating loads of data about immigration compliance is that it creates an expectation that one will do something with it and about it. The Home Office already cannot manage basic immigration enforcement like asylum removals.
I can see why, politically, and perhaps even morally, from their perspective, the HO might not want to willingly grant asylum to a bunch of people they feel don’t “deserve” it. But that’s THE major problem with immigration and asylum policy. Wishful thinking by policy makers.
February 2, 2026 at 9:26 AM
I can see why, politically, and perhaps even morally, from their perspective, the HO might not want to willingly grant asylum to a bunch of people they feel don’t “deserve” it. But that’s THE major problem with immigration and asylum policy. Wishful thinking by policy makers.
It’s quite hard to see how there would not be a well founded fear of being persecuted right now irrespective of whether the appellant has lied about stuff or, indeed, the nature of the asylum case at all. Being returned from the UK would surely be enough.
February 2, 2026 at 9:26 AM
It’s quite hard to see how there would not be a well founded fear of being persecuted right now irrespective of whether the appellant has lied about stuff or, indeed, the nature of the asylum case at all. Being returned from the UK would surely be enough.
Apparently the Home Office are continuing to contest Iranian asylum appeals.
The law is that the judge has to assess risk on return as at the day of hearing.
The law is that the judge has to assess risk on return as at the day of hearing.
February 2, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Apparently the Home Office are continuing to contest Iranian asylum appeals.
The law is that the judge has to assess risk on return as at the day of hearing.
The law is that the judge has to assess risk on return as at the day of hearing.
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...
Haven't seen your email, sorry, will drop you a line.
January 30, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Haven't seen your email, sorry, will drop you a line.
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
But why can't an ETA be issued to a dual citizen? I know that *leave* (ie immigration status) cannot be conferred on a British citizen because there's in effect a primary legislation statutory bar to that.
January 29, 2026 at 11:28 AM
But why can't an ETA be issued to a dual citizen? I know that *leave* (ie immigration status) cannot be conferred on a British citizen because there's in effect a primary legislation statutory bar to that.
So this is the trigger for concern: bsky.app/profile/soni...
January 29, 2026 at 11:28 AM
So this is the trigger for concern: bsky.app/profile/soni...
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...