終於！英國籤證最新處理規則出來了！
2020年2月17日，英國移民局針對此次疫情正式出臺了最新應對措施，內容主要涉及了以下人群：
1. 在英中國公民籤證即將獲已逾期；
2. 在英的非中國籍、非EEA公民的中國長期居民；
3. 英國愛爾蘭旅遊籤證計劃（BIVS）持有者；
4. 在英國境內轉換Tier 2籤證；
5. 中國護照被保管在英國籤證中心；
6. 英國Tier 2、Tier 5或Tier 4籤證的持有者。
先附上移民局官網的原文連結，隨後UVIC移民律師會針對各條款作出進一步解析。
原文連結：https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-immigration-guidance-if-youre-unable-to-return-to-china-from-the-uk#other-immigration-queries
UVIC律師解讀：
由於新冠狀病毒導致的訪問限制，部分人群可能面臨著英國各類籤證的多種不確定性。英國內政部就此也做出了應急措施：大多數在英國受冠狀病毒疫情影響的人將自動獲得籤證延期至2020年3月31日。
根據以下指導，你可以參照實際情況去判斷自己的籤證是否會自動延期，或者是否需要與內政部設立的冠狀病毒移民專線聯繫。
01 在英中國公民籤證即將獲已逾期
移民局官方原文
Coronavirus: immigration guidance if you're unable to return to China from the UK
Chinese nationals in the UK whose visa has recently expired or is about to expire
If you are a Chinese national in the UK and have been compliant with the conditions of your visa prior to the coronavirus outbreak, your leave will be automatically extended to 31 March 2020 if your visa has an expiry date between 24 January 2020 and 30 March 2020.
You don’t need to do anything to get this extension.
You will be subject to the same immigration conditions as your last visa during the extension period.
You will not automatically receive a new visa or Biometric Residence Permit card.
Your new expiry date (31 March 2020) will be added to UK Visa Immigration’s systems.
If you need a status letter confirming this extension, or a new Biometric Residence Permit with a revised expiry date, you should contact the coronavirus immigration helpline.
If you have already applied to extend your visa you don’t need to do anything.
If you are intending to apply to extend your stay in the UK before 31 March 2020 you should continue to do so.
如果你是在英國居住的中國公民，並且你現有的英國籤證會在2020年1月24日至2020年3月30日之間過期，那麼你不需要執行任何操作，你的英國籤證會自動延長到2020年3月31日。
在籤證延長期內，你的移民條件與上一次籤證條件相同，你不會獲得新的籤證或者新的生物居住卡（BRP卡）。
你延長的籤證到期時間（2020年3月31日）會添加到英國移民局（UK Visas & Immigration）的系統檔案當中。
如果你需要任何信件或者新的生物居住卡（BRP卡）來證明你在英的身份
在此期間，如果你已經遞交了有效的續籤申請，你無需做任何處理，如果你本身打算在2020年3月31日前遞交新的續籤申請，你可以按照你的計劃繼續進行下去。
02 在英的非中國籍、非EEA公民的中國長期居民
Non-Chinese, non-EEA nationals in the UK normally resident in China
If you are a non-Chinese or non-EEA national in the UK but are normally resident in China and your visa in the UK has an expiry date between 24 January 2020 and 30 March 2020 you should contact the coronavirus immigration helpline.
The team will be able to extend your visa to 31 March 2020 if you can demonstrate you are normally resident in China.
You will be subject to the same immigration conditions as your last visa during the extension period.
如果你暫時停留在英國，而且你不是中國籍或者歐盟籍，以及你長期居住國家是在中國的話。若你的英國籤證是在2020年1月24日到2020年3月30日期間到期
03 英國愛爾蘭籤證計劃（BIVS）中國持有者
Chinese nationals in the UK whose leave was granted by Irish authorities (British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)
If you are a Chinese national in the UK with a visa that was granted by the Irish authorities and has an expiry date between 24 January 2020 and 30 March 2020 you should contact the coronavirus immigration helpline to discuss your circumstances.
如果你目前持有的旅遊籤是通過愛爾蘭當局藉由英國愛爾蘭籤證計劃（BIVS）批准下來的，並且你的旅遊籤是在2020年1月24日至2020年3月30日期間到期
04 在英國境內轉換Tier 2籤證
Switching to a Tier 2 category in the UK
If you are a Chinese national in the UK on a Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer visa and want to switch to a Tier 2 General visa you normally need to return to China to make your application.
You can exceptionally apply to switch from a Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer to a Tier 2 General visa from within the UK if your visa has an expiry date between 24 January 2020 and 30 March 2020.
You will still need to pay the relevant fee and meet all the requirements of a Tier 2 General visa, other than the requirement that you usually have to apply in China.
如果你現在是Tier 2 公司內部轉移籤證（Intra-Company Transfer )持有者，並且你的籤證即將在2020年1月24日到2020年3月30日期間到期，若你打算轉Tier 2 General，你無需回國，直接在英國境內遞交相關申請即可。
不過你仍然需要滿足在中國遞交申請的要求，並且支付相應的申請費用。
05 護照在英國籤證中心的中國或第三國公民
Chinese or third country nationals whose passport is at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
UK Visa Application Centres in China are currently closed.
It is not possible to return any documents to customers until the VACs re-open.
You should contact the Chinese authorities or your consular representative in China to get an alternative travel document if you need to travel urgently. An urgent visa request can only be considered if you have a valid travel document.
The Home Office is monitoring the situation and as soon as we are able to re-open the VACs we will prioritise the return of all documents to our customers.
在中國的英國籤證中心目前處於關閉中。按照目前的形式，英國籤證中心在恢復辦公之前無法返還任何材料。如果你在恢復營業之前繼續旅行證件出國的話，你需要聯繫中國相關部門去獲取旅行證等替代證件。
一旦英國籤證中心恢復辦公，會優先處理需要返還文件的客戶需求。
06 英國Tier 2、Tier 5或Tier 4籤證的持有者
Licensed Tier 2, Tier 4 or Tier 5 sponsors: absences due to coronavirus
Some Tier 4 students or Tier 2/5 employees may be prevented from attending their studies or employment due to illness, the need to serve a period of quarantine or the inability to travel due to travel restrictions caused by coronavirus.
Sponsors do not need to report student or employee absences related to coronavirus which they have authorised.
Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship if they consider there are exceptional circumstances when:
a student will be unable to attend for more than 60 daysan employee is absent from work without pay for four weeks or moreDecisions on whether to withdraw a student from their studies or terminate an employment are for sponsors to make. The Home Office recognises the current situation is exceptional and will not take any compliance action against students or employees who are unable to attend their studies/work due to the coronavirus outbreak, or against sponsors which authorise absences and continue to sponsor students or employees despite absences for this reason.
The Home Office will keep this under review, especially if the length of absences mean a potential repeat of period of studies become necessary.
若你因為中國境內封城導致無法按時回到英國的話，一般情況下你的僱主或者學校無需向home office匯報。
Home office已經承認此現狀為特殊情況（exceptional circumstance），所以如果你因為新冠狀病毒事件無法按時回來英國的話，英國內政部不會做任何懲戒行動。不過，你的僱主和學校有權去決定是否要撤銷對你的擔保。
以上便是英國移民局針對疫情做出的應急措施，簡單總結來看有以下兩點：
1. 籤證在2020年1月24日-3月30日之間過期，有效期自動延長到2020年3月31日。
2. 移民局不會對因疫情導致缺勤的Tier 2、Tier 5或Tier 4籤證的持有者及擔保方做出懲罰行動，但擔保方有權決定是否撤銷擔保。
根據以上兩點，UVIC移民律師建議大家：
就目前情況來說，各類英國籤證持有人無需因為籤證有效期的問題焦慮，如果實在無法確定自己屬於哪類情況可以直接聯繫移民局官方熱線。不過，Tier 2、Tier 5或Tier 4籤證的持有者還是需要及時與僱主或學校確認他們自己出臺的疫情應對措施。這次出臺的新政策並未涵括所有的籤證種類及特殊情況，因此未被提及到的人要儘快撥打移民局設立的新冠狀病毒移民幫助專線，進行報備。移民局疫情求助專線
這場「防疫戰」UVIC始終與你同在，風雨過後，一起擁抱春天！
無論你在籤證上遇到何種問題，UVIC移民律師團隊全程在線，為你分擔焦慮解決困難。