Latest news with #EEA
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Asylum seeker ‘faked baby with European' to win right to stay
An asylum seeker won the right to stay in Britain after using fake birth and death certificates to claim he had a baby, an immigration court heard. Sameer Khan, a Pakistani citizen, presented the forged documents to a tribunal as part of his bid to stay in the UK, judges were told. He used the certificates to successfully argue the child proved his marriage to a European citizen was not one of 'convenience' but a genuine relationship, which therefore gave him the right to remain in Britain. But the Home Office has since uncovered evidence that the documents presented to the court to support his case were fake, throwing into doubt whether the child had ever been born. After the accusation of fraud, Mr Khan's case will now be heard again after judges were told his alleged dishonesty undermines his entire case to stay in Britain. An upper immigration tribunal was told Mr Khan had applied for leave to remain under the European Union settlement scheme after claiming to have married an EEA citizen – named at the hearing as Ms Rumenova – in Cyprus in August 2020. The Home Office refused the application on the basis that there were 'reasonable grounds for suspicion that the marriage was entered into for the purpose of securing leave to remain, and so was a marriage of convenience', the tribunal was told. Mr Khan appealed, and a hearing of a first-tier tribunal in November 2024 presided over by Judge Sarah Farmer was shown documents 'said to establish cohabitation and the relationship'. 'There was also a birth certificate for a child, 'AK', said to have been born in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2023 in Slough, County of Berkshire,' the tribunal was told. '[Mr Khan] and [Ms Rumenova] were named on the birth certificate as the parents of AK.' But the couple did not attend the asylum hearing, the tribunal heard, having emailed to say that the baby had died the week before. 'The Judge recorded in the Decision that [they] had emailed the Tribunal on the morning of the hearing, to say their child, AK... had died in the week before the hearing, and so they could not attend the hearing,' the tribunal said. Later that day, the judge was emailed a death certificate, saying the child had died of epilepsy related seizures and vomiting on Nov 15 2024, at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, and the death had been registered on Nov 18 2024, the same day as the hearing. Judge Farmer allowed Mr Khan's appeal against the Home Office's decision to deny him leave to remain after finding that there was a 'wealth of reliable evidence', including the birth and death certificates, to show the relationship was not one of convenience. Document authenticity concerns After officials made checks, the registry office confirmed the birth and death certificates were forgeries. As a result, upper tribunal judges Daniel Sheridan and Hannah Graves said the evidence undermined the original ruling. They said there was 'sufficient' evidence to establish that there are 'legitimate concerns about whether those documents are genuine and capable of reliance'. 'We therefore find that the Judge was led into error, albeit inadvertently. We find that error was material and infects the credibility assessment made by the Judge, which was central to the findings of fact made and the outcome of the appeal,' they said. 'We therefore do not preserve any findings made in the Decision but set it aside in its entirety. The matter is now remitted to the First-tier Tribunal for a fresh hearing, before another judge than Judge Farmer.'
NDTV
18 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Portugal Is Offering A Digital Nomad Visa Under Rs 9,500 To Work And Live There For A Year
If you wish to work remotely with a backdrop of sunlit cobblestone streets and ocean breezes, Portugal can be your next workstation. Portugal offers a Digital Nomad Visa (D8 Visa) to freelancers and entrepreneurs who want to live and work legally in Portugal. What You Need To Know Introduced in 2022, Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa allows non-European Union or European Economic Area citizens to reside in Portugal for a maximum of one year. There are two types of this visa: 1. Long-Term Residency Visa This visa is valid for 4 months, which can be followed by a 2-year residence permit. It can be renewed for up to 5 years, which can then lead to permanent residency or citizenship. 2. Temporary Stay Visa Valid for 12 months with multiple entries. This visa can be renewed up to 4 times, but it does not help you get a permanent residency. It is obvious that people who want to live and stay in Portugal for a short period can aim for a temporary stay visa. Eligibility The applicant should be at least 18 years old to apply. You should be a non-EU/EEA national to apply for this type of visa. This includes Indians. Your monthly income should be at least 4 times the Portuguese minimum wage, which would be somewhere 3,480 euros (Rs 3,53,843 approximately). You will need employment proof for remote or freelance jobs. You must have a valid passport and all other travel authorization. Health insurance that covers your stay in Portugal is required. You should have a clean criminal record from your resident country. How To Apply Step 1: Check your eligibility and collect your employment proof. Step 2: Prepare all the required documents Step 3: Fill out the visa application form available from the Portuguese consulate or embassy. Pay the visa fee, which is 90 euros (Rs 9,156 approx.) Step 4: Make an appointment with the Portuguese consulate or embassy and submit your application along with your documents. Step 5: Wait for approval to come. Once your application is approved, you will be allowed to enter and live in Portugal. Step 6: Apply for a residence permit once you arrive in Portugal if you have opted for a long-term visa. This should be done before your visa expires. The Pros You can bring a spouse or partner with children. Legal right to live and work remotely in Portugal. You will have access to the Schengen area. You can apply for a residence permit if you apply for a long-term visa. Good weather and a great lifestyle. The Cons
Euractiv
2 days ago
- Health
- Euractiv
A vaccine against cancer – but not for everyone
Some EU countries are beating HPV-related cancers, but others fail to provide life-saving measures. When Kim Hulscher sits upright at a table, her right leg swells. This is a lasting effect of lymphedema, a common cancer-related condition she developed after her cervical cancer treatment. 'I have to buy shoes that are twice my size because my foot won't fit into normal ones,' she says. Now, more than a decade after her diagnosis, she is speaking at the European Parliament during a conference titled 'Accelerating Progress Towards the EU's Goal of Eliminating HPV Cancers,' hosted by the European Cancer Organisation and the vice-chair of the Health Committee, Tilly Metz. Hulscher is there as co-chair of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology – and as a cancer survivor committed to helping spare others what she went through. Hulscher's cervical cancer, like many others, was caused by a type of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can often be prevented through vaccination and detected early through screening. Far from elimination Yet Europe is still far from stopping these cancers. According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer elimination means reducing incidence to fewer than four cases per 100,000 women. The most optimistic projections suggest that Europe could achieve this goal by 2050. In 2022, the ratio stood at 56 per 100,000 across the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Around 130,000 women were newly diagnosed, and 14,000 died. HPV-linked head and neck cancers also remain significant causes of mortality. In 2022, 86,000 people were diagnosed, 74% of them men. These cancers caused about 26,000 deaths across the region. Vaccination at a young age is the most effective way to prevent such deaths. Once sexually active, HPV infection is nearly unavoidable. 'It is as contagious as a cold,' said Hulscher. Another participant put it more vividly: 'HPV is like glitter – it gets everywhere: in your car, in your pockets. So it doesn't have to be penetrative sex to catch it.' Often, HPV infections clear up on their own without causing lasting damage, and only about a dozen of the over 200 known HPV types are cancer-causing. However, the only sure way to avoid infection with these is to live like a nun or a monk. Last year, the European Council adopted recommendations urging countries to fully vaccinate at least 90% of girls and significantly increase uptake among boys. All EU member states now offer gender-neutral vaccination. Only five EEA countries – Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, Iceland, and Norway – have reached the 90% coverage target for girls. 'There is a lot of work to be done,' said Karam Adel, principal expert at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. He also noted a 'huge disparity between West and East,' with some countries reporting female coverage well below 50%. The price of inaction According to conference participants, vaccine scepticism, limited registries, and underfunded national vaccination programmes remain major roadblocks. The benefits of prevention, however, are not only medical but also financial. In a study involving six European countries (Romania, Poland, France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany), Maarten J. Postma, professor of medical sciences and an expert in health economics, estimated potential savings of €2.75 billion between 2030 and 2060. All it would take is for these countries to reach the 90% HPV vaccination target by 2030, along with WHO-recommended screening and treatment goals. 'We should conceive vaccination – and prevention in general – not as a cost but rather as an investment,' said Postma. Still, awareness remains low. "Consistently, studies show that whether it's children, young adults, or parents, people are unaware of the consequences of HPV infections," said Adel. He also stressed the importance of ongoing screening, even for those who are vaccinated, as vaccines do not cover all high-risk HPV types. Metz echoed the call for stronger education. "To truly eliminate HPV, we need progressive, inclusive, and scientifically accurate education – because empowering young people with knowledge is one of the most effective forms of prevention," she said. (de)
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
New consultation on work permit system announced
A new public consultation on the occupations covered by the employment permits system has been announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The system provides for employers to recruit workers with skills that are in short supply into Ireland from outside the UK, EU or EEA. There are various types of permits with those intended to address critical skills shortages prioritised for access. More than 20 areas are of employment including professions in the engineering, healthcare and technology sectors are covered by critical skills permits. A wider variety of roles are covered by other permit types including general employment permits and in these cases additional evidence is routinely required that suitable employees capable of carrying out the role cannot be found within the EEA. READ MORE Last year about 40,000 permits were granted to workers from outside the EEA with just over 15,000 issued in the first six months of 2025. Healthcare has tended to dominate the figures in recent years though substantial numbers of workers in the ICT, hospitality and other sectors are also included in the figures each year. The last review of the occupations lists was carried out just two years ago when 11 additional roles were placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List and 32 were added to those eligible for a General Employment Permit. Announcing the new consultation, details of which are available on the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment website where submissions can also be made, the Minister, Peter Burke, said it was important to keep the process under constant review because of its importance to the economy. 'As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves. This full review will allow us to ensure the system remains up-to-date in a way that serves both workers and employers.' Minister of State, Alan Dillon, said the review, which opens on Wednesday and runs until September 19th will allow employers and other stakeholders to provide feedback on how the current system is working.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Government to review work permit occupations lists
The Government has announced the opening of a consultation period to allow stakeholders make submissions on the work permit occupations lists. The Critical Skills Occupations List consists of jobs that are in short supply in Ireland and across the European Economic Area (EEA) including roles in areas such as medicine, ICT, sciences, finance and business. The Ineligible Occupations List consists of occupations for which there is an adequate supply of labour and skills, and for which an employment permit will not be issued. The last review of the occupations lists took place in 2023, and resulted in 11 additional roles being placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List, and 32 roles being made eligible for a General Employment Permit. As part of the review process, submissions are sought from employers, representative bodies, Government departments, agencies, and other interested parties relating to occupations currently included on or absent from the lists. "At a time of full employment, with over 2.81 million people at work, and with 90,000 new jobs created in the last year, it is vital that we continue to have a strong and flexible employment permits system to allow non-EEA nationals to fill the skill and labour gaps we cannot access in Ireland or Europe and to ensure our economy remains competitive," Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said. "As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves," he added. Alan Dillon, Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, said that non-EEA nationals that fill skills and labour gaps in the domestic economy are a vital part of the Irish economy. "Where employers or stakeholders are facing challenges in recruiting a specific occupation and believe it should be eligible for an employment permit, or believe a certain occupation should move onto the critical skills list, now is their opportunity to share this feedback," Mr Dillon said. Submissions will be accepted through an online consultation form on the Department of Enterprise website and will be open until 19 September.
