citizenship, volunteering, and visa restrictions on volunteering

Glad you found the Scottish counterpart.  As long as you're in a charity that is on the register and get SSHD's permission, you'll be fine.  They will be able to tell you which positions are cleared by SSHD for non-EEA nationals; each registered charity has a person to deal with it.  Generally, anything administrative, clerical, or maintenance is strictly forbidden, but exceptions can apply. 

And clairelynn, the volunteer visa has been morphed into T5 Temporary with the same restrictions along with the entire draconian framework of the PBS.  And yes, the old volunteer visa was horribly abused, including Americans who went walkabout after the 1st week, or never bothered to show up once they cleared immigration at the airport.  Thankfully, not just Americans, everybody more or less took part. 

Over time, people got angry about it.  It's one of the reasons only 1 charity in the UK was willing to accept immigrants for the probationary citizenship scheme.  One.     The government has had to add some 'sweeteners' to get them to buy in to it.

Hi, Garry,
Forgive me for being slow on the uptake, I just find this incredibly confusing.

1) I can NOT deliver groceries to the little old lady or clean her gutters, yes? (Still don't understand why though.)

2) I CAN volunteer with registered charities in certain positions. (Still don't understand why it's fine to volunteer with a registered charity but not help my neighbor. Completely baffled by this.)

3) What is SSHD?

only 1 charity in the UK was willing to accept immigrants for the probationary citizenship scheme.  One.   Shocked

But volunteer visas are only for 1 year, yes? So isn't probationary citizenship simply not relevant for charities and immigrants who might volunteer with them?

Thanks in advance!

But volunteer visas are only for 1 year, yes? So isn't probationary citizenship simply not relevant for charities and immigrants who might volunteer with them?

I think you missed the point.  It's pretty relevant if they refuse to accept you.  I would say that's a show-stopper. 

To your other question, nobody is going to bother you about a one-off, you asked about volunteer work on a Visa and Immigration forum, what do you expect?  Otherwise it's a reasonable assumption that you have reached the point in life where you can tell the difference between a neighborly one-off and volunteer work as it exists in immigration law.

And for your other questions, you would be better off to consult with a specialist.  Check sra.org.uk for someone in your region. 

3) What is SSHD?
But volunteer visas are only for 1 year, yes? So isn't probationary citizenship simply not relevant for charities and immigrants who might volunteer with them?

I was puzzled by SSHD too, but I think it might be Secretary of State Home Department, i.e. Jacquie Smith.  Anyone confirm?

I think Garry was referring to volunteering re probationary citizenship in terms of the government proposals to shorten the time to citizenship through volunteering, not in terms of the volunteer visa itself.

I was puzzled by SSHD too, but I think it might be Secretary of State Home Department, i.e. Jacquie Smith.

You got it. No e at the end of Jaqui though.

You got it. No e at the end of Jaqui though.

But there is a 'c' in Jacqui.

There is a fine line between vounteering and helping people.  I am now getting confused about who is on what visa, and I think there has been a name change mid-thread which has made matters worse.  But if anyone wants some advice on this, please PM.  BUT I can only advise on what you can do on your current visa, not on what needs to be done to speed through citizenship, as this has not been decided (and I think this is where the thread started).

Vicky

But there is a 'c' in Jacqui.

Indeed.