Last updated: 25 September 2026 · Reviewed by the immigration team at Adam Bernard Solicitors
The UK has made more immigration rule changes in 2026 than in any year since Brexit. Three Statements of Changes (HC 1691 in March, HC 259 in July and HC 584 in September) have been laid so far, alongside new Home Office fees from 8 April 2026, full enforcement of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from 25 February 2026 and a new 30-month protection model for refugees from 2 March 2026. The biggest proposed change, “earned settlement” and a 10-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), is still not law.
This page brings every change into one timeline, explains who is affected, and links to our detailed guide on each one. We update it every time the Home Office publishes a new Statement of Changes, so bookmark it rather than relying on older articles.
If you are unsure whether a change affects an application you have already made, our immigration solicitors in London can check your position in a free consultation.
At a glance: every UK immigration rule change in 2026
| Date in force | Change | Who it affects | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 January 2026 | English requirement for new Skilled Worker, Scale-up and HPI applicants rises from B1 to B2 | New work-route applicants | HC 1333 |
| 25 February 2026 | ETA fully enforced — “no permission, no travel” | Visa-free visitors (incl. EU, US) | Home Office |
| 2 March 2026 | New refugee “core protection” model — 30 months’ leave instead of 5 years | New refugee grants | Home Office |
| 5 March 2026 | Nationals of Nicaragua and St Lucia need a visit visa (no longer ETA-eligible) | Those nationals | HC 1691 |
| 26 March 2026 | “Visa brake” on certain Student and Skilled Worker applications; 12-month+ suspended sentences trigger mandatory refusal | Named nationalities; applicants with convictions | HC 1691 |
| 8 April 2026 | Home Office fee increases (ILR £3,226, naturalisation £1,709, ETA £20) | Almost all applicants | Fees regulations |
| 8 April 2026 | Sponsored workers must be paid at least monthly; biometric reuse via smartphone app | Skilled Workers and sponsors | HC 1691 |
| 29 April 2026 | EU Settlement Scheme fraud-related refusal provisions | EUSS applicants | HC 1691 |
| 1 July 2026 | Global Talent expanded (new design pathway) | Global Talent applicants | HC 1691 |
| 3 August 2026 | Graduate route UK-born children can apply as dependants; immigration bail exception; ETA suspended-sentence rule; asylum “merged registration” | Graduates, families, overstayers, asylum seekers | HC 259 |
| 12 August 2026 | 24-week time limit for certain First-tier Tribunal appeals | Asylum-accommodation and deportation appellants | Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 |
| 8 October 2026 | Suitability (“frustrating immigration controls”), EUSS, Skilled Worker modern slavery concession, BN(O) child settlement, Long Residence variation, Erasmus+, Visitor changes | Wide range | HC 584 |
| 29 October 2026 | Minister of Religion and Religious Worker changes | Faith sponsors and workers | HC 584 |
| 30 November 2026 | Student maintenance rises to £1,570/month (London) and £1,203/month (outside London) | New student applicants | HC 584 |
| 9 December 2026 | EUSS travel permit route removed; expired BRPs no longer accepted as ID under Appendix EU | EUSS holders | HC 584 |
| 1 January 2027 | Graduate visa cut from 2 years to 18 months (PhD graduates keep 3 years) | Graduate applicants from this date | HC 1333 |
| 26 March 2027 | English requirement for settlement rises from B1 to B2 on several work routes | Future ILR applicants | HC 1691 |
| TBC (“later this year”) | Earned settlement / 10-year ILR baseline | Anyone without ILR | Proposal only |
Rows in bold are still to come.
What is a Statement of Changes?
A Statement of Changes is the document the Home Office lays before Parliament to amend the Immigration Rules. It usually takes effect 21 days or more after laying, and it normally includes transitional provisions saying which applications are decided under the old rules. The Home Office tends to publish larger packages in spring and autumn, with smaller statements in between.
You can read every statement on GOV.UK’s Immigration Rules statement of changes page. The three laid in 2026 so far are HC 1691 (5 March), HC 259 (9 July) and HC 584 (3 September).
January to March 2026: work routes, ETA and refugee protection
The first quarter of 2026 tightened work-route English requirements, completed the ETA rollout and restructured refugee protection.
Skilled Worker English goes up to B2 (8 January 2026)
From 8 January 2026, new applicants on the Skilled Worker, Scale-up and High Potential Individual routes must meet English at CEFR level B2, up from B1. This was introduced by HC 1333 in October 2025. People already on the route extending with the same employer are generally unaffected, but anyone making a fresh application should check their evidence carefully. See our Skilled Worker visa guide for the full requirements.
ETA fully enforced (25 February 2026)
Since 25 February 2026, visa-free visitors, including EU and US nationals, cannot travel to the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation. Carriers now check ETA status before boarding. The ETA fee rose from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026. Our UK visit visa page explains when you need a full visa instead.
Refugee "core protection" (2 March 2026)
People granted refugee status from 2 March 2026 now receive 30 months’ permission rather than five years, with protection reviewed at each renewal. The change is not retrospective: people granted before this date keep the old five-year route. Our guide to the new refugee protection rules 2026 and the 20-year settlement route cover this in detail.
HC 1691 (laid 5 March 2026)
HC 1691 was the spring Statement of Changes and focused on sponsors, criminality and a “visa brake”. The key points were:
- Visa brake (26 March 2026): Student applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and Skilled Worker applications from Afghan nationals, face refusal.
- Criminality (26 March 2026): Suspended sentences of 12 months or more now trigger mandatory refusal or cancellation.
- Pay frequency (8 April 2026): Sponsored workers must be paid the required salary at least monthly.
- Biometrics (8 April 2026): Previously enrolled biometrics can be reused, with facial images uploaded through a smartphone app.
- Global Business Mobility: Secondment Worker overseas employment requirement cut from 12 months to 6 months.
- English for settlement (26 March 2027): B2 will be required for ILR on the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and UK Ancestry routes.
Read our full breakdown: HC 1691 explained: March 2026 immigration rule changes.
April 2026: Home Office fee increases
Most Home Office immigration and nationality fees rose on 8 April 2026, while the child citizenship registration fee fell.
| Application | Before 8 April 2026 | From 8 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Indefinite Leave to Remain | £3,029 | £3,226 |
| Naturalisation (excl. £130 ceremony) | £1,605 | £1,709 |
| Child registration as British citizen (MN1) | £1,214 | £1,000 |
| Standard visitor visa (up to 6 months) | £127 | £135 |
| Electronic Travel Authorisation | £16 | £20 |
| Skilled Worker, outside UK, up to 3 years | £769 | £819 |
| Skilled Worker, inside UK, up to 3 years | £885 | £943 |
The Immigration Health Surcharge, Certificate of Sponsorship fee and Immigration Skills Charge were not changed in April 2026 (the Skills Charge had already risen by 32% on 16 December 2025). For a full cost breakdown on work routes, see our Skilled Worker visa fee guide. For settlement costs, see our Indefinite Leave to Remain service.
July to August 2026: HC 259 and the 24-week appeal limit
HC 259 (laid 9 July, in force 3 August 2026)
HC 259 made targeted family, Graduate, asylum and bail changes that took effect on 3 August 2026. The headline changes were:
- Graduate route: a child born in the UK while a parent holds Graduate permission can now apply as a dependant. See our Graduate visa page.
- Appendix FM: partner leave now aligns with a protection sponsor’s remaining leave, and the care requirement extends to child applications.
- Immigration bail: being on bail no longer automatically blocks the 14-day overstayers’ exception.
- Asylum: a “merged registration” process with fewer separate interviews.
- ETA: suspended sentences now count towards ETA refusal.
- Deportation (Part 13): aligned with the Sentencing Act 2026.
Our full guide: HC 259 explained: immigration rule changes from 3 August 2026.
24-week Tribunal appeal limit (12 August 2026)
From 12 August 2026, the First-tier Tribunal must aim to decide certain appeals within 24 weeks, under sections 49 and 50 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025. This applies to appellants in asylum support accommodation and non-detained deportation appellants. See 24-week immigration appeal timeframe: what’s changed and our immigration appeals service.
October to December 2026: HC 584 changes still to come
HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026, brings in changes in four stages: 8 October, 29 October, 30 November and 9 December 2026. It makes targeted amendments across many routes but does not introduce earned settlement.
From 8 October 2026
- Suitability: adults can be treated as having breached immigration law if they acted to “frustrate immigration controls”, for example by absconding from bail or failing to report.
- Fee waivers and variations: a fee waiver request date only counts as the application date if the later application is on the same route, and variations must still meet the original biometric deadline.
- Skilled Worker modern slavery concession: workers with a positive Conclusive Grounds decision can have their conditions changed to allow almost any work. See modern slavery victims on a Skilled Worker visa.
- EU Settlement Scheme: new protection for some pre-settled status holders where removal would be disproportionate, revised deadlines for joining family members, and a response to the Ayoola case for children completing education. See our Appendix EU / EUSS page.
- Hong Kong BN(O): under-18s no longer need their own five years’ continuous residence to settle with their parents.
- Long Residence: where the 10-year requirements are not met, the Home Office can vary the application to a family or private life application without a new fee (the Immigration Health Surcharge must still be paid).
- Victims of domestic abuse: adult children whose relationship with a parent has broken down because of domestic abuse can now qualify.
- Visitors and Erasmus+: wider permitted activities, including rehearsals for artists and entertainers.
From 29 October 2026
Changes for the T2 Minister of Religion and Temporary Work – Religious Worker routes, including removal of the maximum time limit on the Minister of Religion route. Faith-based sponsors should review role descriptions and Certificate of Sponsorship processes before this date.
From 30 November 2026
| Student maintenance (per month) | Current | From 30 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studying in London | £1,529 | £1,570 |
| Studying outside London | £1,171 | £1,203 |
Applications made before 30 November 2026 are protected by transitional provisions. See our Student visa page.
From 9 December 2026
The EUSS travel permit route is removed (replaced by updating your eVisa passport details from outside the UK), and expired biometric residence permits can no longer be used as proof of identity or nationality under Appendix EU.
Our full guide: HC 584 explained: immigration rule changes from October 2026. The official text is on GOV.UK.
2027: changes already confirmed
Two confirmed changes take effect in 2027:
- Graduate visa cut to 18 months (1 January 2027). Applications made on or after 1 January 2027 receive 18 months instead of two years. PhD graduates keep three years. Students finishing courses in late 2026 should consider timing. See our Graduate visa page and post-study work visa guide.
- B2 English for settlement (26 March 2027). ILR applicants on the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and UK Ancestry routes will need B2 English rather than B1. Anyone approaching ILR in 2027 should plan their English test now.
Earned settlement and the 10-year ILR rule: latest update
Earned settlement is still a proposal, not law. The Home Office consulted between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026 on raising the standard qualifying period for ILR from five to ten years, with shorter or longer routes depending on factors such as income, public service and use of public funds.
As of 25 September 2026:
- No Immigration Rules have been laid. HC 584 does not include earned settlement.
- On 24 September 2026, the Home Secretary told MPs the Government will set out the new settlement policy “later this year”, including any transitional arrangements.
- The Government has previously indicated the changes could apply to people already in the UK who do not yet hold ILR. The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee recommended against this in June 2026.
What this means for you: if you are eligible for ILR under the current five-year rules now, there is no reason to wait. Applying before new rules are laid is the only certain protection, because transitional arrangements have not been confirmed.
Read more: ILR 10-year rule: House of Lords urges Government to scrap it, UK earned settlement: key points and the Home Office earned settlement consultation.
Which changes affect me? Find your route
| If you are… | Changes to check | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| A Skilled Worker or sponsor | B2 English (Jan 2026), monthly pay (Apr 2026), fees, B2 for ILR (Mar 2027), earned settlement | Skilled Worker visa · Sponsor licence |
| A student or graduate | Maintenance rise (Nov 2026), Graduate 18 months (Jan 2027), UK-born child dependants (Aug 2026) | Student visa · Graduate visa |
| On a spouse or family visa | Appendix FM changes (Aug 2026), fees, earned settlement | Spouse visa |
| Close to ILR | Fee £3,226, B2 English from 2027, earned settlement | Settlement / ILR |
| An EU citizen with EUSS status | Fraud refusals (Apr 2026), pre-settled protections (Oct 2026), BRP/travel permit changes (Dec 2026) | Appendix EU / EUSS |
| Applying for citizenship | Fee £1,709 (+£130 ceremony); child registration cut to £1,000 | Naturalisation |
| Visiting the UK | ETA enforcement and £20 fee, visitor activity changes (Oct 2026) | Visit visa |
| Seeking asylum or protected | Core protection (Mar 2026), merged registration (Aug 2026), 24-week appeals | Asylum |
| Refused or appealing | New suitability ground (Oct 2026), 24-week appeals | Immigration appeals · Administrative review |
Common mistakes when the rules change
Most refusals linked to rule changes come from timing and evidence errors, not from failing the new rules outright.
- Assuming the old rules apply because you started preparing earlier. Transitional provisions usually depend on the date the application is made, not when you began gathering documents.
- Relying on outdated fee figures. Many websites still show pre-April 2026 fees. An underpaid fee can make an application invalid.
- Waiting for earned settlement details before applying for ILR. If you qualify now, delay only adds risk.
- Switching routes through a variation without checking biometrics. From 8 October 2026, a variation must still meet the original biometric enrolment deadline.
- Booking the wrong English test. B1 and B2 are different levels; check which applies on the date you apply.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
Our SRA-regulated immigration solicitors in High Holborn and Upton Park have supported more than 15,000 clients over 15 years. When the rules change, we can:
- check whether your application falls under the old or new rules;
- time your application to avoid a less favourable change;
- update sponsor compliance processes for employers; and
- challenge refusals through administrative review, appeal or judicial review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new UK immigration rules for 2026?
When do the October 2026 immigration rule changes start?
Has the 10-year ILR rule been introduced?
Will earned settlement apply to people already in the UK?
How much is ILR in 2026?
Is the Graduate visa being reduced?
What English level do I need for a Skilled Worker visa in 2026?
How often do UK immigration rules change?
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration Rules change frequently; check the date at the top of this page and speak to a solicitor about your circumstances.
