National statistics

How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently?

Updated 27 November 2020

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Data relate to the year ending September 2020 and all comparisons are with the year ending September 2019, unless indicated otherwise.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. A range of restrictions relating to the outbreak began on 12 March 2020, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all non-essential overseas travel on 17 March 2020, and advised all British travellers to return to the UK on 23 March 2020, the same day as the first UK lockdown measures were announced.

Restrictions were put in place across Europe and other parts of the world in the run up to the UK outbreak, which will also have impacted travel to the UK prior to these dates. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the UK immigration system, both in terms of restricting migrant movements to and from the UK and the impact on operational capacity.

Year ending comparisons that follow will reflect the restrictions in place during this period of the pandemic.

This section contains data on:

• Decisions on applications for extensions of temporary stay in the UK
• Decisions on applications for settlement
• Residence documentation issued to EEA nationals and their family members
• Applications and grants of British citizenship

The Home Office publishes monthly updates and quarterly experimental statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), available on GOV.UK. The latest quarterly statistics was published on 26 November 2020 (for the period up to 30 September 2020) and the most recent monthly summary (for October 2020) was published on 12 November 2020.

1. Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Excluding extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, there were 228,629 decisions on applications to extend a person’s stay in the UK (including dependants) in the year ending September 2020, 23% fewer than the year ending September 2019.

Of the total extensions, 220,247 were grants, representing an overall grant rate of 96%.

Table 1: Grants and refusals of extensions of temporary stay in the UK, by reason^1,2

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Study	Family	Other	Total refusals
September 2019	298,136	281,877	103,171	43,367	110,965	24,374	16,259
September 2020	228,629	220,247	85,454	40,141	81,373	13,279	8,382
Change (latest year)	-69,507	-61,630	-17,717	-3,226	-29,592	-11,095	-7,877
Percentage change	-23%	-22%	-17%	-7%	-27%	-46%	-48%

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01
Notes:

1. Includes extensions granted to NHS, frontline health and care workers whose visas are due to expire before 1 October 2020. Home Office Management Information indicates that up to the end of September 2020, there were 6,082 such extensions granted, including dependants.
2. ‘Other’ excludes 116,678 extensions granted to individuals who are unable to travel home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19). For further details see ‘The effects of COVID-19 on extensions’ section below. ‘Other’ includes cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Work was the most common route in which people extended, with 85,454 extensions in the year ending September 2020, a 17% decrease compared with the previous year. The majority (81%) were extensions in Skilled (Tier 2) work categories. Indian nationals were granted the highest number of all work-related extensions during the year (41% of the total, which reflects the higher proportion of successful applications for Tier 2 visas issued to Indian nationals).

There were 81,373 family-related grants of extensions in the year ending September 2020, a 27% decrease compared to the previous year. Pakistani, Nigerian and Indian nationals account for nearly two in five (39%) family-related extensions granted over the year.

There were 40,141 study-related extensions granted in the year ending September 2020, a 7% decrease compared with the previous year. The nationalities most likely to extend their stay for further study in the UK are broadly consistent with the nationalities granted student visas, with Chinese nationals accounting for 62% (or 24,812) of study-related extensions granted during the year.

Grants in the Other category fell by nearly a half (-46%) to 13,279 in the year ending September 2020. However, this excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, which are covered in ‘The impact of COVID-19 section on extensions below.

1.1 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of September 2020.

Excluding individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, there were 46,864 extensions granted in the third quarter of 2020, 38% fewer than in the same period in 2019 (75,470). Prior to this, there were 19,521 extensions granted in the second quarter of 2020, 68% fewer than in the same period in 2019 (60,696). In the first quarter of 2020, there were around 60,176 extensions, down slightly on the 62,711 seen in the same period in 2019.

As well as the impact from COVID-19 on the number of extensions granted, the decrease from April was also linked to moving the operation from one focused on physical presence in the office to one that can be, to a large extent, delivered through remote working.

Figure 1: Number of extensions of leave granted¹ in the UK, by month, from January to September of 2019 and 2020

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01
Chart notes:

1. Excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19.

On the 31 March 2020, the government announced that NHS frontline workers visas would be extended. On 29 April 2020, it was announced that frontline health and care workers would also receive visa extensions. Up to the end of September 2020, Home Office Management Information indicates there were 6,082 extensions granted, including dependants, under these policies.

In addition to those granted extensions under existing policies, a separate policy for those currently unable to return home due to COVID-19 was announced on 17th February 2020, which was further extended on 24th March 2020 and again on the 22nd May 2020. Up to the end of September 2020, there were 116,678 COVID-19 related extensions granted, to individuals who were unable to travel home at the end of their current visa. Chinese and Indian nationals account for over three quarters (62%) of these grants.

Table 2: The top 5 nationalities, granted COVID-19 related extensions, who were unable to travel home at the end of their current visa

Nationality	Grants
China	72,662
India	14,612
Nigeria	3,979
Pakistan	1,934
United States	1,534
Other nationalities	21,957
Total	116,678

Source: Subset of the ‘Other’ (non-work, asylum or family) category in Extensions – Exe_D01

2. Settlement

There were 80,710 decisions on applications for settlement in the UK from non-EEA nationals in the year ending September 2020, an 11% decrease on the year ending September 2019. Of these, 78,441 (97%) resulted in a grant.

In the latest year there were decreases in settlement grants for:

• Family reasons (down 11% to 20,479) reflecting a 42% decrease in the number of grants in the second and third quarters of 2020 compared to the same time last year
• Skilled (Tier 2) work, which decreased by 27% to 15,983, while High Value (Tier 1) work decreased by 15% to 4,557
• Grants to those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave, which reduced by 53% to 8,684; this continued the downward trend since 2018 but with a particularly sharp drop in the second and third quarters of 2020 (69% decrease) compared to the same time last year

There was an increase in settlement for asylum-related reasons, up 57% to 25,514.The asylum category accounted for a third (33%) of settlement grants in the year ending September 2020.

Table 3: Grants and refusals of settlement in the UK, by reason^1,2,3

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Asylum	Family	Other	Refusals
September 2019	90,732	87,586	29,984	16,206	23,010	18,386	3,146
September 2020	80,710	78,411	23,734	25,514	20,479	8,684	2,299
Change: latest 12 months	-10,022	-9,175	-6,250	+9,308	-2,531	-9,702	-847
Percentage change	-11%	-10%	-21%	+57%	-11%	-53%	-27%

Source: Settlement table se_02_q
Notes:

1. The number of decisions in a given year can be affected by changes in casework resource allocation. Such fluctuations can be examined in more detail in the quarterly data that are available in the published Settlement tables.
2. Trends in numbers applying for settlement will in part reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier.
3. ‘Other’ includes grants on the basis of Long Residence and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a small number of cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Figure 2: Grants of settlement in the UK, by reason¹, for years ending September 2011 to September 2020

Source: Settlement table se_02_q
Notes:

1. Reason relates to type of leave held immediately prior to being granted settlement.

2.1 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of September 2020.

The number of settlement decisions fell significantly at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the beginning of restrictions in the UK. From April 2020 UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centres (UKVCAS) temporary closed, there was a temporary pause of postal routes and the processing operation moved from one focused on physical presence in the office to one that can be, to a large extent, delivered through remote working. Settlement decision making capability recovered quickly, following the initial drop at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, and have 100% of caseworkers fully operational remotely whilst a minimal office presence processes the physical documents, within the ‘Covid secure’ parameters for the accommodation.

The number of settlement grants fell significantly in April 2020, from 6,238 to 1,518; 76% fewer than in April 2019. The number of grants generally started to recover again in the following months; grants were 45% lower in May, 11% lower in June, 36% lower in July and 39% lower in August compared with the same months in 2019. Grants in September 2020 were 8% higher than in September 2019.

Figure 3: Grants of settlement in the UK, by month, from January to September of 2019 and 2020

Source: Settlement table se_02_q

3. EEA nationals and their family members

Under European law, EEA nationals and their dependants do not currently need to obtain documentation confirming their right of residence in the UK.

EEA nationals can apply for registration certificates and documents certifying permanent residence in the UK. Their non-EEA family members can apply for residence and permanent residence cards. These act as confirmation of their right to stay in the UK. There is no requirement to apply for a document certifying permanent residence or residence card as a family member but it can help to prove their status in certain circumstances.

EEA residence documents – including registration certificates, registration cards, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards – will not be valid after 31 December 2020. Since 30 March 2019, EU and EEA nationals resident in the UK, along with their non-EEA family members, can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK.

The Home Office publishes updates to headline EU Settlement Scheme numbers on a monthly basis, with more detailed statistical reports published quarterly. The latest data show that 4.26 million applications were received up to 31 October 2020.

3.1 Documents issued

In the year ending September 2020, there were a total of 53,082 decisions in applications for EEA residence documents, down 74% compared to the previous 12 months. This included 23,765 registration certificates and registration cards issued, down 70% on the previous year, and 12,991 documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued, 83% fewer than the previous year.

Table 5: Decisions in applications for EEA residence documents

Year ending	Total decisions	Of total decisions, registration certificates and residence cards 1 - issued	Of total decisions, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards 2 - issued
September 2019	205,683	80,242	74,392
September 2020	53,082	23,765	12,991
Change: latest year	-152,601	-56,477	-61,401
Percentage change	-74%	-70%	-83%

Source: Table EEA_01
Notes:

1. Registration certificates (EEA nationals) and residence cards (non-EEA family members) reflect documents issued to confirm a treaty right as an EEA national or confirm status as a family member of an EEA national; see User Guide Glossary of Terms.
2. Documents certifying permanent residence (EEA nationals) and permanent residence cards (non-EEA family members) reflect documents issued to EEA and non-EEA nationals for an indefinite period after 5 years living in the UK; see User Guide Glossary of Terms.

4. Citizenship

4.1 Applications for British citizenship

There were 152,384 applications for British citizenship in the year to September 2020, 15% fewer than the previous year.

Applications for citizenship by EU nationals fell by 18% compared to the previous year to 44,053. However, EU nationals now account for 29% of all citizenship applications compared with 12% in 2016. Increases in citizenship applications from EU nationals between 2016 and 2019 are likely to reflect more people seeking to confirm their status following the EU referendum.

Applications made by non-EU nationals fell by 14% in the year ending September 2020 to 108,331.

Figure 4: Number of applications for British citizenship from EU and non-EU nationals^1,2, years ending September 2011 to September 2020

Source: Citizenship detailed dataset Cit_D01
Chart notes:

1. Series are based on current EU membership; for example, Croatia (who joined the EU in 2013) are included in the EU total for the entire time series.
2. The increase in applications made in 2013 may have reflected people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline for details.

4.2 Grants of British citizenship

There were 134,019 grants of British citizenship in the year ending September 2020, 13% fewer than the previous year. This fall was due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic response and comes after a period of relative stability since 2014. Prior to this there was a peak of 208,095 in 2013, before a change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

There were 41,222 grants of British citizenship to former EU citizens in the year ending September 2020, a fall of 7,241 or 15% compared to the previous year. Polish nationals were the top EU nationality being granted citizenship in the latest year (5,941), followed by Italian (5,713) and Romanian (5,104) nationals.

There were 92,797 grants of British citizenship to former non-EU citizens in the year ending September 2020, a fall of 12,482 or 12% compared to the previous year. The top non-EU nationalities being granted British citizenship were Indian (11,801), Pakistani (11,293) and Nigerian (7,964) nationals. These three nationalities accounted for a third (33%) of all grants to non-EU nationals.

The number of grants to Syrian nationals increased by 336, or 18%, in the year ending September 2020, from 1,818 to 2,154. This was the largest increase for any nationality and continues increases seen since 2019, five years after the launch of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Of the grants of British citizenship in the last year, more than half (51%) were to those who qualified for naturalisation after five or more years’ residence in the UK. Grants of citizenship following marriage to a British citizen were relatively stable, falling by less than 1%.

Table 6: Outcomes of citizenship applications, by category¹

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Residence	Marriage	Children	Other	Refusals & withdrawals
September 2019	161,926	153,742	81,389	27,127	34,311	10,915	8,184
September 2020	140,419	134,019	68,499	26,941	30,589	7,990	6,400
Change: latest year	-21,507	-19,723	-12,890	-186	-3,722	-2,925	-1,784
Percentage change	-13%	-13%	-16%	-1%	-11%	-27%	-22%

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets – Cit_D02
Notes:

1. ‘Other grounds’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds, and registration under Section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See the user guide for more details.

4.3 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of September 2020.

There were 43,774 applications for British citizenship in the third quarter of 2020, 9% higher than in the third quarter of 2019 (40,170), somewhat counteracting the 43% fall in the second quarter. In the same time period, there were 32,024 grants of citizenship, 20% lower than a year earlier (39,900). The reduction in grants was due to the need to create capacity for expanded home working, for example providing equipment to case working staff and setting up a remote working model.

In January and February 2020, there were more grants of British citizenship than the same months in 2019. In March 2020, there were around a sixth fewer grants (down 16%) than in 2019. Grants fell significantly to 2,291 in April 2020, 81% lower than in April 2019. The number of grants started to recover again in the following months, grants in May were 55% lower than 2019, and in June were 37% lower.

Figure 5: Grants of British citizenship, by month, January to September, 2019 and 2020

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets Cit_D02 and underlying datasets

5. About these statistics

The statistics in this section refer to individuals who have leave to remain in the UK who wish to extend, or make permanent, their right to remain in the UK.

Data in this section should be viewed in the context of wider policy and legislative changes, which can impact the number of applications and decisions. They should also consider the availability and allocation of resources within the Home Office, which can affect the number of decisions made in a given period. For example, fewer citizenship decisions were made in 2015 when UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) resources were used to assist HM Passport Office.

The statistics should not be used to make inferences about the size of the non-British population in the UK. The data do not show whether, or for how long, an individual remains in the UK once their right to remain has been extended or made permanent. Statistics on resident foreign populations in the UK are published by ONS.

5.1 Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Extensions of temporary stay in the UK relate to individuals inside the UK extending or changing the status of their right to stay in the UK. An individual is required to apply for an extension or change in status before their existing permission to enter or stay in the UK expires.

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for extension of temporary stay in the UK. One individual may have made multiple applications for an extension, so may account for multiple decisions in a given period. Data in this section include dependants and take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The statistics do not show the number of people applying to extend their temporary stay in the UK, nor do they show how long an individual stayed in the UK following their extension.

The statistics in the previous immigration category of students granted an extension were estimated for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Data for 2017 are unaffected.

Further information on the statistics in this section can be found in the extension section of the user guide.

5.2 Settlement

Settlement can be granted to individuals – subject to immigration control – to allow them to work, study and travel into and out of the UK without restriction. To be granted settlement, individuals generally must have lived in the UK for a certain length of time in a qualifying category. Those granted settlement can access state benefits and register their UK-born children as British citizens. It does not entitle the individual to a British passport (which requires British citizenship) or to vote in a general election (which requires British, Commonwealth or Irish Republic citizenship).

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for settlement in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The data on settlement refusals relate to cases where settlement was refused and no other form of leave was granted. Cases where settlement was refused but an extension was granted instead (for example where an individual has not met the qualifying period for settlement) will not be included in the refusal figure.

Individuals who leave the UK for more than 2 years may have their settlement status revoked, except in exceptional circumstances. The statistics do not differentiate between those granted settlement for the first time and those granted settlement multiple times.

5.3 EEA nationals and their family members

EEA and Swiss nationals have freedom of movement throughout the EEA. Non-EEA nationals who are dependants of EEA national residents in the UK can share their residence if they satisfy certain conditions. See the user guide for details.

The statistics in this section show the number of registration certificates and registration cards issued, and the number of documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued.

After 12 November 2015, a person applying for citizenship who is claiming to have permanent residence as an EEA national, or the family member of an EEA national, has been required to provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they meet the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions. These rule changes, along with EEA nationals’ response to perceived uncertainty following the 2016 EU referendum, are likely to have contributed to the steep increase in demand for EEA residence documentation during 2016 and 2017.

Variations in numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases, as well as policy changes and application levels in earlier periods.

More information about applying for residence documentation and how the status of EU citizens in the UK will be secured now the UK has left the EU is available on GOV.UK.

Figures on applications received and cases currently outstanding in the European casework route (along with other information such as percentage processed within service standards) can be found in ‘In-country migration data’ on GOV.UK.

EEA residence documents, including registration certificates, registration cards, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards, will not be valid after 31 December 2020. The EU Settlement Scheme enables EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. Further information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found here.

The scheme is a simple digital system which allows EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are resident in the UK to obtain, free of charge, settled status or pre-settled status in the UK. Find out more about what settled and pre-settled status means.

5.4 Citizenship

British citizens can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls. They can apply for a British passport, register to vote in all forms of election and referenda, and share in all the other rights and responsibilities of their status.

Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means people can be a British citizen and a citizen of other countries.

If someone is not already a British citizen based on where and when they were born, or their parents’ circumstances, they can apply to become one.

The statistics in this section show the number of applications for British citizenship. Data on the number of grants of citizenship are available in the associated data tables.

In May 2020, the Home Office published the ‘Migrant journey: 2019 report’, which explores changes in non-EEA migrants’ visa and leave status as they journey through the UK’s immigration system.

6. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Extensions summary tables
• Detailed extensions datasets
• Settlement tables
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed Citizenship datasets
• European Economic Area (EEA) tables

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