Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1298, 4 September 2025 (accessible)

Question 1

Implementation

Accepted Answer

The changes in this Statement of Changes shall take effect at 1500 BST on 4 September 2025.

Question 2

Review

Accepted Answer

Before the end of each review period, the Secretary of State undertakes to review all of the relevant Immigration Rules including any Relevant Rule amended or added by these changes. The Secretary of State will set out the conclusions of the review in a report and publish the report.

The report must in particular:

(a) consider each of the Relevant Rules and whether or not each Relevant Rule achieves its objectives and is still appropriate; and

(b) assess whether those objectives remain appropriate and, if so, the extent to which they could be achieved with a system that imposes less regulation.

“Review period” means:

(a) the period of five years beginning on 6 April 2017; and

(b) subject to the paragraph below, each successive period of five years.

If a report under this provision is published before the last day of the review period to which it relates, the following review period is to begin with the day on which that report is published.

“Relevant Rule” means an Immigration Rule which:

imposes requirements, restrictions or conditions, or sets standards, in relation to any activity carried on by a business or voluntary or community body; or

relates to the securing of compliance with, or the enforcement of, requirements, restrictions, conditions or standards which relate to any activity carried on by a business or voluntary or community body.

Question 3

Changes to Appendix FM

Accepted Answer

APP FM1. In Gen 1.1., after “protection status” delete “(and the applicant cannot seek entry clearance or permission as their family member under Appendix Family Reunion (Protection) of these rules).”.

APP FM2. In Gen 1.1., after “is in the UK with permission as a Stateless person” insert “(and the applicant cannot seek entry clearance or permission as their family member under Appendix Statelessness of these rules)”.

APP FM3. After the deleted section D-DVILR, for the heading “Family life as a child of a person with limited leave as a partner or parent”, substitute: “Family life as a child of a person with limited leave as a partner, parent or person with protection status in the UK”.

APP FM4. For the introduction paragraph prior to the heading “Section EC-C: Entry clearance as a child”, substitute:

“This route is for a child whose parent is applying for entry clearance or leave, or who has limited leave, as a partner or parent under this Appendix or has protection status in the UK. For further provision on a child seeking to enter or remain in the UK for the purpose of their family life see Part 8 of these Rules.”.

APP FM5. In E-ECC.1.6., after “Appendix” insert “or have protection status in the UK”.

APP FM6. In E-ECC 2.1., after “Appendix” insert “or has protection status in the UK,”.

APP FM7. In E-ECC2.2(a), after “income of the” insert “parent with protection status in the UK or the”.

APP FM8. In E-ECC2.3(a), after “partner” insert “or the applicant’s parent who has protection status in the UK”.

APP FM9. In E-ECC2.3(b), after “parent’s partner” insert “or parent with protection status in the UK”.

APP FM10. For D-ECC1.1., substitute: “If the applicant meets the requirements for entry clearance as a child, they will be granted entry clearance of a duration which will expire at the same time as the leave granted to the applicant’s parent under Appendix FM or the parent with protection status in the UK (where their other parent does not have, and is not being granted, leave under this Appendix). They will be subject to the same conditions in respect of recourse to public funds as that parent.”.

APP FM11. In R-LTRC.1.1(c)(iii), before “a parent” insert “unless the applicant’s parent has protection status in the UK”.

APP FM12. In R-LTRC1.1(d)(iii), before “a parent” insert “unless the applicant’s parent has protection status,”.

APP FM13. In E-LTRC.1.6., after “Appendix,” insert “or must have protection status in the UK”.

APP FM14. In E-LTRC.2.1., after “Appendix” insert “or has protection status in the UK”.

APP FM15. In E-LTRC.2.2(a), after “income of the” insert “applicant’s parents with protection status in the UK or the”.

APP FM16. In E-LTRC.2.3(a), after “partner” insert “or the applicant’s parent who has protection status in the UK”.

APP FM17. In E-LTRC.2.3(b), after “partner” insert “or their parent with protection status in the UK”.

APP FM18. For D-LTRC. 1.1(a), substitute:

“of a duration which will expire at the same time as the limited leave granted to the applicant’s parent under Appendix FM or the parent with protection status in the UK (where their other parent does not have, and is not being granted, leave under this Appendix). They will be subject to the same conditions in respect of recourse to public funds as that parent; or”.

Question 4

Changes to Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)

Accepted Answer

APP FRP1. For the introduction section, substitute:

“This Appendix, also known as refugee family reunion, is now closed to new applications pending a review. For those who applied under Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection) as a partner or child of a person with protection status before 1500 on 4 September 2025, the Appendix FRP rules in place on that date will apply to a pre-flight partner or dependent child applying to stay with or join a person who has protection status or settlement on a protection route in the UK.

There is a separate route under Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection) for a child to stay with or join a close relative, for example a sibling, who has protection status in the UK.

There is a separate route under Appendix FM: family members for a partner or child to join a sponsor who has protection status, is settled or a British Citizen in the UK on the basis of their family life.”.

APP FRP2. Delete FRP1.1. to FRP 10.1.

APP FRP3. After the deleted FRP 10.1., insert:

“Transitional provisions

FRP 11.1. Applications made before 1500 on 4 September 2025 by a partner or child of a person with protection status will be decided under the Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection) rules in force on that date. In any other case, the partner or child of a person with protection status must apply under Appendix FM to stay with or join that person until further notice.”.

This Statement of Changes can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changes. ↩

Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1298, 4 September 2025 (accessible)

Statement of changes in Immigration Rules^{[footnote 1]}

Implementation

Review

Changes to Appendix FM

Changes to Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)

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Statement of changes in Immigration Rules[footnote 1]

Implementation

Review

Changes to Appendix FM

Changes to Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Statement of changes in Immigration Rules^{[footnote 1]}