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Guidance

Purpose not covered by the Immigration Rules: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance on applications for a purpose not covered by the Immigration Rules.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Visas and Immigration
Published:
1 December 2020
Last updated:
11 November 2025
Show all updates

  1. Changes to reflect Part Suitability replacing Part 9: grounds for refusal of the Immigration Rules.

  2. ‘Appendix Adult Dependent Relative’ added in the ‘Introduction’ section, in line with Immigration Rules changes.

  3. Updated guidance with reference to ‘an application on grounds of private life under paragraphs 276ADE to 276DH’ replaced by ‘Appendix Private Life’ and ‘Appendix Settlement Family Life’ added in the ‘Introduction’ section.

  4. Guidance updated in line with Immigration Rules changes on 11 October 2021. See 'changes from last version of this guidance' for details.

  5. Updated guidance to reflect changes to Immigration Rules from 1 December 2020. Added HTML version.

  6. Minor amendment to the introduction to clarify that this guidance applies to family reunion applications.

  7. First published.

Documents

Suitability: purpose not covered by the Immigration Rules (accessible)

HTML

Suitability: purpose not covered by the Immigration Rules

PDF, 157 KB, 7 pages

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Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance on what staff should consider when an applicant is seeking entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay in the UK for a purpose which is not covered by the Immigration Rules.

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