Victims of domestic abuse: caseworker guidance
Immigration staff guidance for considering applications from people who have been victims of domestic abuse.
Updates to this page
- From:
- UK Visas and Immigration
- Published:
- 29 July 2013
- Last updated:
-
15 October 2026
Show all updates
-
Updated 'Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse'. This guidance has been amended to include children aged 18 or over within Appendix VDA’s eligibility criteria as the main applicant, and add a new validity requirement relating to previous leave.
-
Updated 'Migrant victims of domestic abuse concession' guidance.
-
Updated Appendix victim of domestic abuse (VDA) to remove text to say the applicant does not need to demonstrate knowledge of life in the UK under Appendix VDA unless they are a dependent child over the age of 18.
-
Updated to change SET (F) to SET (DV) in the validity section and to update the types of evidence section in the Appendix victim of domestic abuse guide.
-
Updated the Appendix victim of domestic abuse caseworker guide to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules made in Statement of Changes HC 1691 (laid on 5 March 2026), update the 'Types of evidence' section, add a new section called 'Counter allegation, and add information instructing caseworkers to signpost applicants on how to recover their UKVI account.
-
Migrant victims of domestic abuse concession: added a new section on ensuring an applicant’s UKVI account is secure.
-
Migrant victims of domestic abuse concession: updated with more details about people with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme who obtain permission to stay in the UK under the MVDAC. Appendix victim of domestic abuse: updated to reflect that Part 9: grounds for refusal has been replaced by Part Suitability and to set out further detail concerning where an EU, other EEA or Swiss citizen, or their family member, with extant limited leave to enter or remain under Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules (also referred to as pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme) obtains permission to stay in the UK under Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse and retains their pre-settled status alongside that other permission.
-
Updated both documents with further information on people with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
-
This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the eligibility for settlement outside the Immigration Rules. There is a further update to the section on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
-
Guidance updated to include a partner, fiancé or fiancée or proposed civil partner under Appendix Ukraine Scheme who was granted permission, or Leave Outside the Rules as set out in UKR 29.3, on the basis of their relationship with a Ukrainian national.
-
Appendix victim of domestic abuse guidance updated. A full list of the changes can be found in the guide.
-
Added accessible versions.
-
'Appendix victim of domestic abuse' updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules.
-
This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules made in Statement of Changes HC 590, laid on 14 March 2024.
-
Migrant victims of domestic abuse concession updated: the eligibility criteria have been updated to include further clarity with a new subsection on work routes.
-
The name of the concession has changed from 'destitute domestic violence concession' to 'migrant victims of domestic abuse concession'. The eligibility criteria has been updated to include victims of domestic abuse in the UK as a partner of a person on a work and economic route or as a student or graduate.
-
The victims of domestic violence guidance has been renamed and updated to reflect the introduction of appendix victims of domestic abuse, including guidance on out of country applications for victims of transnational marriage abandonment.
-
Updated victims of domestic violence guidance.
-
Updated victims of domestic violence guidance and new guidance on victims of domestic violence and abuse DDV concession added.
-
Updated guidance.
-
Updated document.
-
Updated 29 January 2014
-
First published.
-
Documents
Migrant victims of domestic abuse concession
PDF, 276 KB, 14 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format
Appendix victim of domestic abuse
PDF, 680 KB, 84 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format
Details
UK Visas and Immigration guidance on how staff make decisions for people applying for leave to remain under the migrant victims of domestic abuse concession (MVDAC).