National statistics

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

Updated 3 March 2022

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Data relate to 2021 and all comparisons are with 2020, unless indicated otherwise.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic. A range of restrictions were implemented in many parts of the world, and the first UK lockdown measures were announced on 23 March 2020. 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

1. Extension of temporary stay in the UK

There were 406,410 decisions on applications to extend a person’s stay in the UK (including both main applicants and dependants) in 2021, 75% more than in 2020, and 32% more than in 2019 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 (see below).

Of the total extensions, 398,040 were grants, representing an overall grant rate of 98%.

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

Year	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Study	Family	Other	Total refusals
2019	306,999	292,563	109,998	45,223	114,279	23,063	14,436
2020	232,287	226,286	99,500	30,557	83,470	12,759	6,001
2021	406,410	398,040	190,756	35,332	134,981	36,971	8,370
Change: latest 12 months	+174,123	+171,754	+91,256	+4,775	+51,511	+24,212	-2,369
Percentage change	+75%	+76%	+92%	+16%	+62%	+190%	+39%

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 2021. Revised Home Office Management Information indicates that up to the end of 2021, there were 19,823 such extensions granted, including dependants.
2. ‘Other’ excludes extensions granted to individuals who are unable to travel home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 (116,684 in 2020). ‘Other’ includes cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Work extensions nearly doubled (+92%) with 190,756 extensions granted in 2021 and was the most common route in which people extended. The increase mainly reflected an increase in extensions granted to Skilled workers, which increased by 57,629 (or +69%) to 140,950. Applicants requiring extensions for skilled work must obtain a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from a registered employer. Sponsorship table CoS_D01 provides numbers of main applicants for different industry sectors. These data show that in 2021, 29% of sponsored Skilled worker extension applications were in the Human Health and Social Work Activities sector.

Other work visas and exemptions increased by 32,174 to 40,909 mainly reflecting 28,700 extensions granted in the new Graduate category. The Graduate route, introduced on 01 July 2021, allows eligible students to stay in the UK for a period of 2 or 3 years to work or look for work after successfully completing their studies. The High value category included 2,049 grants in 2021 under the Global talent route. The largest number of work-related extensions were granted to Indian nationals in the year (42% of the total).

There were 134,981 family-related grants of extensions in 2021, 62% more than in the previous year and 18% more than in 2019. In 2021, grants in the Family: Partner route increased by 30,338 (+76%) to 70,000 surpassing the total seen in 2019 by 50% (+23,237). There was also a 47% (or +20,373) increase in the Family Life (10-year route) to 63,647 but was 5% (or -3,350) fewer than in 2019. Pakistani, Nigerian and Indian nationals accounted for nearly two in five (38%) family-related extensions granted, a similar proportion to recent years.

There were also 35,332 study-related extensions granted in 2021, 16% more than in the previous year but 22% fewer than in 2019. 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 a quarter (25% or 8,775).

Grants in the Other category nearly trebled (+190%) to 36,971 in 2021. This excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 (see below). The increase in the Other category is due to 21,096 extensions granted, including dependants, in the new British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) route. The BN(O) route accounted for over a half (57%) of extension grants in the Other category in 2021.

On the 31 March 2020, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government announced that NHS frontline workers visas would be extended. On 29 April 2020, it was announced that other frontline health and care workers would also receive visa extensions. Healthcare professionals whose visas were due to expire between 31 March 2020 and 1 October 2020 were given a free, year-long extension. On 20 November, it was announced that this had been extended to cover visas expiring between 1 October 2020 and 31 March 2021. On 09 April it was announced that this would be extended to cover visas expiring up until 30 September 2021. Home Office Management Information indicates that up to the end of 2021, there was a total of 19,823 extensions granted to health workers and care workers and their dependants, under these policies.

Figure 1: Extensions of leave granted¹ in the UK, by month, 2019, 2020 and 2021

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01 and underlying data

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.

Figure 1 shows that the shows that the number of grants of extensions fell sharply following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Numbers began to recover from September 2020.

Other than October and November, grants in 2021 were higher than the same months in the previous two years. This subsequent recovery in numbers may in part be linked to the move of visa processing from an operation requiring physical presence in the office to one that can be, to a large extent, now delivered through remote working.

2. Settlement

There were 107,976 decisions on applications for settlement in the UK in 2021, 24% more than in 2020, and 14% more than in 2019. Of these, 106,192 (98%) were granted.

In the latest year, there were increases in settlement grants in the work, family and other categories but fewer to applicants who had been asylum seekers.

There was an increase in grants of settlement for family reasons, to 37,133, up 78% since 2020, and 44% more than in 2019. Grants had previously fallen from a peak of 75,852 in the year ending March 2010 to 4,939 in the year ending September 2017, partly reflecting the change in the probationary period for settlement from 2 to 5 years, as well as falling levels of visas and extensions in previous years. The number of grants have subsequently increased as individuals on a 5-year route to settlement following the rule change are now becoming eligible to apply (further information about the rules changes are available at: ‘Family and private life immigration rule changes 9 July 2012’

There were also increases for:

• Settlement by skilled (formerly Tier 2) workers, which increased by 27% since 2020 to 21,605, though this is still a reduction of 6% when compared to 2019.
• Those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave, rose 65% in 2020 to 14,620, a similar level to 2019 (15,653). This follows a sharp fall prior to the onset of the pandemic.

There was a decrease in settlement granted for asylum-related reasons, down 19% from 2020 to 25,262, a similar level to 2018 (25,787). This reverses the increase seen for those individuals granted refugee status in the UK around the time of the 2015/16 ‘migration crisis’, when larger numbers of asylum seekers claimed in the UK (and in Europe in greater numbers), becoming eligible for settlement. Nonetheless, the asylum category accounted for nearly a quarter (24%) of settlement grants in 2021.

There were increases in the asylum and family categories and decreases in the work and other categories when compared with 2019.

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

Year	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Asylum	Family	Other	Refusals
2019	94,457	91,439	32,218	17,803	25,765	15,653	3,018
2020	87,271	85,457	24,440	31,234	20,898	8,885	1,814
2021	107,976	106,192	29,177	25,262	37,133	14,620	1,784
Change: latest 12 months	+20,705	+20,735	+4,737	-5,972	+16,235	+5,735	-30
Percentage change	+24%	+24%	+19%	-19%	+78%	+65%	-2%

Source: Settlement table Se_02
Notes:

1. In addition to the impacts of COVID-19, 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, 2012 to 2021

Source: Settlement table Se_02
Notes:

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

Figure 2 shows the number of settlement grants increased from 130,000 in 2012 to 155,000 in 2013 before falling to a recent low of 61,000 in 2016 but have since risen to 113,000 in the year ending September 2021.

Since 2012, grants for work reasons have decreased, from 62,000 to 29,000. Grants for family reasons also fell across this period, from 47,000 to 37,000. In contrast, grants for reasons of asylum increased from 11,000 to 25,000. Grants for ‘other’ reasons (not relating to work, family or asylum) increased from 9,000 to 15,000 over the period. Trends in numbers applying for settlement will in part reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier.

Figure 3: Grants of settlement in the UK, by month, 2019, 2020 and 2021

Source: Settlement table Se_02 and underlying data

Figure 3 shows that the number of settlement grants 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) temporarily 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.

From May 2020, the number of grants generally started to recover again as caseworkers became able to fully operate remotely whilst a minimal office presence processed physical documents within ‘Covid secure’ parameters.

From September 2020 to August 2021, grants of settlement were higher compared with the same month the previous year. Grants in December 2021 were at a similar level to December 2020. Grants in 2021 were 24% higher than in 2020 and 16% higher than in 2019.

3. EEA nationals and their family members

Since 30 March 2019, EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, and their family members, have been able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK.

The Home Office publishes monthly updates and quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), available on GOV.UK.

The latest data show that 6.44 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme had been received up to 31 January 2022, of which 6.13 million had been concluded.

3.1 Documents issued

Under European (EU) law, EEA nationals and their family members did not need to obtain documentation confirming their right of residence in the UK but EEA nationals could apply for registration certificates and documents certifying permanent residence in the UK. Their non-EEA family members could apply for residence cards and permanent residence cards. These acted as confirmation of their right to stay in the UK.

Documents issued under EU law are no longer valid as evidence of a right of residence in the UK. Applications received by 31 December 2020 are still being processed. More information is available on the relevant visas and immigration pages on GOV.UK.

In 2021, there were a total of 8,428 decisions on applications for EEA residence documents, less than one fifth of the number in the previous year. This included 2,833 registration certificates and registration cards issued, and 1,191 documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued.

Table 3: Decisions on applications for residence documents pertaining to EEA citizens in the UK^1,2

Year	Total decisions	Of total decisions, registration certificates and residence cards - issued	Of total decisions, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards - issued
2020	45,406	19,052	10,597
2021	8,428	2,833	1,191
Change: latest 12 months	-36,978	-16,219	-9,406
Percentage change	-81%	-85%	-89%

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 European Economic Area.
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 European Economic Area.

4. Citizenship

4.1 Applications for British citizenship

There were 179,968 applications for British citizenship in 2021, 5% more than in the 2020, and 3% more than in 2019.

Applications for citizenship by EU nationals fell by 3% compared to 2020, to 57,604, but were 16% higher than in 2019.

Figure 4 shows that the number of non-EU applications has remained broadly stable since 2014, whilst EU applications have increased up to mid-2021. EU nationals account for almost a third (32%) of all citizenship applications in the latest year compared to 12% in 2016. Increases in citizenship applications from EU nationals since 2016 are likely to reflect more people seeking to confirm their status in the UK following the EU referendum and the UK’s exit from the EU.

Applications made by non-EU nationals rose by 10% in 2021 compared with 2020 to 122,364, recovering to pre-pandemic levels.

Figure 4: Number of applications for British citizenship from EU and non-EU nationals^1,2, years ending December 2012 to December 2021

Source: Citizenship detailed dataset Cit_D01
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 190,175 grants of British citizenship in the 2021, 46% more than 2020, and 19% more than in 2019. This was due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic response and comes after a period of relative stability since 2014. Prior to this, a peak of 208,095 in 2013 occurred prior to a change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

Around one third (35%, or 67,317) of the grants of British citizenship in 2021 were to former EU citizens, 26,679 or 66% more than in 2020, and 39% more than in 2019. Italian nationals were the top EU nationality granted citizenship in the latest year (10,744), followed by Romanian (9,695), and Polish (9,561) nationals.

There were 122,858 grants of British citizenship to former non-EU citizens in 2021, 32,927 or 37% more than in 2020, and 11% more than in 2019. The top non-EU nationalities granted British citizenship were Indian (14,513), Pakistani (13,635), and Nigerian (8,331) nationals. These three nationalities accounted for almost a third (30%) of all grants to non-EU nationals in 2021.

The number of grants of citizenship for registration of children for former EU citizens rose by 61% to 15,285 in 2021 compared with 2020, and by 58% compared with 2019. For former non-EU citizens this rose by 47% to 27,343 in 2021 compared with 2020, and by 7% compared with 2019.

Table 4: Grants by reason^1,2,3 and refusals of citizenship applications

Year	Total decisions	Total grants	Naturalisation (Residence and Marriage)	Children	Other	Refusals and withdrawals
2019	166,874	159,380	113,552	35,201	10,627	7,494
2020	136,756	130,568	95,623	28,099	6,846	6,188
2021	N/A	190,175	138,852	42,628	8,695	N/A
Change: latest 12 months	N/A	+59,607	+43,229	+14,529	+1,849	N/A
Percentage change	N/A	+46%	+45%	+52%	+27%	N/A

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets – Cit_D02 and underlying data
Notes:

1. ‘Other’ 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.
2. Due to data quality issues, 2021 data cannot currently be provided in the same detail as other years.
3. N/A means not available.

On 28 May 2020 the Home Office published a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020, including citizenship processing.

Since that time, there have been further changes. As shown in Figure 5, the number of citizenship grants fell significantly following the onset of the pandemic to 2,291 in the month of April 2020, 81% fewer than in April 2019. The number of grants remained below pre-pandemic numbers until March 2021, the first month in which there was a higher number of grants than in the same month the previous year since the pandemic began. From Q2 2021 (April-June) onwards, the number of grants has been higher than both the comparable months in 2020, and those in 2019.

Figure 5: Grants of British citizenship, by month, 2019, 2020 and 2021

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.

Before 2021, due to the application to the UK of European Union (EU) free movement law, the majority of UK immigration control related to non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. From 2021, unless otherwise stated, data in this release relate to both EEA and non-EEA nationals.

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 the Office for National Statistics (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

Documents issued under EU law are no longer valid as evidence of a right of residence in the UK. Applications received by 31 December 2020 and the outcomes of appeals are still being processed.

The EU Settlement Scheme enables EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. Further information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found at Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status). The scheme is a simple digital system which enables applicants to obtain, free of charge, settled status or pre-settled status in the UK. Find out more about what settled and pre-settled status mean.

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 in relation to applications made by 31 December 2020.

After 12 November 2015, a person applying for citizenship who was relying on permanent residence as an EEA national, or as the family member of an EEA national, was required to provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they met the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions. This change, along with EEA nationals’ response to perceived uncertainty following the 2016 EU referendum, is 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 the GOV.UK website at Browse: Visas and immigration

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.

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 2021, the Home Office published the ‘Migrant journey: 2020 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
• Detailed settlement tables
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed Citizenship datasets
• European Economic Area (EEA) tables

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