National statistics

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

Published 25 November 2021

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Data relate to the year ending September 2021 and all comparisons are with the year ending September 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 393,038 decisions on applications to extend a person’s stay in the UK (including dependants) in the year ending September 2021, 74% more than in the year ending September 2020, and 32% more than the year ending September 2019. 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, 385,337 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 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	226,442	218,418	85,086	40,091	80,187	13,054	8,024
September 2021	393,038	385,337	171,600	42,281	136,116	35,340	7,701
Change: latest 12 months	+166,596	+166,919	+86,514	+2,190	+55,929	+22,286	-323
Percentage change	+74%	+76%	+102%	+5%	+70%	+171%	-4%

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. Home Office Management Information indicates that up to the end of September 2021, there were 21,566 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 (116,678 in the year ending September 2020, and 6 in the year ending September 2021). ‘Other’ includes cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Work extensions more than doubled (+102%) with 171,600 extensions granted in the year ending September 2021 and was the most common route in which people extended. The increase mainly reflected an increase in extensions granted to Skilled workers, which nearly doubled (or +68,703) to 137,660. Other work visas and exemptions increased by 14,840 to 24,233 mainly reflecting 12,484 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 2,068 grants under the new Global talent route in the year ending September 2021. The largest number of work-related extensions were granted to Indian nationals in the year (42% of the total).

There were 136,116 family-related grants of extensions in the year ending September 2021, 70% more than in the previous year. Grants in the Family: Partner route more than doubled (+102% or 35,576) to 70,620. There was also a 44% (or 19,510) increase in the Family Life (10-year route) to 64,212. Pakistani, Nigerian and Indian nationals accounted for nearly two in five (37%) family-related extensions granted.

There were also 42,281 study-related extensions granted in the year ending September 2021, 5% more than in 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 over a quarter (26% or 11,123).

Grants in the Other category nearly trebled (+171%) to 35,340 in the year ending September 2021. 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. The increase in the Other category reflects 18,815 extensions granted, including dependants, in the new British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)route. The BN(O) route accounted for over a half (53%) of extension grants in the Other category in the year ending September 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 the 20 November, it was announced that this had been extended to cover visas expiring between 1 October 2020 and 31 March 2021. On the 09 April it was announced that this would be extended to cover visas expiring up until 30 September 2021. Up to the end of September 2021, there was a total of 21,566 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
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 in 2020 were similar to levels in 2019, until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. From April to September 2020, grants were much lower than the same months in 2019 but began to recover from September 2020.

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 115,361 decisions on applications for settlement in the UK in the year ending September 2021, 43% more than in the year ending September 2020, and 27% more than in the year ending September 2019. Of these, 113,486 (98%) resulted in a grant.

In the latest year, there were increases in settlement grants in all broad categories.

There was an increase in grants of settlement for family reasons, up 70% to 34,846. 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 was an increase in settlement granted for asylum-related reasons, up 25% to 31,959. This reflects many of those who were granted refugee status in the UK around the time of the 2015/16 ‘migration crisis’, which saw larger numbers of asylum seekers claim in the UK (and in Europe in greater numbers), now qualifying for settlement. The asylum category accounted for over a quarter (28%) of settlement grants in year ending September 2021.

There were also increases for:

• Skilled (formerly Tier 2) work, which increased by 49% to 23,772
• Those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave, were 72% higher at 14,900. This follows a sharp fall prior to the onset of the pandemic.

There were increases in the work, asylum and family categories when compared with the year ending September 2019.

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

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	80,544	78,394	23,733	25,503	20,472	8,686	2,150
September 2021	115,361	113,486	31,781	31,959	34,846	14,900	1,875
Change: latest 12 months	+34,817	+35,092	+8,048	+6,456	+14,374	+6,214	-275
Percentage change	+43%	+45%	+34%	+25%	+70%	+72%	-13%

Source: Settlement table se_02_q
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, years ending September 2012 to September 2021

Source: Settlement table se_02_q
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 135,000 in the year ending September 2012 to 154,000 in the year ending September 2013 before falling to a recent low of 61,000 in the year ending September 2017 but have subsequently risen to 113,000 in the year ending September 2021. Since the year ending September 2012, grants for work reasons have decreased, from 65,000 to 32,000. Grants for family reasons also fell across this period, from 47,000 to 35,000. In contrast, grants for reasons of asylum increased from 12,000 to 32,000. Grants for ‘other’ reasons (not relating to work, family or asylum) increased from 10,000 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_q

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 September 2021 were at a similar level to September 2020. Grants in the period January to September 2021 were 53% higher than in the same period in 2020 and 23% higher than in the same period in 2019.

3. EEA nationals and their family members

Since 30 March 2019, EU and EEA nationals resident in the UK, along with their non-EEA 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 6.3 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme had been received up to 31 October 2021, of which 5.9 million had been concluded.

3.1 Documents issued

Under European (EU) law, EEA nationals and their dependants did not need to obtain documentation confirming their right of residence in the UK but could apply for registration certificates and documents certifying permanent residence in the UK. Their non-EEA family members could apply for residence 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 the year ending September 2021, there were a total of 19,843 decisions on applications for EEA residence documents, 62% fewer than the previous 12 months. This included 6,363 registration certificates and registration cards issued, and 3,772 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 ending	Total decisions	Of total decisions, registration certificates and residence cards - issued	Of total decisions, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards - issued
September 2020	52,622	23,680	12,930
September 2021	19,843	6,363	3,772
Change: latest 12 months	-32,779	-17,317	-9,158
Percentage change	-62%	-73%	-71%

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 196,862 applications for British citizenship in the year ending September 2021, 29% more than in the year ending September 2020.

Applications for citizenship by EU nationals rose by 64% compared to the previous year, to 72,191. Figure 4 shows that the number of non-EU applications has decreased since 2012, whilst EU applications have increased. EU nationals now account for more than a third (37%) of all citizenship applications compared with 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 15% in the year ending September 2021 to 124,671, recovering to pre-pandemic levels.

Figure 4: Number of applications for British citizenship from EU and non-EU nationals^1,2, years ending September 2012 to September 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 146,483 grants of British citizenship in the year ending September 2021, 9% more than the previous year. 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.

There were 48,792 grants of British citizenship to former EU citizens in the year ending September 2021, 7,570 or 18% more than the previous year. Italian nationals were the top EU nationality granted citizenship in the latest year (7,615), followed by Romanian (6,980), and Polish (6,625) nationals.

There were 97,691 grants of British citizenship to former non-EU citizens in the year ending September 2021, 4,894 or 5% more than the previous year. The top non-EU nationalities granted British citizenship were Pakistani (10,663), Indian (10,457) and Nigerian (6,677) nationals. These three nationalities accounted for over a quarter (28%) of all grants to non-EU nationals.

Of the grants of British citizenship in the last year, more than half (58%) were to those who qualified for naturalisation after five or more years’ residence in the UK. Grants of naturalisation by residence rose by 18% to 53,879 for former non-EU citizens, whereas grants to former EU citizens rose by 37% to 31,132.

Total grants of citizenship following marriage to a British citizen fell by 5% to 25,514 including a fall of 14% to 6,401 for former EU citizens. The number of grants of citizenship for registration of children fell by 15% to 17,799 for former non-EU citizens, and rose by 4% to 9,875 for former EU citizens.

Table 4: Grants by reason¹ and refusals of citizenship applications

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Residence	Marriage	Children	Other	Refusals and withdrawals
September 2020	139,868	134,019	68,499	26,941	30,589	7,990	5,849
September 2021	151,292	146,483	85,011	25,514	27,674	8,284	4,809
Change: latest 12 months	+11,424	+12,464	+16,512	-1,427	-2,915	+294	-1,040
Percentage change	+8%	+9%	+24%	-5%	-10%	+4%	-18%

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets – Cit_D02
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.

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 in April 2020 to 2,291, 81% fewer than 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. The number of grants in Q2 2021 (April-June) was comparable to Q2 in 2019, however the number of grants in Q3 (July-September) remains lower than pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 but comparable to that in 2020.

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

Some current residence documents are no longer valid after 30 June 2021. Applications received by 31 December 2020 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 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 means.

EEA and Swiss nationals have freedom of movement throughout the EEA. Under EU law, non-EEA nationals who were dependants of EEA national residents in the UK also have a right of residence if they satisfied 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 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 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
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed Citizenship datasets
• European Economic Area (EEA) tables

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