Immigration Rules

A collection of the current Immigration Rules.

• Immigration Rules: Index

  The rules are divided into different documents. The index page will help you find the part you need.

• Immigration Rules: introduction

  This contains an explanation of who’s covered by the Immigration Rules, dates of effect and definitions/interpretations of the terms used.

• Immigration Rules part 1: leave to enter or stay in the UK

  General provisions regarding entry clearance, leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom (paragraphs 7 to 39E).

• Immigration Rules part 2: transitional provisions

  Transitional provisions Part 2 and Appendix V: Immigration Rules for Visitors.

• Immigration Rules part 3: students

  Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for studies.

• Immigration Rules part 4: work experience

  Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom in an "au pair" placement, as a working holidaymaker or for training or work experience (paragraphs 122 to 127).

• Immigration Rules part 5: working in the UK

  Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for employment (paragraphs 128A to 199B).

• Immigration Rules part 6: self-employment and business people

  Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom as a businessman, self-employed person, investor, writer or composer or artist (paragraphs 200A to 237).

• Immigration Rules part 6A: the points-based system

  Points-based system (paragraphs 245AAA to 245ZZE).

• Immigration Rules part 7: other categories

  Other Categories (paragraphs A246 to 276BVI).

• Immigration Rules part 8: family members

  Family members (paragraphs A277 to 319Y).

• Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal

  Grounds for the refusal

• Immigration Rules part 11: asylum

  Asylum (paragraphs 326A to 352H).

• Immigration Rules part 11A: temporary protection

  Temporary protection

• Immigration Rules part 11B

  Asylum

• Immigration Rules part 12: Procedure and rights of appeal

  Procedure and rights of appeal

• Immigration Rules part 13: deportation

  Deportation.

• Immigration Rules part 14: stateless persons

  Stateless persons

• Immigration Rules Appendix A: attributes

  Points needed for attributes for applicants in Tiers 1, 2, and 5 of the points-based system.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Administrative Review

  Administrative Review

• Immigration Rules Appendix AR (EU)

  Administrative Review for the EU Settlement Scheme

• Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces

  Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces

• Immigration Rules Appendix International Armed Forces and International Civilian Employees

  This route is for members of International Armed Forces and for International Civilian Employees of either a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) force or the Australian Department of Defence.

• Immigration Rules Appendix B: English language

  English Language

• Immigration Rules Appendix C: maintenance (funds) Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

  Maintenance (funds)

• Immigration Rules Appendix E

  Appendix E applies only to applications as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant

• Immigration Rules Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay

  Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay

• Immigration Rules Appendix ECAA Settlement: ECAA nationals and settlement

  Appendix ECAA Settlement: ECAA nationals and settlement

• Immigration Rules Appendix EU

  EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens and family members

• Immigration Rules Appendix EU (Family Permit)

  Appendix EU (Family Permit)

• Immigration Rules Appendix FM: family members

  Family members

• Immigration Rules Appendix FM-SE: family members specified evidence

  Family members - specified evidence

• Immigration Rules Appendix KoLL

  Knowledge of language and life.

• Immigration rules Appendix O: approved English language tests

  List of English language tests that have been approved by the Home Office for English language requirements for limited leave to enter or remain under the Immigration Rules.

• Immigration Rules Appendix SN: Service of notices

  Service of notices

• Immigration Rules Appendix Settlement Protection

  Settlement for people on a protection route

• Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor

  Immigration Rules for Visitors

• Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities

  Permitted Activities for Visitors

• Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Visa national list

  List of nationalities requiring entry clearance prior to travel to the UK as a Visitor, or for any other purpose for less than six months

• Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List

  List of Permit Free Festivals

• Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme

  Immigration rules for Visa Nationals transiting the UK landside without a visa.

• Immigration Rules Appendix VIP Delegate Visa

  This route is for a person accompanying a Head of State or Government Minister on an official visit to the UK for a temporary period (less than 1 month).

• Immigration Rules Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation

  Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation

• Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List

  List of nationalities requiring an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) prior to travel to the UK pursuant to Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation.

• Immigration Rules Appendix S2 Healthcare Visitor

  Immigration Rules for S2 Healthcare Visitors

• Immigration Rules: Appendix Student

  Student route

• Immigration Rules Appendix Short-term Student (English language)

  Immigration Rules for Short-term Students

• Immigration Rules Appendix Child Student

  Immigration Rules for Child Students

• Immigration Rules Appendix Parent of a Child Student

  Parent of a Child Student

• Immigration Rules Appendix Graduate

  This route is for a Student in the UK who wants to work, or look for work, following the successful completion of an eligible course of study at UK bachelor’s degree-level or above. The study must have been with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker

  The Skilled Worker route is for employers to recruit people to work in the UK, including in UK waters, in a specific job. A Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from a Home Office-approved sponsor.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations

  Eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes and going rates for Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes

• Immigration Rules Appendix Immigration Salary List

  Occupations where a reduced salary threshold applies in the Skilled Worker route.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Global Business Mobility routes

  The Global Business Mobility routes are for workers based outside the UK who are undertaking a temporary work assignment in the UK as a Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier or Secondment Worker.

• Immigration Rules Appendix T2 Minister of Religion

  This route is for a person who has a key leading role within their faith-based organisation or a religious order in the UK.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business

  Immigration Rules for Representative of an Overseas Business

• Immigration Rules Appendix UK Ancestry

  Immigration Rules for UK Ancestry

• Immigration Rules Appendix Global Talent

  The Global Talent route is for people aged 18 or over in the field of science, engineering, humanities, social science, medicine, digital technology or arts and culture who can show they have exceptional talent or exceptional promise.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes

  Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes

• Immigration Rules Appendix High Potential Individual

  High Potential Individual

• Immigration Rules Appendix Scale-up

  Appendix Scale-up

• Immigration Rules Appendix Start-up

  The Start-up route is for a person seeking to establish a business in the UK for the first time. From 13 April 2023 this route is only available to those who hold a valid Start-up endorsement issued before the 13 April 2023. From 13 July 2023 the Start-up route will be closed to all new applications.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator Founder

  Appendix Innovator Founder

• Immigration Rules Appendix International Sportsperson

  The International Sportsperson route is for an elite sportsperson or qualified sports coach who is internationally established and can make a significant contribution to the development of their sport at its highest level in the UK.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Sports Governing Bodies

  Home Office approved Sports Governing Bodies for International Sportsperson applications.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Overseas Domestic Worker

  Overseas Domestic Worker

• Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household

  Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household

• Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Worker who is a Victim of Modern Slavery

  Appendix Domestic Worker who is a Victim of Modern Slavery

• Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Worker Statement

  Appendix Domestic Worker Statement

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work - Seasonal Worker

  The Seasonal Worker route is for a person who wants to come to the UK to do seasonal horticulture work or poultry production work.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme

  The Youth Mobility Scheme provides a cultural exchange programme that allows a person aged between 18 and 30 (or 18-35 for some nationalities), from participating countries and territories, to experience life in the UK for up to 2 years (or 3 years for some nationalities).

• Immigration Rules Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme: eligible nationals

  Countries and territories participating in the Youth Mobility Scheme and annual allocation of places for 2025.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker

  The Temporary Work - Creative Worker route is for a person who wants to work within the creative sector.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work – Religious Worker

  The Religious Worker route is for a person who wants to support the activities of religious institutions in the UK by conducting religious work such as working in a religious order or undertaking non-pastoral work for a religious organisation.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work - Charity Worker

  The Charity Worker route is for a person who wants to come to the UK to do voluntary work for no more than 12 months.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work - International Agreement

  The International Agreement route is for a person who wants to come to the UK to provide a service covered under international law, such as private servants in diplomatic households, or employees of overseas governments and international organisations.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange

  The Temporary Work - Government Authorised Exchange route is for a person who wants to come to the UK on an approved scheme for a period of 12 or 24 months (depending on the scheme).

• Immigration Rules Appendix Government Authorised Exchange schemes

  The Temporary Worker – Government Authorised Exchange route is for a person who wishes to come to the UK on one of the approved schemes listed below.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Creative Worker Codes of Practice

  Where a person is applying under Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker, as a creative worker, operating in dance, theatre, film and television, or as a model in the fashion industry, their sponsor must follow the relevant code of practice specified below and comply with the other requirements.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Service Providers from Switzerland

  The Service Providers from Switzerland route allows eligible employers, companies or self- employed individuals to execute contracts with a party based in the UK for a period not exceeding 90 days per calendar year.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)

  There are two Hong Kong British National (Overseas) routes– the BN(O) Status Holder route and the BN(O) Household Member route.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine Scheme

  Appendix Ukraine Scheme

• Immigration Rules Appendix Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

  This route is for Afghan citizens and their dependent family members to relocate to, or settle in, the UK where the Ministry of Defence has decided they meet the requirements for relocation to the UK as an eligible Afghan citizen under the ARAP (“the ARAP eligibility decision”).

• Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Permission to Stay for Victims of Human Trafficking or Slavery

  This route is to provide for temporary permission to stay for victims of human trafficking or slavery and their children.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)

  Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)

• Immigration Rules Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection)

  Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection)

• Immigration Rules Appendix Adult Dependent Relative

  The Adult Dependent Relative route is for a person aged 18 or over who is sponsored by a relative in the UK (who must be a British Citizen, settled in the UK, have protection status or be a specified EEA national who has permission under Appendix EU) and where the sponsor is able to maintain, accommodate and care for the applicant without reliance on public funds.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence

  The Long Residence route is for a person who has lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years or more. The person can count time with permission on most routes towards the 10 year qualifying period.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse

  Immigration Rules Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse

• Immigration Rules Appendix Bereaved Partner

  Appendix Bereaved Partner

• Immigration Rules Appendix Adoption

  The adoption routes are for a child under the age of 18 to apply to come to the UK either to be adopted or having been adopted overseas.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Private Life

  The Private Life route is for a person seeking permission to stay in the UK on the basis they have developed a Private Life in the UK.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Settlement Family Life

  This route is for a person who has permission to stay as a partner or parent (or has had a combination of the two) under Appendix FM, and who is eligible to settle in the UK after a qualifying period of 10 years.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Gurkha and Hong Kong military unit veteran discharged before 1 July 1997

  This route is for Gurkhas or Hong Kong military unit veterans who were discharged before 1 July 1997 to settle in the UK.

• Immigration Rules Appendix ATAS: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

  ATAS seeks to prevent the transfer of information, knowledge or technology which could develop, advance or support an Advanced Conventional Military Technology (ACMT) and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programme or their means of delivery.

• Immigration Rules Appendix English Language

  This Appendix sets out how the English language requirement is met.

• Immigration Rules Appendix KOL UK

  This Appendix sets out how the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement is met by a person applying for settlement.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Finance

  This Appendix sets out how the financial requirement must be met.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Returning Resident

  This route is for a ‘Returning Resident’, which means a person who previously had indefinite permission to enter or stay (settlement) in the UK which has now lapsed and who now wants to return to and settle in the UK.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Statelessness

  This route is for a person in the UK who has no nationality and so is stateless, and is unable to become, or obtain a status leading to becoming, a permanent resident of another country.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Continuous Residence

  This Appendix sets out how the continuous residence requirement is met.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Relationship with Partner

  Relationship with Partner

• Immigration Rules Appendix Children

  This Appendix sets out the requirements for applications made by children.

• Immigration Rules Appendix Tuberculosis (TB)

  This appendix sets out when a person is required to provide a valid TB certificate with their application for entry clearance and the requirements for a TB certificate to be valid.