The Home Office changes the Immigration Rules several times a year, and each change applies from a fixed date. An application made after a change is decided under the new wording, even where the applicant first came to the UK under the old rules. Missing a change can lead to a refusal or to a requirement the applicant had not prepared for. This post provides an overview of the latest changes to the UK Immigration Rules and the dates on which they apply.
How many times have the UK immigration rules changed in 2026?
The Home Office has made three sets of changes to the Immigration Rules in 2026. They were laid before Parliament on 5 March, 9 July and 3 September 2026, and each takes effect in stages.
Each set of changes is published as a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, known by its House of Commons paper number. The three Statements for 2026 are HC 1691, HC 259 and HC 584.
The rules that apply to an application are the rules in force on the date the application is made. Some of the 2026 changes include a saving provision, so an application made before the change took effect is decided under the earlier wording. Others, such as the Part Suitability changes in HC 1691, have no saving provision.
Which UK immigration rule changes apply from which date?
The main 2026 changes for family, settlement, visitor and work applicants are listed below in date order.
| Who it affects | What changed | Date | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| All applicants, including partners | A suspended sentence of 12 months or more is a mandatory ground for refusal | 26 March 2026 | HC 1691 |
| Children joining a relative | A child can join only a close relative in the UK, not any relative | 26 March 2026 | HC 1691 |
| Student and Skilled Worker applicants from certain countries | Student visas refused for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan; Skilled Worker visas refused for nationals of Afghanistan | 26 March 2026 | HC 1691 |
| Graduate visa families | A child born in the UK during a parent’s Graduate permission can apply as a dependant | 3 August 2026 | HC 259 |
| Children of partners | A new care requirement applies to children applying under Appendix FM | 3 August 2026 | HC 259 |
| Applicants with a past breach | Frustrating immigration controls counts as a breach of immigration laws | 8 October 2026 | HC 584 |
| Visitors | Workshops, debates and skills competitions become permitted activities | 8 October 2026 | HC 584 |
| Religious workers | Unpaid roles must be supported by the sponsor; no job advert needed; no time limit for ministers | 29 October 2026 | HC 584 |
| Students | Maintenance rises to £1,570 a month in London and £1,203 elsewhere | 30 November 2026 | HC 584 |
| EU Settlement Scheme applicants | A biometric residence permit can no longer be used as proof of identity and nationality | 9 December 2026 | HC 584 |
| Settlement applicants, including partners | English at B2 level is required for settlement on most routes | 26 March 2027 | HC 1691 |
What changed in the March 2026 immigration rules (HC 1691)?
HC 1691 extended a mandatory refusal ground to suspended sentences and tightened the rules for children joining relatives. It was laid on 5 March 2026, and most of its changes took effect on 26 March 2026.
Paragraph SUI 5.1 of Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules now sets a mandatory refusal ground. It applies where the applicant has received “a custodial or suspended sentence of 12 months or more”. Before 26 March 2026, SUI 5.1 referred only to a custodial sentence. The mandatory ground applies to a conviction in the UK or overseas. A partner’s suspended sentence of that length now falls under the same mandatory Part Suitability grounds for a spouse visa as a prison sentence.
The child settlement rules in Part 8, at paragraphs 297 and 298, were also clarified. A child can now join a “close” relative in the UK rather than any relative. The Home Office also clarified one point. A dependent child cannot settle where one parent is British or settled and the other has temporary permission.
What changed in the July 2026 immigration rules (HC 259)?
HC 259 mainly changed the rules for children. It was laid on 9 July 2026, and most of its changes took effect on 3 August 2026.
A child born in the UK during a parent’s Graduate permission can now apply as a dependant. The child is granted permission in line with that parent. Before the change, only dependants who already held permission on the Student route could do so.
The Appendix FM child route now applies the care requirement in Appendix Children. The care requirement is intended to ensure that a child’s living and care arrangements in the UK are safe, suitable and compliant with UK legislation. Part 8 rules for a child joining a relative were also aligned with the clearer approach used in Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection).
What changed in the October 2026 immigration rules (HC 584)?
HC 584 widened what counts as a breach of immigration laws and expanded what visitors can do. It was laid on 3 September 2026, and most of its changes took effect on 8 October 2026.
Paragraph SUI 11.4 of Part Suitability now includes an applicant who has “acted to frustrate immigration controls as set out in SUI 11.7”. SUI 11.7 lists conduct by an applicant aged 18 or over, including:
- failing to cooperate with the redocumentation, arrest or removal process;
- using a false identity or multiple identities;
- failing to report as required, or absconding from immigration custody or bail;
- obtaining benefits, employment, private rented accommodation, goods or services they were not entitled to; and
- participating in immigration-related crime.
That conduct can now be relied on to refuse an application made in the UK, as well as an application for entry clearance. The change applies to applications made on or after 8 October 2026.
A visitor on a Standard Visitor visa can now attend workshops, debates and skills competitions under Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities. The visitor must still meet the eligibility requirements in Appendix V: Visitor. The Rules also confirm a single period to enrol biometrics, even where an application is varied.
HC 584 also amended the EU Settlement Scheme, among other UK Immigration Rules HC 584 changes. For dependent children on the Hong Kong BN(O) route, it removed the five-year continuous residence requirement for settlement.
Which immigration rule changes are still to come in 2026?
Three further changes in HC 584 take effect before the end of 2026. For the first two, an application made before the change date is decided under the earlier rules.
From 29 October 2026, the Minister of Religion and Religious Worker routes change. The Student maintenance requirement rises on 30 November 2026. It goes from £1,529 to £1,570 a month in London, and from £1,171 to £1,203 a month elsewhere. From 9 December 2026, the EU Settlement Scheme no longer allows a biometric residence permit to be used as proof of identity and nationality.
What changes for settlement on 26 March 2027?
The English language requirement for settlement rises from B1 to B2. It applies to applications made on or after 26 March 2027, including indefinite leave to remain as a partner.
Appendix KoLL of the Immigration Rules sets the required level at B1 for an application made before 26 March 2027. From that date, the required level is B2. Paragraph E-ILRP.1.6 of Appendix FM requires a partner applying for indefinite leave to remain to meet Appendix KoLL. The Home Office’s explanatory memorandum confirms that the change applies to people already on a pathway to settlement.
Whether the higher English requirement for UK settlement applies depends on the date of application, not the date the partner first came to the UK. Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team can confirm the earliest date on which a partner can apply for indefinite leave to remain as a partner.
Has earned settlement changed the ILR rules?
No. Earned settlement is still a proposal, and the qualifying periods for indefinite leave to remain have not changed.
The Home Office consulted on earned settlement between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation proposed that settlement be earned by demonstrating sustained good conduct, contribution and integration, rather than granted automatically after a fixed period. No outcome has been published, and none of the three Statements of Changes made in 2026 introduces earned settlement.
On 15 September 2026, the Home Secretary told the Home Affairs Committee that the new settlement policy would be set out “later this year”. The Home Secretary also said that “the rules that apply to you are the rules in force at the point of your application”. Transitional arrangements for people already on a route are still to be decided.
Until new rules are laid, the proposals for earned settlement for indefinite leave to remain have no effect on an application. Paragraph E-ILRP.1.3 of Appendix FM still requires at least five years (60 months) of continuous residence as a partner.
Frequently asked questions
Does a change to the Immigration Rules affect an application already submitted?
It depends on the change. Many changes in the 2026 Statements include a saving provision, so an application made before the change took effect is decided under the earlier rules. Others have no saving provision, so the saving wording in each Statement should be checked.
Where are changes to the Immigration Rules published?
Each change is published as a Statement of Changes laid before Parliament, with an explanatory memorandum.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
A change to the Immigration Rules can turn an application that would have been granted into one that is refused. The notice given can be only a few weeks. The date on which an application is made decides which version of the Rules applies. Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team is experienced, approachable and professional. The team prepares work, visit, partner, settlement and citizenship applications and tracks each change to the Rules as it takes effect.
To discuss how the 2026 changes affect your application, call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Disclaimer: The material in this article is provided for guidance and general information only and is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice upon which you should rely. In particular, the information should not be used as a substitute for a full and proper consultation with a suitably qualified professional. UK Immigration Rules are subject to change. Please do contact the Whytecroft Ford team if you require further advice.
