The UK Government has announced significant changes to the Immigration Rules due to come into effect between 16th and 29th July 2025. These updates impact various areas including the EU Settlement Scheme, refugee and humanitarian protection, private life, and long residence provisions, among others.
EU Settlement Scheme: A More Flexible Approach (Effective 16 July 2025)
A new definition of "continuous qualifying period" will be introduced for holders of pre-settled status. Under the revised rule, applicants can now demonstrate their eligibility for settled status by proving 30 months of presence in the UK within any 60-month period, replacing the more rigid absence-focused criteria. This change brings greater flexibility and fairness for individuals with legitimate reasons for spending time abroad, such as education, family care, or illness.
Part 9 of the UK Immigration Rules: Refugee and Humanitarian Exclusion (Effective 16 July 2025)
The scope of the restricted leave policy will be expanded so that it becomes the only form of leave available to individuals excluded from refugee status under paragraphs 339AA (exclusion under Article 1F of the 1951 Refugee Convention), 339AC (danger to the UK), 339D (exclusion from humanitarian protection), or 339GB (revocation of humanitarian protection on exclusion grounds) of the Immigration Rules. This will be implemented through amendments to Part 9, which will prevent leave being granted on any alternative basis.
International Armed Forces & Civilian Employees (from 17 July)
The rules have been updated to allow up to 50 US Department of Energy civilian employees and their sub-contractors to enter the UK and work on US military equipment immediately—permission can now be granted at the border instead of requiring pre-entry clearance. The update facilitates urgent international cooperation and strengthens national defence readiness.
Private Life & Continuous Residence Rules (Effective 29 July 2025)
Private Life (Appendix PL)
Settlement eligibility is expanded to young adults who meet the "half-life" test and previously held leave under Appendix FM or outside the rules before 20 June 2022. It will also be extended to children who had dependent child leave prior to 20 June 2022, now eligible after just five years' residence, aligning them with existing concessions.
A new rule—PL 15A—details settlement requirements for UK-born children, including continuous residence, permitted absences, and good character considerations.
Continuous Residence (Appendix CR)
The section has been fully redrafted for clarity. A key change includes recognition of time spent in Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey) with equivalent immigration status, now counting towards UK lawful residence.
Long Residence (Appendix Long Residence)
It has now been clarified that time spent as a British citizen counts as lawful residence unless that citizenship is later deprived. This offers greater certainty in long residence applications and ensures consistency in how residence is counted.
Minor and Technical Corrections
A range of small drafting changes will also come into effect, aiming to enhance consistency across the Rules, such as improved paragraph references and formatting.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
