Immigrating to the UK

The problem I have is that renewing my visa is very costly, and I don't think many will be able to foot that bill a 2nd time with such short notice.

Also, it raises so many questions, if I'm a high earner, and my partner is not a high earner - do we now have different timelines to ILR... and what about my kids, do they follow my path or her path?

And then when I become british citizen, does her visa have to change? (and again the kids)

I'll be watching this very closely as it could get really messy and complicated.
 
2026 said:
The problem I have is that renewing my visa is very costly, and I don't think many will be able to foot that bill a 2nd time with such short notice.

Also, it raises so many questions, if I'm a high earner, and my partner is not a high earner - do we now have different timelines to ILR... and what about my kids, do they follow my path or her path?

And then when I become british citizen, does her visa have to change? (and again the kids)

I'll be watching this very closely as it could get really messy and complicated.
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All valid questions.

Are you here on skilled worker visas?

I’m on a family visa and I believe they’ll be exempt from any changes.
 
Ive consulted with all the big names in the immigration space. Ive been told its highly likely new rules will be for new visas only.

If not the case it will most certainly be challenged in court
 
Tman* said:
Ive consulted with all the big names in the immigration space. Ive been told its highly likely new rules will be for new visas only.

If not the case it will most certainly be challenged in court
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I’m not convinced of that. The government are concerned how many immigrants let in under the last administration will be eligible for citizenship and that’s what brought all this change about.

But all those immigration people and including us can only guess.

Let’s see what happens next week.
 
2026 said:
Ancestral visa, which I believe will be subject to the new rules.
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Under the current rules your partner can apply for ILR at the same time as you regardless of how long they have been here. Based on what was noted in the consultation this will remain the same so your partner and children would fall under your settlement period.
If the goal is to lesson the burden on public funds then it would not make sense for this to change under the earned settlement model which in part looks to address lower income migrants who claim benefits(housing and other) as soon as they reach settlement.
 
Setting out the government’s “earned settlement” policy in the House of Commons, Mahmood said the time a person must live in the UK before qualifying would be determined by the contribution they have made, judged on public service as well as pay. Settlement has typically come after five years, which she described as “a right accrued with little expectation of responsibility”.

“Settlement should not be automatic. It should be earned,” she told MPs.

Four bars to settlement

Applicants will be disqualified if they have a criminal record, cannot speak English to a high standard, owe unpaid debt to the British taxpayer, or have not made at least three years of National Insurance contributions.

Faster routes for high earners and key workers

A five-year route will remain open to people earning more than £50,000 and to those working in healthcare and education, including doctors, nurses and teachers. Additional rate taxpayers earning more than £125,000, and people on the UK’s highest talent visa schemes, will be able to apply after three years.

Everyone else, including all those earning less than £50,000, will be placed on a 10-year path, renewing their temporary visas until they qualify. Those who commit an immigration breach will see their wait extended to 20 years, while anyone who has claimed benefits must have gone five continuous years without relying on the state before applying.

Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas), members of the armed forces, people with a British connection and those on legacy routes such as Windrush will keep their current route.

Care workers recognised

More than 200,000 people responded to the government’s consultation, many raising concerns about social care workers. Between 2022 and 2025, 250,000 people and their dependants arrived on or switched into the care visa route.

Mahmood said the route had been abused by “fraudulent and exploitative companies” and by people who came knowing there was no job for them, blaming the previous Conservative government for having “lost control entirely” of the borders. However, care workers who kept to the terms of their visa, earning £25,000 a year in the sector, will be able to settle on their existing five-year path.

Up to 30 years for small boat arrivals

The biggest changes apply to refugees. Mahmood said the British public wanted to keep welcoming “genuine refugees”, but that there was “nothing fair about allowing unsafe and illegal entry into this country”. She pointed to people smugglers, deaths of women and children in the Channel and the £4 billion a year British taxpayers spend on asylum support.

Refugees who arrive through the government’s new safe and legal routes will be placed on a five-year path to settlement, the same as higher earners. Those who do not arrive by a safe and legal route will face a standard qualifying period of 20 years, with a further 10 years added for those who enter illegally, such as by small boat.

To encourage integration, refugees in work or study will be able to cut their wait by 10 years. This means a refugee who did not arrive by small boat and is working or studying could qualify after 10 years.
 
2026 said:
Ancestral visa, which I believe will be subject to the new rules.
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I would guess the bib relates to ancestry visas

Dave said:
Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas), members of the armed forces, people with a British connection and those on legacy routes such as Windrush will keep their current route.
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Click to expand...
 
Dave said:
I would guess the bib relates to ancestry visas
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I hope so, it's still a bit ambiguous though.

Having said that, I earn enough for the 5 year route, and being the primary visa applicant I assume the rest of my family has the same route as me
 
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