Immigration Rules
A collection of the current Immigration Rules.
The Immigration Rules are some of the most important pieces of legislation that make up the UK’s immigration law. They are updated on a regular basis and all changes can be found in the Immigration Rules: statement of changes.
The rules are divided into different documents. The index page will help you find the part you need.
You can view the archived copies of the consolidated Immigration Rules as they were on the date before each statement of changes came into effect.
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Immigration Rules: Index
The rules are divided into different documents. The index page will help you find the part you need.
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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.
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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).
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Immigration Rules part 2: transitional provisions
Transitional provisions Part 2 and Appendix V: Immigration Rules for Visitors.
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Immigration Rules part 3: students
Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for studies.
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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).
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Immigration Rules part 5: working in the UK
Persons seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for employment (paragraphs 128A to 199B).
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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).
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Immigration Rules part 6A: the points-based system
Points-based system (paragraphs 245AAA to 245ZZE).
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Immigration Rules part 7: other categories
Other Categories (paragraphs A246 to 276BVI).
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Immigration Rules part 8: family members
Family members (paragraphs A277 to 319Y).
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Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal
Grounds for the refusal
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Immigration Rules part 11: asylum
Asylum (paragraphs 326A to 352H).
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Immigration Rules part 11A: temporary protection
Temporary protection
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Immigration Rules part 11B
Asylum
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Immigration Rules part 12: Procedure and rights of appeal
Procedure and rights of appeal
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Immigration Rules part 13: deportation
Deportation (paragraphs A362 to 400).
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Immigration Rules part 14: stateless persons
Stateless persons
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Immigration Rules Appendix A: attributes
Points needed for attributes for applicants in Tiers 1, 2, and 5 of the points-based system.
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Immigration Rules Appendix AR: administrative review
Administrative Review
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Immigration Rules Appendix AR (EU)
Administrative Review for the EU Settlement Scheme
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Immigration Rules Appendix Armed Forces
Rules for members of the armed forces, civilian employees and their families.
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Immigration Rules Appendix B: English language
English Language
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Immigration Rules Appendix C: maintenance (funds) Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
Maintenance (funds)
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Immigration Rules Appendix E
Appendix E applies only to applications as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant
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Immigration Rules Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay
Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay
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Immigration Rules Appendix ECAA Settlement
ECAA nationals and settlement
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Immigration Rules Appendix EU
EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens and family members
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Immigration Rules Appendix EU (Family Permit)
Appendix EU (Family Permit)
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Immigration Rules Appendix F: archived Immigration Rules
Archived Immigration Rules
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Immigration Rules Appendix FM: family members
Family members
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Immigration Rules Appendix FM-SE: family members specified evidence
Family members - specified evidence
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Immigration Rules Appendix KoLL
Knowledge of language and life.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix SN: Service of notices
Service of notices
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Immigration Rules Appendix Settlement Protection
Settlement for people on a protection route
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Immigration Rules Appendix T: tuberculosis screening
Tuberculosis screening.
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Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor
Immigration Rules for Visitors
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Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities
Permitted Activities for Visitors
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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
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Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List
List of Permit Free Festivals
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Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme
Immigration rules for Visa Nationals transiting the UK landside without a visa.
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Immigration Rules Appendix S2 Healthcare Visitor
Immigration Rules for S2 Healthcare Visitors
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Immigration Rules: Appendix Student
Student route
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Immigration Rules Appendix Short-term Student (English language)
Immigration Rules for Short-term Students
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Immigration Rules Appendix Child Student
Immigration Rules for Child Students
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Immigration Rules Appendix Parent of a Child Student
Parent of a Child Student
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker
The Skilled Worker route is for employers to recruit people to work in the UK in a specific job. A Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from a Home Office-approved sponsor.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations
Eligible occupation codes and going rates for Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Scale-up routes
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Immigration Rules Appendix Shortage Occupation List
Shortage Occupations for the Skilled Worker route
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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.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business
Immigration Rules for Representative of an Overseas Business
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Immigration Rules Appendix UK Ancestry
Immigration Rules for UK Ancestry
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Immigration Rules Appendix Global Talent
The Global Talent route is for people aged 18 or over in the field of science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology or arts and culture who can show they have exceptional talent or exceptional promise.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes
Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes
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Immigration Rules Appendix High Potential Individual
High Potential Individual
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Immigration Rules Appendix Scale-up
Appendix Scale-up
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator
The Innovator route is for a person seeking to establish a business in the UK based on an innovative, viable and scalable business idea they have generated, or to which they have significantly contributed.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Sports Governing Bodies
Home Office approved Sports Governing Bodies for International Sportsperson applications.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Overseas Domestic Worker
Overseas Domestic Worker
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Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household
Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household
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Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Worker who is a Victim of Modern Slavery
Appendix Domestic Worker who is a Victim of Modern Slavery
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Immigration Rules Appendix Domestic Worker Statement
Appendix Domestic Worker Statement
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme
The Youth Mobility Scheme provides a cultural exchange programme that allows a person aged between 18 and 30, from participating countries and territories, to experience life in the UK for up to 2 years.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme: eligible nationals
Countries and territories participating in the Youth Mobility Scheme and annual allocation of places for 2022.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 no more than 12 or 24- months (depending on the scheme).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)
The Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route has two routes – the BN(O) Status Holder route and the BN(O) Household Member route.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine Scheme
Ukraine Scheme
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix English Language
This Appendix sets out how the English language requirement is met.
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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.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Finance
This Appendix sets out how the financial requirement must be met.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Continuous Residence
This Appendix sets out how the continuous residence requirement is met.
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Immigration Rules Appendix Relationship with Partner
Relationship with Partner