Statement of Changes HC 584, published on 3 September 2026, amends the Immigration Rules, with most changes taking effect on 8 October 2026 and others on 29 October, 30 November and 9 December 2026.
Key facts
- Who: Applicants and sponsors under the routes amended in the statement, including Visitor, Appendix FM, Appendix EU, Appendix EU (Family Permit), Skilled Worker, Student, Child Student, Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas), Appendix Long Residence and Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse. Minister of Religion and Temporary Work – Religious Worker are also amended.
- From: 8 October 2026 for most paragraphs; 29 October, 30 November and 9 December 2026 for others
- Source: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584, 3 September 2026
The statement sets out its changes under an Implementation section that groups paragraphs by in-force date.
Paragraphs taking effect on 8 October 2026 without a transitional provision include INTRO1 and INTRO2, APP A1 to APP A32, APP AR1, APP AR(EU)1, APP EU1 to APP EU15, APP EU(FP)1 to APP EU(FP)3, APP SW1 and APP SW2, APP SU1 to APP SU4, APP HK1, APP CRP1 to APP CRP4, APP LR1 to APP LR3 and APP VDA1 to APP VDA4. These include the deletion of Appendix AR (EU) and a change to paragraph 35 of Appendix A, which now requires 75 points for attributes for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant.
A second group also takes effect on 8 October 2026. For these, any application for entry clearance, for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), for permission to enter or stay, any claim, or any application for administrative review made before that date is decided under the rules in force on 7 October 2026. The group covers INTRO3 to INTRO11, paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2, APP SUI1 and APP SUI2, APP FM1, APP V1 to APP V4, APP PA1 to APP PA7, most of the Student changes (APP ST1 to APP ST7 and APP ST11 to APP ST14), APP CS1 and APP CS2, APP GAES1 and APP GAES2, and APP PL1.
Examples from this group:
- Fee waivers (paragraph 34G(4)): where an online application follows a fee waiver request, the application date is the date the request is submitted, as long as either (a) the completed application for permission to stay is submitted within 10 working days of receiving the fee waiver decision, or (b) a paid application for permission to stay is made before the fee waiver decision is received. In both cases the application must be for the route for which the waiver was requested.
- Suitability (SUI 11.4): a new ground, (e), covers acting to frustrate immigration controls as set out in SUI 11.7.
- Appendix FM: new GEN.1.9(a)(iia) applies to applicants in the Family Returns Process.
- Appendix V: Visitor: new requirements apply to visitors studying or undertaking activities under the Erasmus+ programme, including written parental and institutional permission for under-18s on a Traineeship or Job shadowing.
The same transitional rule applies to APP MOR1 to APP MOR10 and APP RW1 to APP RW10 from 29 October 2026, and to APP ST8 to APP ST10 from 30 November 2026. APP EU16 takes effect on 9 December 2026.
What this means for applicants
Check which paragraph group covers your route and the date it takes effect. For the groups with a transitional provision, an application made before the in-force date is decided under the rules in force the day before. An application made on or after that date is decided under the amended rules.
For fee waivers, the date of the waiver request counts as the application date only if the completed application is submitted within 10 working days of the waiver decision, or a paid application is made before the decision is received. The application must be for the route for which the waiver was requested. If an application is made on a different route, the application date is the date that application is submitted (paragraph 34G(5)).
Related guide
Sources
- Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584, 3 September 2026, Home Office, published 3 September 2026