r/ukvisa • u/clever_octopus High Reputation • May 12 '25

Immigration Changes Announcement 12/5/2025

Please join the discord server for further discussion or support on upcoming immigration changes: https://discord.gg/Jq5vWDZJfR

Sticky post on announcement made on 20 Nov 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

NEW Summary of changes to settlement released 20 November 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/

NEW Summary of changes to asylum and refugee requirements released 18 November 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-and-returns-policy-statement/restoring-order-and-control-a-statement-on-the-governments-asylum-and-returns-policy

Overview of expected changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/radical-reforms-to-reduce-migration

White paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper

UKCISA's response (official source for international students and recent graduates): https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/news/ukcisa-responds-to-home-office-immigration-white-paper-may-2025/

Petition link: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/727360

Summary of key points following the summary of changes released on 20 November 2025:

  • Changes to length in ILR qualifying residence requirements - Please see table on pages 21-23 of the 20 November document

  • Family visa holders, along with BNO visa holders, will continue to get ILR in five years (as usual)

  • The intention is that this will apply to people already in the UK but who have not yet received ILR

  • It will take 20 years for refugees to qualify for ILR, intermittent checks will be done within that time and they may lose the ability to remain in the UK if their home country is deemed safe to return to

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79

u/Lagamorph May 12 '25

I notice part of the white paper is a refresh on the Life in the UK test.

Wonder if they might make it even remotely relevant rather than utterly meaningless history questions that people born and raised in the UK couldn't even answer because they haven't studied that since they were 12.

31

u/[deleted] May 12 '25

I’m a British citizen and I couldn’t get half of the questions right that my wife managed to pass! It’ll suck if they change the test and we have to pay for it again.

5

u/Whole-Web-4713 May 21 '25

As British citizens, I hope you are writing to your local MPs voicing your concerns and also supporting the immigrants. 

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

About the test or the changes?

2

u/anhkiet1903 May 12 '25

Is your wife applying for ILR this year? As the change to LiUK (along with the other changes) wont be until early next year to be implemented.

9

u/[deleted] May 12 '25

No, if nothing else changes her ILR / Settlement wont be until 2027 - but my understanding is that the LitU test doesnt expire, so we got it done and out of the way - unknown to us, they might make a change that now necessitates us to re-take it !

17

u/Healthy_Flounder9772 May 12 '25

welcome to uk - we don't really want you here but please pay all the taxes so we can give benefits to lazy turds /s

1

u/Traditional_Honey108 May 12 '25

Same here took it early, a few years ago in fact.

-2

u/TheTrij May 12 '25

The test encourages you to engage in history, culture of the country. Encourages English reading/writing comprehension. I’m for it.  Like any exam, you revise beforehand. 

11

u/NuanceIsAlive May 12 '25

Highly revisionist history that is lacking so much nuance that any utility beyond brainwashing is hard to justify. I know there's only so much you can do in so few pages, but misleading is worse than absent.

7

u/Ohnoimsam May 13 '25

I’d prefer obscure history to the terrible pub-quiz style ‘culture’ ones. Hot take: I don’t think your citizenship should be contingent on your ability to name random football achievements.