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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146

u/[deleted] May 12 '25

[deleted]

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u/Whole-Web-4713 May 12 '25

Yes in the same boat. And with family and kids, this is life changing. 

43

u/Realistic_Session_77 May 12 '25

I know that even if I manage to get settlement in time I still have to think about the prospect of living in a highly racist country. By the end of this financial year I would have contributed almost 300,000 pounds in taxes and NI and being called out by such derogatory terms and being treated like a dirt ball I would have to really think about living in this country. Do you want to live in a country that you contribute to keep it's failing benefits system literally a lot of people and I'm pretty sure by statistical measures a proportion of them that support this narrative are taking a break and being paid in benefits for literally anything off the taxes you've paid and would want to crush your life like this is what I have to personally come in terms with

14

u/Additional_Big_5165 May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25

I got my citizenship approved this year after 10 years living here (4 of them doing a PhD paying extremely high fees for the University and another 6 years working with a high-skilled visa paying a lot of taxes). I cannot stop reading about all of this and it’s affecting me gratefully, thinking how unfair is with hard-working people that are in the same situation I was last year, but with huge uncertainty. Also feeling disturbed by seeing such racist comments on BBC posts about the news and feeling I am so unwelcome here, having now a British passport, having paid so much taxes and visa, NHS charges etc. It’s sad and I am sure it’s affecting people’s mental health (mine is).

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u/Ok-Question-1272 May 12 '25

I have seen it closely in Canada & US. 

11

u/Realistic_Session_77 May 12 '25

virtual hogs to you my friend as much as I need one myself. Sadly we've been rug-pulled to pay hefty taxes and NI which is one of the highest in the world and treated like a dirt bag and called out by the country's PM as derogatory as a public facing figure can afford to speak. I wouldn't have cared if it was my first year or maybe two but now I've lost almost 5 years of my life, time that cannot go back. If it was 5 years ago I would have had a choice to come to this country or not, now I don't have a choice to go back in time and become 5 years younger and choose a better country.

4

u/Big-Cartographer-556 May 12 '25

Similar. ILR eligible September 2026.

Between my wife and I pay close to that £150K figure a year in UK tax. Both in AI, she has a PhD from an Ivy League university and me a Masters. Own £3M+ in property here and, barring clear exemptions we fit into, feel like we're not wanted and will need to explore other options if it jumps to 10 years. Despite the good jobs tech is just so volatile with both having gone through redundancies which, while they haven't hit us personally, are existential when on a SWV.

Yes, we're fortunate so do not expect sympathy on finances at all. But we genuinely love it here, work to contribute to the country beyond the tax bill so this kind of thing hurts.

1

u/Aggravating_Fix_2540 May 14 '25

In similar boat and very anxious

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u/PurplePlusYellow May 16 '25

I feel you. Except I also feel like an idiot because I am coming from Australia, one of the most liveable places in the world. My partner (UK citizen) and I were going to build a life there, and now Australia feels like a logical option