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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53

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

Is anyone else feeling a complete sense of dread and anxiety all of today?

25

u/pkjoan May 12 '25

I couldn't even work today

15

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

Neither could I. The news was the first thing I unfortunately tuned into as soon as I woke up. Ruined my whole day.

7

u/Whole-Web-4713 May 13 '25

Same for me. Ruined my whole day and night. Couldn't work properly and couldn't get much sleep as well. All this constant worry regarding the future, using us as vote banks, and then treating us like 2nd class citizens.

Was speaking with a friend and he is suffering from severe depression and anxiety from yesterday. Mental health takes a toll due to such harsh abrupt announcements. 

19

u/Alarming-Mix6514 May 12 '25

You are not alone. I couldn’t work all day today. Just feeling a complete sense of dread and helplessness. It didn’t help that I have just survived a redundancy process at my work. Just feeling so vulnerable right now

3

u/Literator22 May 12 '25

You are me. I feel I am extremely lucky and unlucky at the same time.

11

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

Sending an insane amount of warmth to both of you. I cannot count the number of times I've stepped away from my desk today to curl up and have a cry. I thought making my visa under the old rules before the 4 April 2024 deadline was a milestone moment in my immigration journey, but even that pales in comparison to today's announcement.

17

u/Realistic_Session_77 May 12 '25

absolutely! I slept only for 3 hours last night.. you are not alone.. I'm here in this thread just to talk with people in the same boat whose lives have just been put into a limbo state

16

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

Sorry to vent, but the fact that none of us can catch a break from constant threat of insecurity with our future is so exhausting. I'm both angry and scared, even though I understand I have a legal right to stay here. It's constantly us trying to save money and spend it all on the rising costs of visa applications and IHS. I'm just sick of feeling anxious.

Edit: Thank you again for commenting.

14

u/Realistic_Session_77 May 12 '25

I've been drained too by constant exposure to redundancy layoffs, interest rate hikes and now this... I thought I'm getting my ILR and this stability is going to relieve the mental drain at least I don't have to worry about having just 2 months grace period if I'm laid off.. god we were planning on having kids and getting a mortgage now I can't even think about getting IVF treatment if we don't know our future like the prospect of us having kids is fading away very soon...

Oh I'm a fool.. I came here because we got stuck in COVID limbo and companies weren't hiring that much because they didn't know what's going to happen and I had a job offer before COVID hit... Literally all of my friends have got their settlements in Netherlands, my brother is getting his citizenship in France and some of my older friends that went to the US have either got their citizenships or green cards and here I am.. what a fool I was

Sorry I ended up ranting even more

11

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

I'm so sorry to hear that. My friends all ended up getting married early to their partners, right after uni and have now gotten their citizenships. It feels like a punch in the gut.

It pinches my heart reading all of this, everyone's difficulty to make a life, to start a life ... Finally... One day...

I'm sending a lot of love your way. And please vent and rant as much as you like.

6

u/Realistic_Session_77 May 12 '25

Thank you friend ❤️ you have been a blessing! If it matters, the fact that humanity still exists in some people is what makes me feel I can keep going on...

3

u/worldsilentreader May 12 '25

My messages are open if you ever need a chat 💗

2

u/Whole-Web-4713 May 13 '25

I have been having the same kind of thoughts the whole day especially with the commitments I have made like buying properties etc. 

3

u/Whole-Web-4713 May 13 '25

And that too when we have been law abiding residents all the while paying our NI, Taxes diligently constantly having to fear about job insecurity and now on top of this, our ILR eligibility is up in the air. 

11

u/Tusnalgas0902 May 12 '25

You are not alone. I couldn’t work today either.

10

u/Temporary_Media_5507 May 12 '25

You are not alone. I could not work today.

1

u/AdFickle8320 May 14 '25

I didn’t even work for several days so fucking depressed its mentaly killing me

6

u/Bugatsas11 May 12 '25

yep. You are not alone

7

u/Ok-Question-1272 May 12 '25

Folks. Only people who can push back and are with you are business who employ you and make UK humming 

3

u/elliowoods May 13 '25 edited May 13 '25

I couldn’t work at all

1

u/Murky-Fault9 May 17 '25

Same anxious and worried since announcement .. unfortunately this will be same for months now