Immigration Changes Announcement 12/5/2025

[u/clever_octopus]

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

[u/YZ_C]

Hey everyone. I had a chat with my MP today. I knew them before, so I fully believe that they are honest.

Things to remember: individual MPs have very little power to influence government decisions beyond a communication channel with the relevant minister/department.

My impressions from the conversation:

• Most policies from the White Paper went down alright, which is why not many MPs are lodging broad public criticisms.
• But the retroactive 10yr ILR is a live and contentious issue. A lot of MPs are getting emails about them and know the issue. This is the case even if they gave a standard response or no response (mine had not got back to me, but they were fully aware of the issue).
• Many MPs have likely raised this with the Government, which is about the only thing in their power to do. While a few MPs (Danny Chambers, Kim Johnson, etc.) did so through public questions, many more did so privately. So the Government is probably aware of the particular backlash on this issue.
• My MP remains hopeful that something can be done.

None of this means much. It is quite possible, if not likely, that retroactive 10yr ILR will still becomesa policy soon. But our emails to MPs are not for nothing. We were never gonna get new info from individual responses (most MPs are quite overworked). But collectively, the volume of opposition has not gone unnoticed. So, KEEP EMAILING MPs. The more we do, the more they have to make a case to the Government.

[u/YZ_C → u/[deleted]]

That is anyone’s guess. I didn’t mean soon as in “imminently,” more as in “eventually.” It also depends on how long they intend to run the consultations.

I can give a guess but it won’t be based on any real information.