UK immigration rules, kept current.
An independent guide to studying, working and settling in the UK — every page checked against GOV.UK sources and dated, so you know exactly how fresh the information is.
Start with a route
- British citizenship by naturalisation From ILR to a British passport: residence and absence limits, the good character test, £1,839 in fees — and what to check about your own nationality law first.
- Settlement: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Permanent residence in the UK: the 5-year routes, absence rules, the £3,226 fee, English rising to B2 in 2027 and the earned settlement proposal.
- Spouse and partner visa Joining a British citizen or settled partner: the £29,000 financial requirement, English tests, the 5-year route to ILR and unmarried partners.
- Student visa CAS, money requirements, work rights and who can bring family — the main route for courses with a licensed UK education provider.
- Skilled Worker visa Sponsorship, the £41,700 salary threshold, degree-level job requirement, B2 English and the path to settlement — the UK's main work visa explained.
- Hong Kong BN(O) visa The route for British National (Overseas) status holders and their households: no job or salary test, £206/£285 fees, and settlement after 5 years.
Weighing two routes?
- Graduate visa vs Skilled Worker visa Unsponsored time after your degree, or a sponsored job that counts towards settlement: how the two routes differ and how people move from one to the other.
- Skilled Worker visa vs Global Talent visa A sponsored job with a salary threshold, or an endorsement that frees you from both: how the two main skilled routes differ in requirements, flexibility and settlement.
- Global Talent visa vs Innovator Founder visa Two endorsement routes without a sponsor: one built on your track record, the other on a business plan. How they differ in freedom, obligations and settlement speed.
By nationality
- UK visas for Indian citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, proving English, the India Young Professionals Scheme, the routes Indian applicants use most, and the dual-nationality question.
- UK visas for Chinese citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, the ATAS certificate, proving English, the routes Chinese applicants use most, and what naturalising means for Chinese nationality.
- UK visas for Nigerian citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, proving English despite an English-language education, and the rule changes that hit Nigerian students and care workers.
- UK visas for Pakistani citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, proving English, the family and student routes Pakistani applicants use most, and the dual-nationality position at citizenship.
- UK visas for US citizens ETA for visits, no TB or English test, the work, talent and family routes Americans use most, and the settlement and citizenship position for US nationals.
- UK visas for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens Moving to the UK now versus the EU Settlement Scheme, the ETA, passports not ID cards, Irish citizens, and the routes Europeans have used since 2021.
- UK visas for GCC citizens ETA not a visa for citizens of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, no TB test, English evidence, government-sponsored study, and dual nationality.
- UK visas for Australian, Canadian and New Zealand citizens ETA for visits, no English or TB test, Youth Mobility to age 35, the UK Ancestry visa through a UK-born grandparent, and the settlement path for the three nationalities.
- UK visas for Hong Kong residents ETA for HKSAR passports but not BN(O), the BN(O) route, the Youth Mobility ballot, the TB test, the English requirement, and Chinese nationality at citizenship.
- UK visas for Bangladeshi citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, proving English, the student and family routes Bangladeshi applicants use most, and dual nationality at citizenship.
- UK visas for Filipino citizens Visitor visa not ETA, the TB test, proving English for nurses and other workers, the health and care routes Filipinos use most, and keeping Philippine citizenship.
Recent and upcoming rule changes
- BN(O) dependent children no longer need 5 years' continuous residence to settle Takes effect 8 October 2026 · Hong Kong BN(O)
- EUSS: joining family members must apply within 3 months of their latest entry; travel permit route closed Takes effect 8 October 2026 · EU Settlement Scheme
- Skilled Workers recognised as modern slavery victims may work for any employer Takes effect 8 October 2026 · Skilled Worker
- Visitors may attend rehearsals, workshops and debates; training no longer has to be unavailable at home Takes effect 8 October 2026 · Standard Visitor, ETA