New Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules 9th July 2026 has been published today. We outline the main changes below but we also recommend reading the full statement via link above.
Immigration rules Part 8: Changes to provisions for children
The Immigration Rules currently allow a child to come to or stay in the United Kingdom to live with a relative in certain circumstances.
Under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules, a child can join or stay with a relative who is settled in the United Kingdom where there are “serious and compelling circumstances”. The broad drafting creates a lack of clarity on when a child should join a relative in the UK, and is inconsistent with the approach on similar routes.
Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection) allows a child to join a relative with protection status in the UK if the child has no parent or other family member who can reasonably care for them. This amendment aligns Part 8 with the clearer approach in Appendix Child Relative to provide consistency across the immigration system.
In addition, Home Office is making a minor change to clarify when a child can join a settled parent in the United Kingdom when their other parent is in the United Kingdom with limited leave (or being granted leave). This minor amendment aligns Paragraphs 297 and 298 with CHI 4.3.(b) of Appendix Children and provides consistency of approach across Part 8 and Appendix Children.
Appendix EU – deadline clarification for family members of a qualifying British citizen
The change made to the EU Settlement Scheme in Appendix EU confirms that, where pre-settled status under the scheme as a family member of a qualifying British citizen has been varied into another form of immigration permission, the person can still apply for settled status under the scheme. They can do so at any point before the date of expiry of that other permission or later where there are reasonable grounds for their delay in applying.
Changes to Part Suitability requirements in regard to the effect of being on Immigration Bail on future applications
This change ensures that, where an applicant is eligible to apply under the Exception for Overstayers (SUI13.1), their application is not refused solely on the basis that they are on immigration bail and can instead be considered on its merits.
Amendments to Appendix Graduate relating to UK-Born children
This amendment will allow a child born in the UK during a parent’s current grant of Graduate route permission to apply as a dependant, and be granted permission in line with the parent.
Under the current Rules, dependant eligibility on the Graduate route is limited to dependants who already held permission under the Student route. The Rules do not make provision for a child born in the UK during a parent’s Graduate permission, which has resulted in a small cohort of UK-born children having no clear, Rules-based route to regularise their status in line with their parent.
The amendment addresses the above gap through a change that aligns with the structure of the Graduate route, without expanding dependant eligibility from overseas or creating a route to settlement.
Electronic Travel Authorisation – amendment to criminality provisions
Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) were introduced by the Home Office in 2023 to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK. An ETA is a permission to travel to the UK, not an entry clearance.
Currently, paragraphs ETA 2.2(a) and ETA 5.2(a) of Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation provide that an application for an ETA must be refused and an ETA held by a person must be cancelled, respectively, on criminality grounds where the applicant or the person granted an ETA has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. These provisions do not include ‘suspended’ sentences.
Recent changes to paragraphs SUI 5.1(a) and SUI 5.2(a) of the Immigration Rules: Part Suitability provide that an application for entry clearance or permission must also be refused (and an entry clearance or permission held by a person must be cancelled) on criminality grounds where the applicant or the holder of the entry clearance or permission has been handed a suspended sentence of 12 months or more.
These changes to paragraphs ETA 2.2(a) and ETA 5.2(a) of Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation reflect the recent amendments to the criminality provisions in paragraphs SUI 5.1(a) and SUI 5.2(a) of Part Suitability.
By including ‘suspended’ sentences as criminality grounds for refusal and cancellation of ETAs, Home Office aligns the criminality provisions in Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation with the rest of the Immigration Rules.