A Statement of Changes (‘SoC’) to the Immigration Rules (HC 1491) was published on 9 December 2025 and can be read here, alongside its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship’s written statement to Parliament on the SoC (HC 1491) can also be accessed here. Except for the visit visa requirement for Nauru, changes to Service Providers from Switzerland, and the introduction of a new Appendix AR(EU), the changes below take effect on 30 December 2025.
Introduction of a Visit Visa requirement for Nauru
Visa requirement imposed on Nauru, from 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, 9 December 2025.
Once again, this is a departure from the convention that changes to the Immigration Rules should be laid in Parliament for at least 21 days before coming into effect.
Nauru has been added to the visa national list and removed from the ETA National List, preventing visa-free travel with an ETA. Paragraph 5.4 of the Explanatory Memorandum notes that this requirement was introduced due to Nauru’s recent Citizenship by Investment programme:
‘It is our assessment that the design of Nauru’s Citizenship by Investment programme is particularly vulnerable to misuse. In its present design, it poses an unsustainable risk of being exploited by criminal actors or individuals seeking to circumvent UK immigration controls without genuine intent to comply with UK law.’
However, there is a transition period for nationals or citizens of Nauru, who hold a confirmed booking to the UK made before 15:00 GMT on 9 December 2025 where arrival in the UK is no later than 15:00 GMT on 20 January 2026. Nationals or citizens who hold confirmed bookings for travel to the UK on a date after the transition period ends will need to obtain a visa in advance of travel. Paragraph 5.10 of the Explanatory Memorandum further clarifies that the introduction of the visa requirement will be ‘accompanied by amendments to the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014, to ensure that nationals of Nauru will require a direct airside transit visa (DATV) when conducting airside transit travel (unless they fall within one of the exceptions set out in Article 4 of the Order)’.
Closure of the Service Providers from Switzerland route
The Service Providers from Switzerland route, created in December 2020 under the UK-Switzerland Citizens’ Rights Agreement to allow UK and Swiss companies to continue servicing certain pre-existing cross-border contracts, will also close on 31 December 2025 and any pending application for entry clearance or administrative review under this route will be rejected as invalid from 1 January 2026.
Changes relating to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
Changes to Appendix EU alter the grounds for cancelling pre-settled status at the border (in paragraph A3.3 of Annex 3), adding where the Secretary of State or an Immigration Officer is satisfied that it is proportionate to cancel that leave where: ‘Cancellation is justified on grounds that it is more likely than not that, after the specified date, the person has assisted another person fraudulently to obtain, or to attempt to obtain, entry clearance to, or leave to enter or remain in, the UK.’
Additionally, changes to Appendix EU (Family Permit) will allow a person with pre-settled or settled status under the EUSS (evidenced by the Home Office reference number) to obtain an EUSS travel permit if they are not a British citizen and they are need to travel to the UK within six months of the date of their application. ILPA welcomes the Home Office introducing a procedure intended to help EUSS status holders who are unable to update their UKVI account, for instance, with the details of their new travel document, from outside of the UK.
A new Appendix AR (EU) will also be introduced from 1 January 2026. If members note any substantive policy changes, we would be grateful if they could flag them to ILPA’s Legal team.
Other Minor Changes
Additional minor updates include technical adjustments to clarify existing rules and correct earlier oversights, including the previous drafting error contained in SoC HC 1333, concerning Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse, raised by Rights of Women and mentioned here.
Paragraph 352ZC(b) of the Rules is amended to explicitly state that leave for unaccompanied children seeking asylum under the age of 17.5 will only be considered after an applicant has been refused refugee status or humanitarian protection. Currently, the paragraph states they must have applied for and not been granted such status or protection.
Amendments are also made to the Appendix FM, Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, Appendix Adoption routes to rectify and clarify earlier consequential changes resulting from the introduction of Part Suitability in November 2025 (HC 1333). It appears that some of these changes have been made to the Immigration Rules, despite this set of changes only taking effect on 30 December 2025.
A small revision has likewise been made to Appendix ECAA Settlement, restoring the requirement for business persons under the European Community Association Agreement to show they can support their family members without relying on public funds, a provision paragraph 5.19 of the Explanatory Memorandum states was ‘inadvertently deleted’ on 31 December 2020 by SoC HC 813.
A number of small revisions have also been made to Appendix Statelessness, including to make provisions for applicants whose partners have settled or become a British Citizen, providing the partner had permission to stay on the statelessness route when they settled, and the applicant had permission as their partner at that time.
Other minor changes and cosmetic amendments are also being made to align drafting across the Immigration Rules.
- Document Date
- Thursday December 11, 2025