Accredited official statistics

How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently?

Updated 24 September 2020

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This is not the latest release. View latest release.

Data relate to the year ending June 2020, and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2019, unless indicated otherwise.

Some data relate to the second quarter of 2020 – 01 April to 30 June 2020. All comparisons are with the same period in 2019, unless indicated otherwise.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic. A range of restrictions relating to the outbreak began on 12 March 2020, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised advised against all non-essential overseas travel on 17 March 2020, and advised all British travellers to return to the UK on 23 March 2020, the same day as the UK lockdown measures were announced.

Restrictions were put in place across Europe and other parts of the world in the run up to the UK outbreak, which will also have impacted travel to the UK prior to these dates. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the UK immigration system, both in terms of restricting migrant movements to and from the UK and the impact on operational capacity.

Year ending comparisons that follow will reflect the restrictions in place during this period of the pandemic.

This section contains data on:

• Decisions on applications for extensions of temporary stay in the UK
• Decisions on applications for settlement
• Residence documentation issued to EEA nationals and their family members
• Applications and grants of British citizenship

The Home Office publishes monthly updates and quarterly experimental statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), available on GOV.UK. The latest quarterly statistics was published on 27 August 2020 (for the period up to 30 June 2020) and the most recent monthly summary (for July 2020) was published on 13 August 2020.

1. Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Excluding extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, there were 259,560 decisions on applications to extend a person’s stay in the UK (including dependants) in the year ending June 2020, 9% fewer than the year ending June 2019.

Of the total extensions, 248,853 were grants, representing an overall grant rate of 96%.

Table 1: Grants and refusals of extensions of temporary stay in the UK, by reason^1,2

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Study	Family	Other	Total refusals
June 2019	285,384	266,845	95,414	43,325	103,809	24,297	18,539
June 2020	259,560	248,853	94,644	43,232	94,384	16,593	10,707
Change (latest year)	-25,824	-17,992	-770	-93	-9,425	-7,704	-7,832
Percentage change	-9%	-7%	-1%	0%	-9%	-32%	-42%

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01

Notes:

1. Includes extensions granted to NHS, frontline health and care workers whose visas are due to expire before 1 October 2020. Home Office Management Information indicates that up to the end of June 2020, there were 2,163 such extensions granted.
2. ‘Other’ excludes 108,420 extensions granted to individuals who are unable to travel home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19). For further details see ‘The effects of COVID-19 on extensions’ section below. ‘Other’ includes cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Data for 2019 (the latest for which extensions by previous category are available) shows that 29% of people extending their stay switched from one leave group to another (for example Study to Work), while the rest remained within their existing category of leave group.

Table 2: Grants of extensions of stay in 2019, current leave group compared with previous leave group, main applicants only

Source: Extensions – Exe_D02

Work was the most common route in which people extended, with 94,644 extensions in the year ending June 2020, a 1% decrease compared with the previous year. The majority (81%) were extensions in Skilled (Tier 2) work categories. Indian nationals were granted the highest number of all work-related extensions during the year (41% of the total and reflects the higher proportion (49%) of Tier 2 visas issued to Indian nationals).

Data for 2019, show that almost three quarters (74%) of main applicants extending into a Work category were already previously on a Work route, and 15% were in Study.

There were 94,384 family-related grants of extensions in the year ending June 2020, a 9% decrease compared to the previous year. Pakistani, Nigerian and Indian nationals account for two in five (40%) family-related extensions granted over the year.

Data for 2019, show that the majority (57%) of main applicants extending into a family-related category were previously on a Family route, and almost two fifths (39%) were in the ‘Other’ leave group (which includes cases where the previous category has not been recorded).

There were 43,232 study-related extensions granted in the year ending June 2020, a similar level to the previous year (43,325). The nationalities most likely to extend their stay for further study in the UK are broadly consistent with the nationalities granted Entry clearance visas, with Chinese nationals accounting for 61% (or 26,355) of study-related extensions granted during the year.

Data for 2019, show that the overwhelming majority (98%) of main applicants extending into a Study category were previously in Study, suggesting that they are extending or changing their course.

Grants in the Other category fell by nearly a third (-32%) to 16,593 in the year ending June 2020. This excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, which are covered in ‘The effects of COVID-19 on extensions’ section below.

1.1 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of June 2020.

Excluding individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19, the number of extensions granted has fallen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the beginning of restrictions in the UK. There were 19,521 extension granted in the second quarter of 2020, 68% fewer than in the same period in 2019 (60,696). Prior to this, in the first quarter of 2020, there were around 60,176 extensions, down slightly on the 62,711 seen in the same period in 2019.

The decrease from April was linked to moving the operation from one focused on physical presence in the office to one that can be, to a large extent, delivered through remote working.

Figure 1: Number of extensions of leave granted¹ in the UK, by month, January to June, 2019 and 2020

Chart notes:

1. Excludes extensions granted to individuals who were unable to leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19

On the 31 March 2020, the government announced that NHS frontline workers visas would be extended. On 29 April 2020, it was announced that frontline health and care workers would also receive visa extensions. Up to the end of June 2020, Home Office Management Information indicates there were 2,163 extensions granted under these policies.

In addition to those granted extensions under existing policies, a separate policy for those currently unable to return home due to COVID-19 was announced on 17 February 2020, which was further extended on 24 March 2020 and 22 May 2020. Up to the end of June 2020, there were 108,420 COVID-19 related extensions granted, to individuals who were unable to travel home at the end of their current visa. Chinese and Indian nationals account for over three quarters (77%) of these grants.

Table 3: COVID-19 related extensions granted to individuals who were unable to travel home at the end of their current visa, Top 5 nationalities

Nationality	Grants
China	71,249
India	12,708
Nigeria	3,275
Pakistan	1,548
United States	1,203
Other nationalities	18,437
Total	108,420

Source: Subset of the Other category in Extensions – Exe_D01

2. Settlement

There were 86,255 decisions on applications for settlement in the UK from non-EEA nationals in the year ending June 2020, a 3% decrease on the year ending June 2019. Of these, 83,641 (97%) resulted in a grant.

Trends in numbers applying for settlement will in part reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier. In the latest year there were increases in settlement grants for:

• Family reasons (up 18% to 23,759), reflecting family rule changes in July 2012 that increased the qualifying period for settlement from 2 to 5 years; individuals on a 5-year route to settlement following the rule change are now becoming eligible to apply (further information about the rules changes are available at: ‘Family and private life immigration rule changes 9 July 2012’)
• Skilled (Tier 2) work, down 13% to 17,653 and High Value (Tier 1) work up 10% to 5,369
• Asylum-related reasons (up 36% to 22,549) - the asylum category accounted for over a quarter (27%) of settlement grants in the year ending June 2020

There was a decrease in settlement grants to those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave (down 46% to 11,546). This continued the downward trend since 2018 but with a particularly sharp drop in the second quarter of 2020 (66%) compared to the same time last year.

Table 4: Grants and refusals of settlement in the UK, by reason^1,2

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Work	Asylum	Family	Other	Refusals
June 2019	89,097	86,079	27,907	16,621	20,096	21,455	3,018
June 2020	86,255	83,641	25,787	22,549	23,759	11,546	2,614
Change: latest 12 months	-2,842	-2,438	-2,120	+5,928	+3,663	-9,909	-404
Percentage change	-3%	-3%	-8%	+36%	+18%	-46%	-13%

Source: Settlement table se_02_q

Notes:

1. The number of decisions in a given year can be affected by changes in casework resource allocation. Such fluctuations can be examined in more detail in the quarterly data that are available in the published Settlement tables.
2. ‘Other’ includes grants on the basis of Long Residence and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a small number of cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

Figure 2: Grants of settlement in the UK, by reason,1 years ending June 2011 to June 2020

Source: Settlement table se_02_q

Notes:

1. Reason relates to type of leave held immediately prior to being granted settlement.

2.1 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of June 2020.

The number of settlement decisions fell significantly at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the beginning of restrictions in the UK. By the second week in April 2020, the daily number of settlement decisions was in line with expected performance against the number of applications received and increased steadily through to June 2020. The decrease in applications from April 2020 was linked to the temporary closure of UK Visa and Citizenship Application Centres (UKVCAS), temporary pause of postal routes and of moving the operation from one focused on physical presence in the office to one that can be, to a large extent, delivered through remote working.

The number of settlement grants fell in April 2020 to 1,518, 76% fewer than in April 2019 (6,328). Grants were 45% lower in May (down 2,807 to 3,469) and 11% lower in June (down 731 to 6,017) compared with the same months in 2019.

Figure 3: Grants of settlement in the UK, by month, January to June, 2019 and 2020

3. EEA nationals and their family members

Under European law, EEA nationals and their dependants do not currently need to obtain documentation confirming their right of residence in the UK.

EEA nationals only need to apply for a document certifying permanent residence if they want to either apply for British citizenship or sponsor their partner’s visa application under the Immigration Rules.

EEA nationals can apply for registration certificates and documents certifying permanent residence in the UK. Their non-EEA family members can apply for residence and permanent residence cards. These act as confirmation of their right to stay in the UK. There is no requirement to apply for a residence card as a family member but it can help residence card holders to prove their status in certain circumstances.

EEA residence documents – including registration certificates, registration cards, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards – will not be valid after 31 December 2020. Since 30 March 2019, EU and EEA nationals resident in the UK, along with their non-EEA family members, can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK.

The Home Office publishes updates to headline EU Settlement Scheme numbers on a monthly basis, with more detailed statistical reports published quarterly. The latest data show that 3.81 million applications were received up to 31 July 2020.

3.1 Documents issued

In the year ending June 2020, there were a total of 68,414 decisions in applications for EEA residence documents, down 72% compared to the previous 12 months. This included 29,688 registration certificates and registration cards issued, down 69% on the previous year, and 18,743 documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued, 79% fewer than the previous year.

Table 5: Decisions in applications for EEA residence documents

Year ending	Total decisions	Of which	Registration certificates and residence cards 1 - issued	Documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards 2 - issued
June 2019	241,290		94,347	88,695
June 2020	68,414		29,688	18,743
Change: latest year	-172,876		-64,659	-69,952
Percentage change	-72%		-69%	-79%

Source: EEA table ee 02 q

Notes:

1. Registration certificates (EEA nationals) and residence cards (non-EEA family members) reflect documents issued to confirm a treaty right as an EEA national or confirm status as a family member of an EEA national; see User Guide Glossary of Terms.
2. Documents certifying permanent residence (EEA nationals) and permanent residence cards (non-EEA family members) reflect documents issued to EEA and non-EEA nationals for an indefinite period after 5 years living in the UK; see User Guide Glossary of Terms.

EEA residence documents issued to EU nationals and non-EU nationals have seen different trends between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of these trends can be found in previous versions of this release, most recently Immigration statistics, year to March 2020.

4. Citizenship

4.1 Applications for British citizenship

There were 148,780 applications for British citizenship in the year to June 2020, 15% fewer than the previous year.

Applications for citizenship by EU nationals fell by 24% compared to the previous year to 40,627. However, EU nationals now account for 27% of all citizenship applications compared with 12% in 2016. Increases in citizenship applications from EU nationals between 2016 and 2019 are likely to reflect more people seeking to confirm their status following the EU referendum.

Applications made by non-EU nationals fell by 11% in the year ending June 2020 to 108,153.

Figure 4: Applications for British citizenship from EU and non-EU nationals^1,2, years ending June 2011 to June 2020

Source: Citizenship detailed dataset Cit_D01

Chart notes:

1. Series are based on current EU membership; for example, Croatia (who joined the EU in 2013) are included in the EU total for the entire time series.
2. The increase in applications made in 2013 may have reflected people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline for details.

4.2 Grants of British citizenship

There were 141,896 grants of British citizenship in the year ending June 2020, 8% fewer than the previous year. This fall was due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic response and comes after a period of relative stability since 2014. Prior to this there was a peak of 208,095 in 2013, before a change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

There were 39,454 grants of British citizenship to former EU citizens in the year ending June 2020, a fall of 10,726 or 21% compared to the previous year. Polish nationals were the top EU nationality being granted citizenship in the latest year (6,162), followed by Italian (5,233) and Romanian (4,548) nationals.

There were 102,442 grants of British citizenship to former non-EU citizens in the year ending March 2020, a fall of 840 or 1% compared to the previous year. The top non-EU nationalities being granted British citizenship were Indian (13,564), Pakistani (12,607) and Nigerian (8,080) nationals. These three nationalities accounted for a third (33%) of all grants to non-EU nationals.

The number of grants to Syrian nationals doubled in the year ending June 2020, from 1,310 to 2,618. This continues increases seen since 2019, five years after the launch of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Of the grants of British citizenship in the last year, half (50%) were to those who qualified for naturalisation after five or more years’ residence in the UK. Grants of citizenship following marriage to a British citizen increased by 13% to 29,207.

Table 6: Outcomes of citizenship applications, by category¹

Year ending	Total decisions	Total grants	Residence	Marriage	Children	Other	Refusals & withdrawals
June 2019	162,141	153,462	83,329	25,736	34,273	10,124	8,679
June 2020	148,433	141,896	70,529	29,207	32,878	9,282	6,537
Change: latest year	-13,708	-11,566	-12,800	+3,471	-1,395	-842	-2,142
Percentage change	-8%	-8%	-15%	+13%	-4%	-8%	-25%

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets – Cit_D02

Notes:

1. ‘Other grounds’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds, and registration under Section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See the user guide for more details.

4.3 The impact of COVID-19

The Home Office published a separate report on 28 May 2020, which provided a statistical overview of COVID-19 impacts on the immigration system through to the end of April 2020. However, there are further changes visible in the period to the end of June 2020.

There were 21,990 applications for British citizenship in the second quarter of 2020, 43% lower than in the second quarter of 2019 (38,903). In the same time period there were 16,285 grants of citizenship, 57% lower than a year earlier (39,900). The reduction in grants was due to the need to create capacity for expanded home working, for example providing equipment to case working staff and setting up a remote working model.

In January and February 2020, there were more grants of British citizenship than the in the same months in 2019. In March 2020, there were around a sixth fewer grants (-16%) than in 2019. Grants fell significantly to 2,291 in April 2020, 81% lower than in April 2019. The number of grants started to recover again in the following months, grants in May were 55% lower than 2019 and in June were 37% lower.

Figure 5: Grants of British citizenship, by month, January to June, 2019 and 2020

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets Cit_D02 and underlying datasets

5. About these statistics

The statistics in this section refer to individuals who have leave to remain in the UK who wish to extend, or make permanent, their right to remain in the UK.

Data in this section should be viewed in the context of wider policy and legislative changes, which can impact the number of applications and decisions. They should also consider the availability and allocation of resources within the Home Office, which can affect the number of decisions made in a given period. For example, fewer citizenship decisions were made in 2015 when UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) resources were used to assist HM Passport Office.

The statistics should not be used to make inferences about the size of the non-British population in the UK. The data do not show whether, or for how long, an individual remains in the UK once their right to remain has been extended or made permanent. Statistics on resident foreign populations in the UK are published by ONS.

5.1 Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Extensions of temporary stay in the UK relate to individuals inside the UK extending or changing the status of their right to stay in the UK. An individual is required to apply for an extension or change in status before their existing permission to enter or stay in the UK expires.

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for extension of temporary stay in the UK. One individual may have made multiple applications for an extension, so may account for multiple decisions in a given period. Data in this section include dependants and take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The statistics do not show the number of people applying to extend their temporary stay in the UK, nor do they show how long an individual stayed in the UK following their extension.

The statistics in the previous immigration category of students granted an extension were estimated for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Data for 2017 are unaffected.

Further information on the statistics in this section can be found in the extension section of the user guide.

5.2 Settlement

Settlement can be granted to individuals – subject to immigration control – to allow them to work, study and travel into and out of the UK without restriction. To be granted settlement, individuals generally must have lived in the UK for a certain length of time in a qualifying category. Those granted settlement can access state benefits and register their UK-born children as British citizens. It does not entitle the individual to a British passport (which requires British citizenship) or to vote in a general election (which requires British, Commonwealth or Irish Republic citizenship).

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for settlement in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The data on settlement refusals relate to cases where settlement was refused and no other form of leave was granted. Cases where settlement was refused but an extension was granted instead (for example where an individual has not met the qualifying period for settlement) will not be included in the refusal figure.

Individuals who leave the UK for more than 2 years may have their settlement status revoked, except in exceptional circumstances. The statistics do not differentiate between those granted settlement for the first time and those granted settlement multiple times.

5.3 EEA nationals and their family members

EEA and Swiss nationals have freedom of movement throughout the EEA. Non-EEA nationals who are dependants of EEA national residents in the UK can share their residence if they satisfy certain conditions. See the user guide for details.

The statistics in this section show the number of registration certificates and registration cards issued, and the number of documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued.

After 12 November 2015, a person applying for citizenship who is claiming to have permanent residence as an EEA national, or the family member of an EEA national, has been required to provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they meet the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions. These rule changes, along with EEA nationals’ response to perceived uncertainty following the 2016 EU referendum, are likely to have contributed to the steep increase in demand for EEA residence documentation during 2016 and 2017.

Variations in numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases, as well as policy changes and application levels in earlier periods.

More information about applying for residence documentation and how the status of EU citizens in the UK will be secured now the UK has left the EU is available on EU, EEA and Commonwealth citizens, GOV.UK.

Figures on applications received and cases currently outstanding in the European casework route (along with other information such as percentage processed within service standards) can be found in ‘In-country migration data’ on GOV.UK.

EEA residence documents, including registration certificates, registration cards, documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards, will not be valid after 31 December 2020. The EU Settlement Scheme enables EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. Further information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found at Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status).

The scheme is a simple digital system which allows EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are resident in the UK to obtain, free of charge, settled status or pre-settled status in the UK. Find out more about what settled and pre-settled status means.

5.4 Citizenship

British citizens can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls. They can apply for a British passport, register to vote in all forms of election and referenda, and share in all the other rights and responsibilities of their status.

Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means people can be a British citizen and a citizen of other countries.

If someone is not already a British citizen based on where and when they were born, or their parents’ circumstances, they can apply to become one.

The statistics in this section show the number of applications for British citizenship. Data on the number of grants of citizenship are available in the associated data tables.

In May 2020, the Home Office published the ‘Migrant journey: 2019 report’, which explores changes in non-EEA migrants’ visa and leave status as they journey through the UK’s immigration system.

6. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Extensions summary tables
• Detailed extensions datasets
• Settlement tables
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed Citizenship datasets
• European Economic Area (EEA) tables

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