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June 2025 Statement of Changes with EUSS updates and more
On 24 June 2025, the Government released its latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, with there being a few smaller changes to several areas of the rules, as well as quite an impactful update to the EUSS.
Alongside the aforementioned EUSS updates, there are also changes to Appendix Private Life, Appendix International Armed Forces, Appendix Long Residence, and Appendix Continuous Residence.
It should be noted that none of the changes that have been announced will be introduced straight away, which is unusual for Statement of Changes. Instead, everything that has been announced will be introduced throughout July.
Read on to find out what is included in the June 2025 Statement of Changes, and why you should get the assistance of an immigration law firm such as ourselves with these ever-changing immigration rules.
EU Settlement Scheme
First, we will cover the EUSS updates which are likely to impact the largest number of people. They will be introduced from 16 July 2025.
The definition of the ‘continuous qualifying period’ is being amended regarding permitted absences for pre-settled status holders.
Now, anyone with pre-settled status who has been in the UK for at least 30 months in the most recent 60-month period can now qualify for settled status.
As a result, not only is the guidance easier to understand, more people will also be able to automatically gain settled status.
Long residence
Only one thing has changed regarding long residence, and is unlikely to affect many people. However, it is noteworthy.
Anyone who has been deprived of British citizenship, will not have their time as a citizen count towards long residence, which is Indefinite Leave to Remain after being in the UK 10 years.
This will come into effect from 29 July 2025.
Continuous residence
Next, the section for the rules about continuous residence have been redrafted. However, there have not been many actual updates, with there just being one that could impact a number of people.
From 29 July, time spent in the Crown Dependencies of the UK will count towards continuous residence. This includes the following countries:
- Guernsey
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
This applies if you are on a route in the Crown Dependencies that is equivalent to one that exists in the UK.
Private life
Settlement under the rules for private life is being extended to those who are over 18, and meet, or previously met, the requirements of the ‘half-life’ test. This test basically means that someone who arrived in the UK as a child, has spent half of their life in the UK, and is currently aged between 18 and 25 can settle in the UK.
Additionally, children who had leave, or still have leave to stay in the UK before 20 June 2022, can apply for settlement. They must have been in the UK for seven years.
This will also come into effect from 29 July 2025.
Restricted leave
Restricted leave is a rule where a foreign national who has broken the rules in the UK and would normally be forced to leave the country, can remain if removing them from the UK would breach the European Convention on Human Rights.
From 16 July 2025, it will be extended to include those who have not been granted refugee status. It is the only type of leave in the UK that will be available to them.
Armed Forces and International Civilian Employees
Finally, a small update to the rules regarding Armed Forces and International Civilian Employees will be introduced on 17 July 2025.
This is a result of 50 US Department of Energy and its civilian subcontractors making a request to the Ministry of Defence to come to the UK and work on US military equipment.
Previously, there were no provisions in this section of the rules for the US Department of Energy.
Minor changes in the June 2025 Statement of Changes
In this blog, we have only covered what could be considered the most important and impactful.
However, there are other smaller changes as well. Many of these are related to how the rules are drafted, and have no actual impact on the rules.
For example, a drafting error related to sponsoring a family member under the immigration rules has been fixed. It now clarifies that a sponsor with limited leave under the EUSS before 11pm on 31 December 2020 may also be a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
If you are interested in reading about some of the minor changes, then visit the relevant section in the explanatory memorandum provided by the Government.
How we can help
Throughout the year, the Government will release several Statements of Changes to the Immigration Rules, as well as other updates that come separately. This year, even released an Immigration White Paper which proposed many updates that encompass many different rules.
As a result of the ever-changing immigration rules, it can be difficult to keep track of how you have been impacted, and hard to know if you meet the requirements for certain visas, settlement, or even naturalisation.
That is why our team of experts is here to help you with all aspects of the immigration rules, including visa applications.
If you are interested, you can book a free 10-minute assessment where you can tell us what you need help with, and allow us to assess what we can do for you. After this, you can book a longer paid consultation that lasts either 30 minutes, or an hour. The choice is yours; you can also choose whether your consultation is with one of our immigration specialists, or with our Principal Solicitor, Nathan Woodcock.
Regardless of who your consultation is with, they will strive to do their best to help you, and provide you with legal advice.
Get in touch with us today for our immigration expertise, and keep an eye on our website for any future changes to the rules.
Still unsure about using our services? Then visit our testimonials and client success stories pages to see how we have helped people in the past.
Ready for assistance?
If you have any questions, or want to book an appointment with one of our legal experts, contact Woodcock Law today. Call us on +44 (0)20 7712 1705 or email info@woodcocklaw.co.uk.
