Grounds for refusal and re-entry bans

The rules set out in the Immigration Rules, Part 9 are a list of common grounds on which an application for entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay can be refused, which are in addition to any grounds for refusal included in the specific requirements set out in the Parts and Appendices of the Immigration Rules covering the relevant immigration route. Part 9 also includes grounds for the cancellation of existing entry clearance or permission.

Part 9 was restructured and rewritten in Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 813, which came into force for applications decided on or after 1 December 2020. Originally known as the ‘General grounds for refusal’, the Part is now titled ‘Grounds for refusal’, although ‘Suitability’ is now the term that seems to be used as an umbrella term for these matters. These changes were made as part of the Home Office’s Simplification of the Immigration Rules project, further to recommendations of the Law Commission.

The broad intention for the Part is to set out in one place common grounds which will apply across all routes in the

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Immigration News

Home Office issues new immigration statistics for year ending September 2025

The Home Office has published new quarterly and annual immigration statistics for the year ending September 2025. The statistics include documents, data tables and guidance covering people coming to the UK, gaining citizenship, applying for asylum, and being detained or removed, as well as immigration for work, study and family reasons.

Immigration weekly highlights—27 November 2025

Welcome to the 27 November 2025 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up of new and updated content in Immigration.

ONS reports two-thirds drop in UK net migration to pre-Brexit levels

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported that net migration to the UK fell to 204,000 for the year ending June 2025, down from 649,000 in June 2024. This is around two-thirds lower than the previous year and a significant 78% drop in net migration over the previous two-year period. The Migration Observatory (MO) at Oxford University attributes this decline mainly due to a 662,000 drop in non-EU net migration over the previous two years. It reports that non-EU net migration has decreased significantly in work and study migration, which declined by 70% and 62% respectively in the same two-year period. It also notes that study dependants experienced the greatest decline in net migration as people arriving in this visa category was 123,000 in the year ending June 2023, but was negative by the year ending June 2025, with 13,000 more people leaving than arriving following restrictions on students’ right to bring family in 2024. The MO further notes that EU net migration was negative, estimated at -70,000 in the year ending June 2025. The ONS reports that the only major migration category where net migration did not decrease was asylum, which increased from 81,000 people in the year ending June 2024 to 96,000 people in the year ending June 2025.

British Future analysis finds Labour ILR proposals lack voter support

The think tank British Future has published an analysis of polling data which shows that Labour’s proposal to extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to ten years is unpopular among its own supporters, most of whom favour retaining the current five-year route. Labour and the Conservatives both advocate lengthening the ILR period and introducing stricter conditions, such as higher English proficiency and evidence of community contribution, while Reform UK proposes abolishing ILR altogether. By contrast, the Green Party supports maintaining the five-year route, and the Liberal Democrats recommend no change. These competing proposals reflect a broader political debate over whether Britain should retain the migrants it has already attracted.