Permission to travel to the UK

This overview provides a summary as to which non-British or Irish nationals require leave (or permission) to enter or remain in the UK and, if so, whether they will require prior entry clearance or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they can travel to the UK. For further information, see Practice Note: Permission to travel to the UK and the related Practice Notes referred to below.

The right of abode

The Immigration Act 1971 provides that all persons with the right of abode do not require leave to enter or remain in the UK. Persons with the right abode are:

  1. British citizens, and

  2. Commonwealth citizens who held that status immediately before the coming into force of the British Nationality Act 1981 on 1 January 1983 and had a right of abode at that time—this includes only a limited number of people

The right of abode in the UK is an immigration status. A person who has the right of abode is free to live in, and to come and go into and from, the UK, subject only to certain restrictions to enable

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Latest Immigration News

UKICE blog asserts that Reform UK’s ILR abolition proposal faces public opposition

UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) has published a blog by Rob Ford, Senior Fellow, UKICE and Professor of Politics,  University of Manchester arguing that Reform UK’s proposal to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and require migrants to reapply for visas every five years runs contrary to public opinion and risks a public outcry.  The blog explains that ILR is generally obtained after years of work or family sponsorship, at which point migrants gain the same rights to welfare benefits as UK citizens rights, and it is these rights Reform UK seeks to restrict. The blog asserts that Reform UK’s proposed exclusion of migrants from ILR and welfare benefits would be an unpopular policy. In support of this, Ford points to NatCen panel data from early 2024 which found that 84% of respondents supported giving tax-paying migrants equal welfare access within five years, with 65% favouring an even shorter three-year period and only 3% supporting permanent exclusion. The blog also highlights a survey by British Social Attitudes which compares 2013 and 2024 views on qualification periods for welfare access. The survey results show an increase in support of a qualification period of five years or less for migrants from 82% in 2013 to 84% in 2024.  The data provided, Ford argues, shows that despite over a decade of campaigning for a stricter migration policy, public opinion on access to welfare benefits for settled migrants remains consistent. Ford notes that while no polling exists on revoking rights already granted, Reform UK’s proposal to end ILR and revoke the welfare and security rights of settled migrants would likely be even more unpopular. Ford concludes that public opinion consistently values migrants’ economic contributions and supports fair access once settlement conditions are met.

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