Visas and immigration operational guidance - GOV.UK

Visas and immigration operational guidance - GOV.UK
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Collection
Visas and immigration operational guidance
Visas and immigration operational guidance for staff.
From:
Home Office
Published
22 May 2023
Last updated
18 February 2026
—
See all updates
A collection of operational policy guidance used by UK Visas and Immigration staff to make decisions.
Asylum guidance
Asylum appeals (asylum instructions)
11 June 2014
Collection
Asylum decision making guidance (asylum instructions)
8 April 2025
Collection
Asylum screening and routing (asylum instructions)
13 January 2021
Collection
Asylum support (asylum instructions)
25 July 2025
Collection
Children (asylum instructions)
26 January 2026
Collection
Detention and reporting (asylum instructions)
19 September 2017
Collection
Enforcement guidance
Criminality and detention (immigration staff guidance)
1 August 2023
Collection
Immigration Enforcement general instructions (immigration staff guidance)
3 November 2016
Collection
Returns and removals (immigration staff guidance)
28 November 2013
Collection
Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) guidance
Electronic travel authorisation: caseworker guidance
11 November 2025
Guidance
Electronic travel authorisation – Irish resident exemption
25 July 2023
Guidance
Entry clearance guidance
Crew members (entry clearance guidance)
17 December 2013
Collection
Entry clearance basics (entry clearance guidance)
18 December 2013
Collection
Exempt (entry clearance guidance)
18 December 2013
Collection
Family members under Part 8 and Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules
16 April 2014
Guidance
Maintenance and accommodation (entry clearance guidance)
18 December 2013
Collection
Medical issues (entry clearance guidance)
18 December 2013
Collection
Settlement (entry clearance guidance)
17 December 2013
Collection
Fees and forms
Citizenship application forms
24 November 2022
Collection
UK visa and immigration application forms
16 June 2023
Collection
UK visa fees
18 March 2026
Policy paper
Immigration rules
Archive: Immigration Rules
14 April 2026
Collection
Immigration Rules
8 April 2026
Immigration staff guidance
Appeals (immigration staff guidance)
14 May 2021
Collection
Applications (immigration staff guidance)
27 November 2013
Collection
Armed forces (immigration staff guidance)
12 April 2024
Collection
EEA, Swiss nationals and EC association agreements (immigration staff guidance)
7 January 2022
Collection
Enforcement and criminal investigations (immigration staff guidance)
19 February 2026
Collection
Family of people settled or coming to settle (immigration staff guidance)
4 February 2025
Collection
General grounds for refusal (immigration staff guidance)
11 October 2022
Collection
Identity checks (immigration staff guidance)
15 September 2025
Collection
Immigration intelligence (immigration staff guidance)
8 February 2018
Collection
Other cross-cutting guidance (immigration staff guidance)
12 January 2026
Collection
Other immigration categories (immigration staff guidance)
10 October 2024
Collection
Settlement (immigration staff guidance)
17 August 2022
Collection
Studying (Immigration staff guidance)
17 January 2022
Collection
UK European Applicant Transfer Scheme: caseworker guidance
11 August 2025
Guidance
Visitors (immigration staff guidance)
18 February 2025
Collection
Working in the UK (immigration staff guidance)
14 November 2022
Collection
Nationality guidance
Requirements and considerations common to all types of British nationality (nationality guidance)
10 May 2023
Collection
British citizenship (nationality guidance)
23 November 2022
Collection
Right of Abode (nationality guidance)
14 November 2017
Collection
British overseas territories citizens (BOTC) (nationality guidance)
28 June 2022
Collection
British overseas citizens (nationality guidance)
14 November 2017
Collection
British subjects (nationality guidance)
14 November 2017
Collection
British nationals overseas (nationality guidance)
31 January 2021
Collection
British protected persons (nationality guidance)
14 November 2017
Collection
Historical background information on nationality (nationality guidance)
14 November 2017
Collection
Windrush guidance
Windrush Compensation Scheme: caseworker guidance
29 January 2026
Guidance
Windrush scheme: caseworker guidance
16 March 2026
Guidance
Updates to this page
Published 22 May 2023
Last updated 18 February 2026
+
show all updates
18 February 2026
Removed the following collection pages as the guidance has been superseded: Appeals (entry clearance guidance), Common travel area (entry clearance guidance), European nationals and schemes (entry clearance guidance), Right of abode (entry clearance guidance).
7 August 2025
Added a link to the UK European Applicant Transfer Scheme: caseworker guidance.
6 October 2023
Added caseworker guidance for the electronic travel authorisation.
20 July 2023
New caseworker guidance on the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Irish resident exemption added.
22 May 2023
First published.
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