What's changed .

Migration Advisory Committee recommends reducing family-visa threshold

The MAC's statutory review of the family-visa financial requirement, published in June 2025, concluded that the £29,000 threshold is high by international standards and recommended a more reasonable range of £23,000–£25,000 for most partners. The Labour government is considering the recommendations; no implementation decision has been published as of April 2026.

Who it affects: UK residents planning future partner-visa applications; signals potential near-term reduction.

Migration Advisory Committee ↗ · House of Commons Library — Research Briefings ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 20 May 2025

In force Residency

Family regrouping permitted after one year of residence

Under the 2025 Immigration Regulation, non-EEA residents with permits including the DNV, HQP, and NLV can apply for family regrouping after one year of residence — rather than waiting until the first renewal (typically two years). Materially shortens the timeline for reuniting with a spouse and dependent children.

Who it affects: DNV, HQP, NLV, and other non-EEA residence-permit holders seeking family regrouping.

Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones ↗ · BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish Official Gazette) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 20 May 2025

In force Residency

New Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024) enters force

Real Decreto 1155/2024 — a comprehensive update of the Immigration Regulation — entered force on 20 May 2025. Material changes include: family regrouping permitted after one year of residence (previously at first renewal), updated definitions for several residence categories, and clarified pathways between permit types. Also implements changes to the Non-Lucrative Visa and Digital Nomad Visa operational procedures.

Who it affects: All non-EEA residents and applicants to Spanish residence permits from 20 May 2025.

BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish Official Gazette) ↗ · Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones ↗ · La Moncloa — Spanish Government ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 3 Apr 2025

In force Residency

Golden Visa (investor residency via real-estate) abolished

The Residence by Investment programme allowing residence in exchange for €500,000 in Spanish real estate was abolished on 3 April 2025, via modification of Ley 14/2013 under the Organic Law on the right to housing (Ley de Vivienda). Other investment routes (public-debt, business capital) remain, but the widely-used real-estate route is closed. Application submitted before the cut-off date continue to process under prior rules.

Who it affects: High-net-worth non-EEA applicants to the Spanish investor-residence route via real estate.

BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish Official Gazette) ↗ · La Moncloa — Spanish Government ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Dec 2024

In force Residency

Republican Engagement Contract mandatory for first residence permits

From December 2024, applicants for a first multi-year residence permit must sign the Republican Engagement Contract, committing to respect "the principles of the Republic" (laïcité, equality, freedom of expression, etc.). Breach can ground residence-permit refusal or revocation. Criticised by civil-society organisations as introducing a vague and potentially arbitrary test.

Who it affects: All new applicants to multi-year residence permits from December 2024.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Sept 2024

In force Residency

IEIreland

Stamp 4 after 2 years on CSEP — retained under the 2024 reforms

The 2024 Employment Permits Act retained the existing fast-track to Stamp 4 (indefinite residence, unrestricted labour-market access, no further permit renewal required) for Critical Skills Employment Permit holders after two years on the permit. This remains a material advantage of CSEP over the General Employment Permit (which requires five years).

Who it affects: Critical Skills Employment Permit holders approaching the two-year anniversary of their first permit.

Irish Immigration Service ↗ · Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024

In force Residency

ITItaly

Questura permesso di soggiorno digitalisation pilot launched

The Ministry of the Interior launched a pilot digitalisation of the permesso di soggiorno (residence-permit) application process in selected major Questure from September 2024. Online pre-submission of documents, reduced in-person appointments, and digital status tracking. Processing times remain variable (4–18 months depending on Questura); the pilot does not yet extend nationally.

Who it affects: All non-EU residents renewing or applying for permesso di soggiorno.

Ministero dell'Interno ↗ · Governo Italiano ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024

In force Residency

NLNetherlands

Asylum Distribution Act (Spreidingswet) scheduled for withdrawal

The Asylum Distribution Act, which had required all Dutch municipalities to participate in housing asylum seekers on a per-capita basis, was committed for withdrawal in the coalition agreement. Implementation obligations on municipalities were suspended in practice; concrete repeal legislation entered the parliamentary process in late 2024.

Who it affects: Asylum-seeker capacity distribution across Dutch municipalities.

Government of the Netherlands ↗ · Hoofdlijnenakkoord — Coalition Agreement (May 2024) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024

In force Residency

NLNetherlands

Family reunification for recognised refugees sharply restricted

Under the coalition agreement, family reunification rules for recognised refugees were tightened: faster-track "Nareis" provisions were narrowed, and the previous one-year grace period for submitting applications without income-threshold assessment was re-examined. Civil-society organisations have flagged compatibility concerns with EU and ECHR family-reunion case law.

Who it affects: Recognised refugees seeking to bring family members to the Netherlands.

Government of the Netherlands ↗ · Hoofdlijnenakkoord — Coalition Agreement (May 2024) ↗ · European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024

In force Residency

Exceptional regularisation for workers in shortage occupations

Law 2024-42 created a time-limited, exceptional regularisation route (admission exceptionnelle au séjour) for non-EU workers without legal status who have been employed for at least 12 months in officially-recognised shortage occupations (métiers en tension) and have been in France for at least three years. Implementing decree issued August 2024; the route runs as an experiment through end-2026.

Who it affects: Non-EU workers in irregular status employed in French shortage-occupation sectors.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 22 Jul 2024

Repealed Residency

Rwanda removals scheme formally abandoned by Labour government

Shortly after taking office, the Labour government formally ended the UK–Rwanda asylum-removals scheme. Planned removals did not take place; Rwanda-scheme infrastructure and associated Treaty arrangements were wound down. Related components of the Illegal Migration Act that depended on the scheme became operationally inert.

Who it affects: Asylum-seeker processing; broader political signalling on asylum policy direction.

GOV.UK — Home Office ↗ · House of Commons Library — Research Briefings ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Jul 2024

In force Residency

NLNetherlands

Hoofdlijnenakkoord — coalition commits to "strictest asylum policy ever"

The four-party coalition of PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB published its Hoofdlijnenakkoord ("outline agreement") in May 2024, taking office 2 July 2024. The agreement commits to a tightening of asylum and migration policy including: the scrapping of the Asylum Distribution Act (Spreidingswet), reduction of temporary asylum residence permits from five to three years, and severe tightening of family reunification rules for recognised refugees. Many individual measures have faced legal and parliamentary contestation through 2025.

Who it affects: Asylum seekers, recognised refugees, and their family members applying for reunification.

Hoofdlijnenakkoord — Coalition Agreement (May 2024) ↗ · Government of the Netherlands ↗ · European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

OFII digital integration platform (Forum Réfugiés) rolled out

The French immigration and integration office (OFII) launched a new digital platform from July 2024 to manage the Contrat d'Intégration Républicaine (CIR) — the mandatory integration contract for new residents. Replaces paper-based booking and progress tracking for French-language and civic-education courses.

Who it affects: New non-EU residents subject to the CIR (most non-Talent permit holders).

OFII — Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

Asylum fast-track procedure expanded

Law 2024-42 expanded the scope of the accelerated asylum procedure (procédure accélérée) to include applicants from a wider set of safe countries of origin, those posing a public-order threat, and re-applications following negative first decisions. OFPRA (French asylum agency) decision timelines targeted at 15 days under this route. Contested in administrative courts; key provisions remain in force.

Who it affects: Asylum applicants from designated safe countries or under fast-track triggers.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

Family reunification income and language conditions tightened

Income conditions for family reunification were raised from the SMIC to the SMIC plus a margin indexed to household size. Language requirement for accompanying family members raised from A1 to A2. Minimum prior residence for the French-resident sponsor remains 18 months. Changes were contested by associations representing migrant families but were upheld in their core elements.

Who it affects: Non-EU residents seeking to bring family members to France.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · OFII — Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 4 Jun 2024

In force Residency

Lei dos Estrangeiros reform — "expressão de interesse" route ended

Decree-Law 37-A/2024 ended the Article 89(2) "manifestation of interest" (expressão de interesse) route — under which non-EU nationals could enter Portugal on a tourist visa and legalise their status from within the country after starting employment and registering with Segurança Social. New applications must now go through a consular visa in the country of origin. Transitional rules protected applications filed before the reform date; the change materially tightened the immigration route most heavily used by Brazilian and Asian workers.

Who it affects: Non-EU nationals planning irregular-to-regular transition from within Portugal, particularly from Brazil, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

AIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo ↗ · Portuguese Government Portal ↗ · Diário da República ↗ · verified 2026-04-18

In force 3 Jun 2024

In force Residency

AIMA backlog resolution plan announced (400,000+ pending files)

The Montenegro government announced a structured plan to clear the backlog of roughly 400,000 pending residence-permit cases inherited from the SEF-to-AIMA transition. The plan included dedicated processing task-forces ("Grupo de Missão") and later automated-decision procedures for specified application categories. Processing times for residence-permit renewals remained well above AIMA's target throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Who it affects: Non-EU residents awaiting residence-permit issue or renewal; an important context for arrival planning.

AIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo ↗ · Portuguese Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-18

In force 11 Apr 2024

In force Residency

Family visa minimum income threshold raised from £18,600 to £29,000

Effective 11 April 2024, the income threshold for sponsoring a partner on a family visa rose from £18,600 (in place since 2012) to £29,000. The previous Conservative government committed to further increases — to ~£34,000 and then ~£38,700 — which were not implemented. The Labour government has paused further increases pending the Migration Advisory Committee review.

Who it affects: UK residents sponsoring non-UK partners on family visas from 11 April 2024 onwards. Not retrospective.

GOV.UK — Home Office ↗ · House of Commons Library — Research Briefings ↗ · Migration Advisory Committee ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 26 Jan 2024

In force Residency

Loi Immigration (Law 2024-42) enacted — largest reform in a decade

Law 2024-42 "pour contrôler l'immigration, améliorer l'intégration" received the Constitutional Council's partial validation on 25 January 2024 and was promulgated on 26 January 2024. The law reshaped residence-permit categories, created the Talent permit framework, strengthened integration obligations (including the Republican Engagement Contract), lengthened the carte de résident residency condition from 5 to 7 years, and introduced a dedicated residence permit for non-EU medical professionals (PADHUE).

Who it affects: All non-EU applicants to French residence permits, naturalisation, and family reunification.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Gouvernement.fr ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 29 Oct 2023

In force Residency

AIMA replaces SEF as the immigration administrative authority

The Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) was dissolved and its administrative immigration functions transferred to the newly-created Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) from 29 October 2023. Border-security functions moved to PSP, GNR, and Polícia Judiciária. The transition has been accompanied by substantial processing backlogs for residence-permit applications and renewals throughout 2023–2025.

Who it affects: All non-EU residents applying for or renewing Portuguese residence permits.

AIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo ↗ · Portuguese Government Portal ↗ · Diário da República ↗ · verified 2026-04-18

In force 7 Oct 2023

In force Residency

Golden Visa real-estate route abolished under Mais Habitação

The Mais Habitação housing-reform law (Lei n.º 56/2023) abolished the residential real-estate investment route of the Autorização de Residência para Investimento (ARI, "Golden Visa") from 7 October 2023. Remaining qualifying routes include regulated investment-fund subscriptions (€500,000), qualifying business creation, cultural-heritage donation, and R&D investment. Pending applications submitted before the cut-off were processed under the prior rules.

Who it affects: Non-EU high-net-worth applicants to the Portuguese Golden Visa.

AIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo ↗ · Diário da República ↗ · Portuguese Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-18

In force 20 Jul 2023

In force Residency

Illegal Migration Act 2023 receives Royal Assent

The Act imposed a statutory duty on the Home Secretary to remove anyone arriving in the UK irregularly and provided the framework for third-country removals. Many of its provisions depended on the Rwanda scheme, which was subsequently held unlawful by the Supreme Court in November 2023 and formally abandoned by the Labour government in July 2024. Parts of the Act remain in force but its practical impact has been substantially reduced.

Who it affects: Asylum seekers arriving through irregular routes; broader policy signal on UK approach to asylum.

GOV.UK — Home Office ↗ · House of Commons Library — Research Briefings ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 6 May 2023

In force Residency

ITItaly

Cutro Decree (D.L. 20/2023) — asylum and irregular-entry tightening

Law Decree 20/2023, converted into Law 50/2023, introduced several asylum tightening measures: restricted "special protection" residence permits, criminal penalties for smugglers up to 30 years, expanded detention pre-return. Enacted after the Cutro (Calabria) shipwreck in February 2023 in which 94 people drowned. Contested in Italian and European courts; key provisions remain in force.

Who it affects: Asylum seekers and those in irregular status; migration-policy context for mover research.

Gazzetta Ufficiale (Italian Official Gazette) ↗ · Ministero dell'Interno ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 15 Feb 2023

In force Residency

IEIreland

Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) closed to new applications

Ireland's Immigrant Investor Programme (Irish "golden visa"), which offered residence in exchange for qualifying investments from €500,000 upwards, was closed to new applications on 15 February 2023. Existing applications in the pipeline continued to be processed. Part of a broader European trend following Portugal and Spain moves against investor-residence schemes.

Who it affects: High-net-worth non-EEA applicants considering the Irish investor-residence route.

Irish Immigration Service ↗ · Government of Ireland ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 16 Aug 2022

In force Residency