Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 February 2022, HCWS624 on Outcome of Public Consultation on Settlement Fees for Non-UK Service Personnel, when his Department plans to implement changes to immigration rules.

The Government aims to implement the Armed Forces settlement fee waiver through a planned update to the Immigration Fees and Regulations this Spring, with the changes coming into effect on 6 April.

As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation, the fee waiver will also apply to undocumented veterans currently living in the UK who served for six years or more, or were discharged due to due to an illness or injury attributable to their service, regardless of length of service.

Non-UK veterans who have chosen not to remain in the UK after leaving the Armed Forces can apply for settlement for up to two years after their discharge. Applications for Indefinite Leave to Enter made from outside the UK by veterans will also be free of charge where they meet the same criteria.