People who apply to stay in the United Kingdom on long residence grounds may now have their case considered under a different route instead of being refused outright, under changes that took effect on 8 October 2026. The change is part of the Home Office Statement of Changes HC 584, published on 3 September 2026.

How the variation works

Under the revised Appendix Long Residence, if a decision-maker is not satisfied that the long residence requirements are met, but thinks the applicant may meet the requirements for permission to stay as a partner, parent or child under Appendix FM, or under Appendix Private Life, the application will be varied to that route.

Home Office caseworker guidance published on 8 October 2026 explains the practical steps. There is no additional application fee for the varied application, and the fee already paid is not refunded. The applicant must, however, pay any required Immigration Health Charge, or request a waiver, after being contacted about the variation.

A deadline that matters

The guidance gives applicants 14 days to pay the charge or apply for a waiver. If they do neither within that period, the varied application must be rejected as invalid, and the original fee will not be refunded. If a waiver is requested in time but refused, the applicant is then told to pay within 10 working days, with rejection as invalid the consequence of missing that deadline.

The change does not guarantee permission to stay. An applicant must still meet the suitability and eligibility requirements of the family-life or private-life route. This is general information, not personal immigration advice: check the official GOV.UK page, as rules change, and take regulated advice where a case is complex.