• Appeal rights for family visitor visas restricted
• UKBA makes announcement about public enquiry office delays
• Human rights abusers to be refused entry to the UK
• A new citizenship test for 2012?
• Hot English magazine goes on sale
• Cap on skilled workers kept at 20,700
• Tier 1 (Post-study work) route closes on 6 April
• New permanent scheme for victims of domestic violence
• New application forms in use from Easter
• Visa application fees change on 6 April
• Report shows 50,000 abuse student visa system
• Leaked letter reveals salary threshold for partner visas
• Forthcoming changes to the Immigration Rules summarised
• New Brits - the new online community launches today
• New Border Force will check every non-EEA passenger
• Immigration Advisory Service - Deadline approaching to claim your files
• Skilled migrants earning under £35,000 to be deprived settlement
• Migration Observatory publish briefing on Settlement
• Form FLR(BID) withdrawn from 29 February 2012
• UKBA to be split in two
• Biometric residence permits to be made compulsory for all stays over 6 months
• Online applications for Tier 2 and Tier 5 visas launched
• Changes to Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) extensions for Business Persons and Innovators
• Revised student visa rules to come into effect on 5 April 2012
• Immigration fee increases proposed, changes due in April 2012
• ‘Apply online’ service will be unavailable from 10-12 February
• What does being British mean to you?
• Damian Green introduces idea of ‘contribution-based’ immigration system
• Phone lines now closed for biometric enrolment
• English language test requirements increased for Tier 1 and 2
• List of approved English language tests updated for Tiers 1, 2 and 4
• Biometric appointment booking service to be online only from February
• Online Tier 2 and 5 applications from February 2012
• Is immigration affecting unemployment?
• New application form for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals
• Immigration expected to fall because of economy, not policy
• New procedure for Exception Talent visas with Arts Council endorsement
• Fees for appeals apply from December 2011
• Appeal against English language requirements for spouses and partners fails
• Biometric residence permits to be issued with ILR
• Apply Online and Sponsor management services unavailable on 3-4 December
• UK Net migration hits record levels
• Working rights restrictions to continue for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals
• Skilled workers may have to meet minimum salary requirement for ILR
• Salary thresholds for sponsoring dependents proposed
• New Shortage Occupation List comes into effect
• Border control lapses put Home Secretary under pressure to resign
• New policy guidance on marriage visas for under-21s
• Over 500 colleges lose the right to sponsor students
• Unqualified financial institutions for Tier 4
• Settlement requirements amended for Tier 2 visas and work permits
• Shortage Occupation List reduced for skilled migrants
• Ban on marriage visas for under-21s thrown out by Supreme Court
• New style passports all now printed in the UK
• Further crackdown on immigration outlined by Prime Minister
• ‘We’re going to change the British citizenship test,’ says Prime Minister
• Changes to the Immigration Rules announced affecting Tier 2 visas
• New rules block stays in the UK for NHS debtors
• Fake university website closed down
• The Guardian asks, Do You Feel British?
• Apply Online service unavailable on Thursday 6 October
• Changes made to list of approved English language tests
• Online services unavailable on 30 September 2011
• UKBA announces changes for carers of British citizens
• 2012 editions are nearly here!
• Family migration consultation ‘to promote better integration’
• MAC advises shortage occupation list be restricted to limit migration
• UKBA request feedback on biometric residence permits
• Settlement consultation closes on 9 September
• UK Border Agency launches new website
• Student visas and International Baccalaureate qualifications
• Latest statistics show net migration up 21%
• The Migrant Journey - Second Report
• Marriage-related migration to the UK
• Biometric visa ‘clinic’ to open in Amsterdam
• Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) route opens
• UKBA launch improved online booking system
• Online services unavailable from 4-7 August
• Details of the Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) route confirmed
• New Tier 1 (Post-study work) forms and policy guidance published
• Payment methods for premium appointments in Glasgow and Cardiff
• Test booking process changes
• New chief executive of the UKBA announced
• Consultation announced on family migration
• Immigration Advisory Service enters into administration
• New approved English language tests and providers
• Changes to student visa rules implemented
• Further clarification on Tier 4 student visas
• UKBA strike action planned on 30 June
• Free extension of stay announced for skilled workers in closed work routes
• New forms published: EEA and BR1
• New scrutiny on private colleges
• More changes to student visas announced
• Breaking the link between temporary and permanent migration
• Q&A document on English language requirements for students
• Home Affairs committee finds UKBA failing to control immigration
• UKBA ‘reviewing’ impact of ECJ cases
• New immigration removal centre opened in Lincolnshire
• Test fee increased for Life in the UK test
• Net migration leaps by nearly 100,000

Marriage-related migration to the UK

Marriage-related migration to the UK (PDF, 272KB) has been published by the Home Office in order to help understand the largest single category of migrant settlement in the UK.

The report is based on data up to 2008 - the most recent data available when the report was written - and reveals the countries of origin which provided the most migrants, as well as a break down of how many were men/husbands or women/wives.

The report shows that whilst the number of migrants in the UK as spouses has risen since 1995 the proportion has fallen. In 1995 spouses constituted 59 per cent of all grants of settlement, but this fell to 40 per cent by 2009.

There were over 70 countries of origin of migrants settling as spouses in the UK, but the report focuses on the main 14 countries of origin which accounted for the largest numbers of marriage-related migrants. The most common countries of origin based on the numbers of grants of settlement were:

1. India (8,865)
2. Pakistan (7,050)
3. Philippines (3,220)
4. Bangladesh (2,880)
5. South Africa (2,515)
6. China (2,455)
7. USA (1,880)
8. Nigeria (1,840)
9. Turkey (1,735)
10. Ghana (1,520)
11. Thailand (1,190)
12. Zimbabwe (1,175)
13. Australia (1,175)
14. Sri Lanka (1,130)

The report also demonstrates that wives make up 60% of the total number of spouses settling in the UK. However, the mix of men and women varies dramatically across countries of origin. For instance, wives account for 93 per cent of Thai and 84 per cent of Chinese spouses, but only 33 per cent of Filipino spousal settlement.

The report features more detailed analysis of migrant numbers by regions, such as South Asia/Indian sub-continent, or Africa. You can check Marriage-related migration to the UK (PDF, 272KB) for more information.

Changes to legislation

The report also contains a timeline of changes to legislation affecting spouses and partners over recent decades. This timeline is included below for your information.

• 1980 - Conservative Government introduces ‘Primary Purpose Rule’ (requirement to prove that reason for entering was to marry).
• 1992 - Surinder Singh case in European Court of Justice: rights of family members to accompany EEA nationals moving within EEA.
• 1997 - June: New Labour Government abolishes Primary Purpose Rule.
• 2000 - Third country nationals (non-EEA) can stay in UK on basis of marriage to UK/EEA national or permanent resident (provisos of Immigration Rules and Immigration Regulations 2000).
• 2001 - January: Section 24 reports (from section 24 of Immigration and Asylum Act 1999) introduced (legal duty on Registrars to report suspicious marriages)
• 2002 - ‘Secure Borders, Safe Haven’ White paper proposes following changes:
  • restricting ‘switching’, from temporary visas (student/visitor) to marriage.
  • raising probationary period before settlement granted to those entering as spouses from one to two years.
• 2003 - April: Nationalities, Immigration and Asylum Act (encompassing changes suggested in ’Secure Borders, Safe Haven’) comes into effect.
• April: Age at which a person may act as sponsor for a marriage visa raised from 16 to 18.
• 2004 - December: Age at which a person may enter the UK as spouse raised from 16 to 18.
• 2005 - February: Introduction of Certificates of Approval (CoA) requirement for any marriage involving non-EEA nationals subject to immigration control and UK citizens. The measure was intended to prevent marriages of convenience for immigration purposes, but does not apply to those marrying in an Anglican church in England and Wales.
• 2006 - April: The Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006 transpose the UK’s obligations under European Community law (via the Free Movement Directive 2004/38 EC) into domestic legislation. New rights of residence were created including the ability of EEA nationals and their family members to acquire permanent residence under European law for the first time.
• April: Qualification period for grants of settlement to those in employment related categories rose from four to five years.
• High Court judgement that CoA scheme was disproportionate and unlawfully interfered with Article 12 of the ECHR.
• Surinder Singh European Court of Justice ruling (on family members of EEA nationals) incorporated into Immigration Regulations
• 2007 - April: Adults aged over 18 but under 65 who apply for settlement need to provide evidence that they have passed either the Life in the UK test or an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course.
• July: CoA guidance changed (following Court of Appeal judgment in Baiai in May 2007), allowed applicants without valid leave to enter or remain to apply for a CoA.
• December: Launch of two new consultations: ‘Marriage to partners from overseas’ and ‘Marriage-visas: pre-entry English requirement for spouses’.
• 2008 - July: House of Lords ruling that CoA incompatible with ECHR.
• July: European Court of Justice case of Metock prevented Member States from requiring third country family members of EEA nationals to be legally resident in an EEA country in order to gain residence rights under the Free Movement Directive.
• July: The initial length of time for which a spouse, civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner of a person present and settled in the UK is admitted to the UK was increased to a period not exceeding 27 months.
• November: Age at which person can enter the country as a spouse raised from 18 to 21 [both partners have to be 21].
• 2008-9 - Points-based immigration system phased in.
• 2009 - March– Code of practice on dealing with forced marriage cases issued.
• April: suspension of fee for CoA to comply with House of Lords ruling.
• July: CoA fee repayment scheme begins.
• 2010 - March: New restrictions on students and their dependants working. Dependants only allowed to work if the main applicant is pursuing study at degree level or above. Students on courses less than six months long are not allowed to bring in dependants.
• June: Changes to English language requirements announced – all spousal type partners seeking to enter or remain in the UK joining UK Citizens or Settled Persons required to meet basic English language requirement.
• November: CoA fee repayment scheme ends.
• November: new spouse language requirement begins.
• 2011 - May: CoA scheme abolished.
• June: Supreme Court hearing takes place on challenge to marriage visa age of 21 in case of Quila/Bibi. Judgment awaited.
• June: Launch of a public consultation on the reforms of the work route leading to settlement. One of the proposals is to introduce an English language requirement for adult dependants of Tier 2 migrants applying to switch into a route to settlement.