This is our monthly round-up of what has changed in UK visas and immigration, and in driving tests and licences. It covers news since our October visa update, our driving test update and our guide to the earned settlement decision. Everything here was checked on official sources on 6 November 2026.
Quick summary
- Earned settlement: the Home Secretary told MPs the changes will start to be laid in the December Immigration Rules and brought in over 2027. Today’s 5-year ILR rules still apply.
- Religious routes: new Minister of Religion and Religious Worker rules have applied since 29 October 2026.
- High Potential Individual visa: the 2026 global universities list is out.
- Student funds: the required amounts go up on 30 November 2026.
- Visa fees and driving test fees: we found no new changes.
- Driving: no decisions yet on the drink-drive limit or a minimum learning period. Test dates are on sale up to mid-April 2027.
Visa and immigration
In force now
Religious routes (since 29 October 2026). Under Statement of Changes HC 584, the Religious Worker route now allows a stay of up to two years. A partner and children can apply as dependants. It is not a route to settlement. Anyone whose main role is leading a congregation must use the Minister of Religion route instead.
High Potential Individual visa (since 1 November 2026). The Home Office has added the 2026 global universities list. It relates to qualifications awarded between 1 November 2026 and 31 October 2027. The 2020 list was removed on 4 November, so check the list for the year your own qualification falls in.
Refugee sponsorship (since 29 October 2026). Charities and non-profits can now apply to become lead sponsors for the new Named Community Sponsorship and Refugee Study routes. Individual refugees cannot apply yet. The government expects first arrivals next autumn, and says a separate refugee work route will open for applications in spring 2027.
Fees. We found no new visa fee changes. The Home Office fees table dated 8 October 2026 shows no change to any fee. Add up your own costs with our visa cost calculator.
Coming soon, with dates
| Date | What changes |
|---|---|
| 30 November 2026 | Student maintenance funds rise to £1,570 a month in London (from £1,529) and £1,203 a month outside London (from £1,171). This applies to applications made on or after this date. |
| 9 December 2026 | EU Settlement Scheme: non-EEA citizens applying inside the UK must prove identity and nationality with a valid passport or a valid specified relevant document. |
| 31 December 2026 | Last possible day to use an expired BRP to set up a UKVI account for your eVisa. The limit is 24 months after the BRP’s expiry date or 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. |
| 1 January 2027 | Graduate visas last 18 months for applications made from this date. Apply on or before 31 December 2026 to get 2 years. PhD graduates still get 3 years. |
| 1 February 2027 | Care workers whose sponsor loses its licence get up to 120 days to secure a job offer, plus a further 60 days to resolve their visa and employment status. |
| 26 March 2027 | English at B2 level is needed for most settlement applications made on or after this date. |
Decided or announced, not law yet
Earned settlement. The government’s response was published on 2 November 2026. It sets out 3, 5, 10 and 20-year paths to settlement. The new detail is on timing: in the Commons statement, the Home Secretary said the changes “will begin to be laid from the December immigration rules” and be implemented during 2027.
No statement of changes has been published yet, and we have no exact start date for each change. Until new rules take effect, the current rules apply. Work out your earliest date under today’s rules with our ILR and citizenship calculator, and practise for the Life in the UK test if settlement is your next step.
Tax on sponsorship costs. The Budget on 28 October said an employer’s payment of the Immigration Skills Charge or a Certificate of Sponsorship fee will not count as a taxable benefit for the worker. It will apply to payments made on or after 28 October 2026, but the legislation is still to come in Finance Bill 2026-27. If your job is sponsored, check it also pays enough with our Skilled Worker salary checker.
Driving tests and licences
In force now
No new booking rules. The 2026 rules in our last update still apply, and the car test fees are unchanged: £23 for the theory test and £62 for a weekday practical test (£75 for evenings, weekends and bank holidays).
Which test centres you can move to. You can only move your test to one of the 3 nearest centres, or back to your first centre. DVSA updated the list on 15 October for Ballater, Dunoon and Greenock.
Test dates on sale. On 2 November, DVSA’s appointment release page showed tests available until 18 April 2027. A new week is released at 6am every Monday, 24 weeks ahead, so the 9 November release covers the week beginning 19 April 2027. If you want a test sooner than that, DVSA says there is no benefit in queuing at 6am on Monday. Earlier slots can appear at any time when other people cancel or change their tests.
Coming soon, with dates
New waiting time figures. DVSA updates its waiting time tables on the second Wednesday of each month, so the October figures should arrive on 11 November. No other driving test or licence change with a confirmed date turned up in our checks this month.
Proposals and plans, not law yet
- Drink-drive limit, minimum learning period, penalty points and eyesight tests: no change. The consultations have closed, and we found no published decisions as of 6 November.
- Digital driving licence: the DVLA business plan for 2026 to 2027, published on 19 October, describes continued work to put a licence in the GOV.UK Wallet and app. Its section on this gives no launch date, and GOV.UK says you cannot download or use the Wallet yet. Keep carrying your photocard.
- New booking system: DVSA tested its Driver Services Platform in Durham, with main test days on 23 and 30 July and 14 learners booked in. DVSA calls it a work in progress and has given no rollout date.
Learning to drive? Practise with our free driving theory test. If you are buying your first car, run a free vehicle check first. You can find all our tools on the Free UK Checks page.
Official sources
- Statements of changes to the Immigration Rules (GOV.UK)
- Earned settlement consultation outcome (GOV.UK)
- Immigration: Earned Settlement, 2 November 2026 (Hansard)
- Graduate visa and set up a UKVI account for your eVisa (GOV.UK)
- Changes to driving test booking rules in 2026 (GOV.UK)
- DVSA Despatch blog
This update is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Check GOV.UK for your situation.
