UK Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces Route to Settlement for Service Leavers and Dependants
Current rules
The amended AF 21.2 now states that where a child's sole parent is: a member of HM Armed Forces; exempt from immigration control; and does not hold permission under the Immigration Rules, the child will be granted five years' permission to stay. There is also a related alignment rule where the child has only one parent who has permission to enter or stay in the UK. The general position is that a dependent child's permission will normally end on the same date as the parent's permission, unless the parent is a British citizen or a person who has an unrestricted right to enter or stay in the UK and is ordinarily resident in the UK. -Settlement qualifying period: The amendment also clarifies an exception to the normal 60-month qualifying period for children. A child does not need to complete 60 months under Appendix HM Armed Forces where: their parent meets the 60-month qualifying requirement and is being granted settlement at the same time; or their sole parent is a serving member of HM Armed Forces who is currently exempt from immigration control and is applying for settlement under the service-leaver provisions. This means certain children can obtain settlement alongside their parent without first completing their own separate five-year period under the Appendix.
Overview
The UK updated Appendix HM Armed Forces on 3 August 2026. The Appendix covers HM Armed Forces service leavers and their eligible partners and children. It is a route to settlement, and qualifying service leavers can apply for settlement after meeting the relevant military-service requirements. The August 2026 amendment makes an important change for children whose sole parent is a serving member of HM Armed Forces who is exempt from UK immigration control.
Who is affected by the latest change
- Children whose only parent serves in HM Armed Forces and is exempt from immigration control
- Children of qualified HM Armed Forces service members
- Children of HM Armed Forces service leavers
- Partners of current HM Armed Forces members and service leavers
- HM Armed Forces service leavers applying for permanent settlement
- Families of qualified members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, and Royal Air Force
- Home Office caseworkers who handle applications from Armed Forces personnel
What changed in the latest version
Before
Appendix HM Armed Forces already allowed: * current members of HM Armed Forces to have eligible partners and children apply using this route; * service leavers to apply for permanent settlement or permission to stay; * partners and dependent children of service members and service leavers to apply; and * qualified service leavers to get permanent settlement. However, there was a specific gap. This gap affected children whose only parent was a serving member of HM Armed Forces. This parent was exempt from immigration control and did not have immigration permission under the rules. The Appendix HM Armed Forces did not clearly allow these children to get permission to stay in such situations.
After
The amended rule AF 21.2 now says that a child will get five years' permission to stay if their only parent is: * a member of HM Armed Forces; * exempt from immigration control; and * does not have permission under the Immigration Rules. There is also a related rule for alignment. This applies when a child has only one parent who has permission to enter or stay in the UK. Usually, a dependent child's permission will end on the same date as the parent's permission. This is unless the parent is a British citizen or has an unrestricted right to enter or stay in the UK and normally lives in the UK. *Settlement qualifying period: The change also makes clear an exception to the usual 60-month qualifying period for children. A child does not need to complete 60 months under Appendix HM Armed Forces if: * their parent meets the 60-month qualifying period and is getting permanent settlement at the same time; or * their only parent is a serving member of HM Armed Forces who is currently exempt from immigration control and is applying for permanent settlement under the service-leaver rules. This means some children can get permanent settlement with their parent. They do not need to complete their own separate five-year period under the Appendix first.
This change closes a specific gap for children of serving UK military personnel. A member of HM Armed Forces may be exempt from immigration control because of their military status. However, this exemption does not automatically give their child immigration permission under the Immigration Rules. Before this change, a child in this situation might not fit the normal rules. The Home Office would then need to give them permission on a special, 'discretionary' basis. The government has now created a specific rule within Appendix HM Armed Forces. This means these children can now get immigration permission under the rules. This gives affected families a clearer and more predictable immigration situation.
Explained simply
Think of the UK Armed Forces member as having a special pass that allows them to enter and stay in the UK without needing normal immigration permission. Before this change, that pass did not automatically give their child a clear immigration status, so the child could need a separate, special decision from the Home Office to stay. The new rules give the child their own pass. From 3 August 2026, certain children whose only parent is an exempt serving member of the UK Armed Forces can receive five years of permission to stay under the Immigration Rules.
Frequently asked
Version history
- v2Effective 3 Aug 2026PublishedHigh impactUK Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces Route to Settlement for Service Leavers and Dependants
The UK Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces sets out rules for people leaving His Majesty’s (HM) Armed Forces, called 'service leavers', and their family members. These rules allow them to apply to live or settle permanently in the UK. Service leavers must usually have completed at least four years of 'reckonable service' or meet specific rules for medical discharge. People can apply up to 18 weeks before they leave the service or within two years after they leave. Partners and dependent children of current or former service personnel can also apply. They must meet rules about their relationship, English language skills, and money. This route offers a way for eligible people to settle permanently in the UK.
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