NATO has the capability and commitment to defend every inch of Alliance territory.

The UK remains staunchly committed to NATO's collective defence obligation, offering almost all of our Armed Forces to NATO including high-readiness forces, which can be deployed as part of NATO's collective defence plans if necessary.

The Ministry of Defence continually monitors developments across the Euro-Atlantic region, including those relevant to NATO's eastern flank. The Government remains committed to the collective defence of the Alliance and works closely with NATO Allies to understand and respond to emerging threats.

As part of NATO's focus on Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, NATO manages its Strategic, Operational and Tactical Plans across all domains to assure the Alliance's ability to respond to any threat that posed by Russia, including on NATO’s eastern flank. The UK has a predefined role in these plans, including the Forward deployment of our battlegroup in Estonia reinforced by a brigade held at readiness in the UK. The Forward Land Forces Battlegroup and Brigade at readiness undertakes sovereign and NATO Allied Land Command validation exercises before it is deployed to ensure it meets NATO operating standards expected to repel an attack from Russia.

In the event of an attack and where Article 5 is invoked, it is SACEUR has the operational permission to implement and execute all military measures necessary to restore and ensure the territorial integrity of the alliance.

As part of NATO's focus on Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, NATO manages its Strategic, Operational and Tactical Plans across all domains to assure the Alliance's ability to respond to any threat that posed by Russia, including on NATO’s eastern flank. The UK has a predefined role in these plans, including the Forward deployment of our battlegroup in Estonia reinforced by a brigade held at readiness in the UK. The Forward Land Forces Battlegroup and Brigade at readiness undertakes sovereign and NATO Allied Land Command validation exercises before it is deployed to ensure it meets NATO operating standards expected to repel an attack from Russia.

In the event of an attack and where Article 5 is invoked, it is SACEUR has the operational permission to implement and execute all military measures necessary to restore and ensure the territorial integrity of the alliance.

As part of NATO's focus on Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, NATO manages its Strategic, Operational and Tactical Plans across all domains to assure the Alliance's ability to respond to any threat that posed by Russia, including on NATO’s eastern flank. The UK has a predefined role in these plans, including the Forward deployment of our battlegroup in Estonia reinforced by a brigade held at readiness in the UK. The Forward Land Forces Battlegroup and Brigade at readiness undertakes sovereign and NATO Allied Land Command validation exercises before it is deployed to ensure it meets NATO operating standards expected to repel an attack from Russia.

In the event of an attack and where Article 5 is invoked, it is SACEUR has the operational permission to implement and execute all military measures necessary to restore and ensure the territorial integrity of the alliance.

The Government keeps the immigration system under review.

The Government keeps the immigration system under review.

Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient and are subject to rigorous testing and monitoring. Outages are rare, and where issues do arise, we work to resolve them as quickly as possible.

Support is available for people who are unable to access or use their online immigration status because of a technical issue. The UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre can assist people in these circumstances and, where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. If someone needs to demonstrate their immigration status for travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7.

Employers and landlords in England can also use the Employer Checking Service and Landlord Checking Service respectively. Other Government Departments that are unable to confirm an individual’s immigration status can seek clarification through the Home Office Status Verification Enquiry and Checking Service.

The Government’s bespoke Ukraine Schemes for those fleeing the conflict are available to eligible Ukrainian nationals and their family members. Applications under these schemes are free of charge, are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge and, if granted, provide access to work, public services, healthcare and education, reflecting the UK’s generous commitment to support provided to those displaced by the conflict.

While applications made under the Ukraine Schemes are not subject to an application fee or the Immigration Health Surcharge, a Ukrainian national who has obtained settled status in the UK and subsequently wishes to sponsor a family member under the UK's wider family immigration routes would be required to apply under the general family visa provisions and pay the relevant fees or obtain a fee waiver.

The current fee for a family visa application, which allow partners, parents and dependent children of British and settled sponsors to apply to come or to stay in the UK, is £2,064 and is set at the same level for all applicants. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is set at £1,035 per person per year and is calculated based on the length of immigration permission granted.

The government’s proposals for settlement reform were set out in the Command Paper ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP1448) and were the subject of a public consultation between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations and are now considering all responses received.  This will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  This will also include both economic and equality impact assessments.

The government’s proposals for settlement reform were set out in the Command Paper ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP1448) and were the subject of a public consultation between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations and are now considering all responses received.  This will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  This will also include both economic and equality impact assessments.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications where applicable.

Service standards for out-of-country family visas are published here: Family: customer service standards - GOV.UK. Currently, the service standard for out- of-country family visa applications is 12 weeks.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of fees for student routes is published here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf

However, no assessment has been made of the potential impact of student visa fees on levels of non-compliance with student visa requirements.

The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Our Immigration White Paper, published last year, set out how we are reducing reliance on international workers and encouraging investment in the domestic workforce. In July 2025, we raised the Skilled Worker threshold to graduate-level occupations, meaning more than 100 occupations are no longer eligible, including restaurant managers and chefs.

The Student visa route is designed to enable genuine international students to study at eligible UK education providers while maintaining the integrity of the immigration system.

When developing student immigration policy, the Home Office considers matters relevant to the effective operation and integrity of the immigration system, alongside the Government’s wider migration objectives.

Licensed Student sponsors must act with integrity as education providers and assess whether prospective students meet the requirements of the route and are likely to comply with the conditions of their permission, including complying with the law. Higher education providers are responsible for meeting their sponsor duties and managing their campuses and student communities. The Government is clear that antisemitism has no place in our society.

Published unit costs for processing visa applications can be viewed on Gov.UK through the following link: Visa fees transparency data - GOV.UK. The estimated unit cost of a spousal visa is currently £426, the fee for a spouse visa application is £1407.

Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing is utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system, reducing reliance of taxpayer funding.

For a spouse visa, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is separate from the visa application fee, but both are paid as part of the application process.

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is set at £1,035 per person per year and is calculated based on the length of immigration permission granted. For a standard 30‑month spouse visa, applicants pay £2,587.50 for the IHS.

The Home Office does not hold centrally collated data on the number of occasions Border Force has exercised powers to stop, board and inspect vehicles, public transport, buses and boats for immigration purposes in each of the last five calendar years.

Border Force officers have powers under immigration legislation to stop, board, examine and search vehicles and vessels for immigration purposes. These powers are exercised routinely as part of day-to-day border operations and are not routinely recorded or centrally collated in a way that would enable the Department to provide the figures requested.

While Border Force maintains operational records relating to passengers and immigration checks, it does not hold data on the number of vehicles or vessels examinations undertaken.

Border Force officers have a range of powers to stop, board, examine and search vehicles and vessels for immigration purposes.

Under Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, immigration officers may board ships and aircraft in connection with the exercise of their immigration functions. They may also search vehicles or containers that have been brought to, or are to be brought to, the United Kingdom by ship, aircraft or train for the purpose of establishing whether there are persons whom they may wish to examine under the Act. These examination powers apply in respect of passengers travelling by private vehicle, public transport, coach, bus, rail, air and maritime services.

In the maritime environment, the Immigration Act 2016 included Part 3A and Schedule 4A, expanding the Immigration Act 1971 to include provide powers, in specified circumstances and where relevant immigration offences are suspected, to stop, board, divert and detain vessels for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting such offences.

The exercise of all Border Force powers is subject to the relevant statutory framework and operational guidance.

The Government expects individuals to make any application to extend their stay or settle in the UK before their existing permission expires. Decisions on immigration applications are made in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

The Immigration Rules contain provisions under which periods of overstaying may be disregarded in certain circumstances. Where relevant, decision-makers will consider all available evidence provided by an applicant, including information relating to serious health issues or other compelling circumstances. Applicants seeking settlement on the UK Ancestry route must continue to meet all applicable requirements of the Immigration Rules.