Implementation of Coronavirus Grace Period

Policy effect

Following the conclusion of the Coronavirus Extension Concession, the Home Office established a one-month grace period for individuals whose leave expired during the pandemic, allowing them to remain in the UK to arrange departure without penalty.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… working system to check the applicant has not broken their continuous residence as set out in Appendix Continuous Residence. An applicant will not be lawfully present, where the applicant required permission and did not have it and none of the overstaying exceptions in CR 4.1(d) apply. During the Coronavirus Extension Concession, a grace period was given between 1 August and 31 August 2020 for individuals to make arrangements to leave the UK. During this period individuals were not subject to sanctions that apply to overstayers, and the conditions of stay in the UK were to be the same as the conditions … the UK which would otherwise have expired during the period 24 January 2020 to 31 July 2020. Following the ending of the Coronavirus Extension Concession, the Home Office provided a grace period between 1 August to 31 August 2020 to allow individuals time to make arrangements to leave the UK. Any overstaying between 24 January 2020 and 31 August 2020 must be disregarded in line with paragraph 39E of the Rules and will not break continuous residence. You should be alert to this, as time spent in the UK during the CEC and following grace period is to be regarded as lawful presence and must count …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2020

• 2020-01-31EU Settlement Scheme Appeals System Establishment
• 2020-02-20Global Talent Visa Application Fees & Fast-Track Endorsement Fees
• 2020-02-20Launch of the Global Talent Visa Route (Statement of Changes HC 56)
• 2020-04-05Transition of Priority Change of Circumstances Service to Email-Only
• 2020-04-29Automatic Visa Extensions for Frontline Healthcare Workers
• 2020-06-04Stricter Rules for Representative of an Overseas Business Route (Statement of Changes CP 232)
• 2020-06-22Youth Mobility Scheme 2020 Deadline Extension for Taiwan
• 2020-09-01Implementation of Exceptional Assurance Concession for Overstaying
• 2020-10-05Introduction of New Points-Based Student and Child Student Routes
• 2020-11-12COVID-19 Financial Requirement Concessions for Family Visas
• 2020-12-01Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 813 (Introduction of the Skilled Worker Route and Global Points-Based Framework)
• 2020-12-31End of EU Free Movement and Repeal of Free Movement Law
• 2020-12-31Introduction of Post-Brexit Third-Country Asylum Inadmissibility Rules (HC 1043)
• 2020-12-31Post-Transition Visitor and Trade-Related Service Provider Rules
• 2020-12-31Saving of EU Public Policy Deportation Grounds for Pre-Transition Conduct