Passports & immigration
Immigration and asylum
The UK is a diverse, multicultural society. We regulate entry to, and settlement in, the UK.
Visit the UK Border Agency website
If you want to come to live or work in the UK, go to the website of the UK Border Agency (previously called the Border and Immigration Agency), which explains the process and provides all the information you will need:
Our UK Border Agency (new window) considers applications for:
- permission to work in the UK
- permission to stay here
- citizenship
- refuge and asylum
Depending on your circumstances, your application may be assessed on factors such as:
- your ability to contribute to the economy
- your risk of persecution in your home country
- whether your relatives were born here
- whether you’re a citizen of a Commonwealth nation