A BBC investigation has found people are making false domestic abuse claims to exploit a Home Office concession that can fast‑track permanent settlement in the UK. Lawyers and partners of British nationals told the BBC some migrants are fabricating allegations, aided in some cases by paid, unregulated advisers, and that Home Office checks have at times been insufficient.
How the concession works
The Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession allows people on temporary visas who are partners of British citizens and who say they have been abused to apply for immediate support. Successful applicants receive temporary leave and access to benefits for an initial period, during which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain — a route that can be much quicker than the usual five‑year path to settlement.
Rising numbers
Freedom of Information data obtained by the BBC show 5,596 applications for indefinite leave to remain as victims of domestic abuse in the 12 months to September 2025, a rise of more than 50% over three years. Around a quarter of applicants (1,424) were men, a 66% increase compared with two years earlier; applications by women rose by 47%.
Undercover meeting with an adviser
An undercover reporter met an immigration adviser, identified as Eli Ciswaka, at a London hotel. The reporter said he wanted to separate from his British wife but feared losing his visa; according to the report, Ciswaka suggested fabricating a domestic‑abuse claim and offered to create a case for £900. He reportedly recommended emphasising psychological abuse and using oral accounts where physical evidence was lacking, and showed a Home Office letter he said proved prior success. The BBC says Ciswaka is neither a registered solicitor nor a regulated immigration adviser, which makes it illegal for him to provide immigration advice. He later denied agreeing to fabricate a story when contacted about the investigation.
Regulation and official responses
The body that regulates immigration advisers has said it will investigate and take enforcement action where wrongdoing is identified. The Immigration Services Commissioner warned the public to use only registered advisers. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips described abuse of the concession as “utterly shameful,” and warned that fraudulent applications would be refused and could lead to removal from the UK; she also said sham advisers could face criminal action and asset seizure.
Evidence used in applications
The investigation found examples where crime reference numbers from police reports, charity statements or non‑molestation injunctions were used as evidence in Home Office applications — even when police inquiries resulted in no charges. The Home Office told the BBC a crime reference number alone is not treated as proof of domestic abuse. Campaigners and lawyers say some forms of evidence relied on by applicants can be limited or contested, and that the system can be abused when oversight is inadequate.
Personal account: “Aisha”
A woman using the name Aisha told the BBC she met her ex‑husband on a Muslim dating app and married after a short courtship. She says he misrepresented his status and became dependent on her for immigration permission, then became controlling and raped her. She reported the rape to police and the Home Office and was later awarded more than £17,000 by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which found the sexual assault was more likely than not to have occurred.
She says that after officials told him his visa would be curtailed, he reported coercive control and physical violence against her. The police did not pursue action against her on those complaints, and he was never charged with rape after she decided not to support a prosecution. Aisha says further allegations led to her being arrested in January 2023 and held for eight hours while breastfeeding her baby. She says the Home Office’s handling allowed her ex‑husband to continue a campaign of false complaints and that the last four years have been “hell.”
Impact on British partners
Criminal lawyers who have represented British nationals named as alleged perpetrators say some clients’ lives have been disrupted by accusations they believe to be false. They warn the concession—intended to protect genuinely vulnerable people—can be misused by those seeking a faster route to settlement because a criminal conviction is not required to succeed in an immigration application under the concession.
Parliamentary concern
MPs have raised concerns about the trend. In November 2024, West Yorkshire Conservative MP Robbie Moore warned of a “worrying” pattern of recent arrivals making allegations soon after arriving in the UK, by both men and women, allegedly to accelerate settled status or avoid fees.
Support and contact
The BBC investigation invited anyone with information to contact [email protected].
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support is available via BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/.