Stage 1 applications are currently paused — what this means

What official information says, in full

The core statement is short and direct: the programme “is currently undergoing restructuring, and during this transition period, they are not accepting new Stage 1 applications or Repeat with Payment applications.” Two categories of application are named explicitly — new Stage 1 applications and Repeat with Payment applications (the route by which someone who didn’t pass first time would normally re-sit a course component for a fee). Both are described as currently unavailable.

What the statement does not say is just as important to notice: it does not name a date when the restructuring began, does not name a date when it is expected to end, and does not describe what happens to people who were mid-course when the pause began, or to Stage 2 applicants who have already graduated Stage 1. We are not filling in those gaps with assumptions — if any of those situations applies to you, see “what to do next” below.

What we are not telling you — and why

While researching this page, independent commentary (not an official Human Rights Directorate statement) suggested an informal expectation that registrations might reopen around early 2026. We are deliberately not repeating that as if it were a fact: AGENTS.md’s source-grounding rules place the Human Rights Directorate, not private commentary sites, as the authority for I Belong Programme updates, and publishing an unofficial guess about a reopening date — only for it to prove wrong — would do readers more harm than simply saying “we don’t know, and neither, as far as we can tell, has the Directorate said publicly.”

If a dated, official reopening announcement is published, we will record it here and on the updates page, with the date we checked it.

What to do next

1. Bookmark the official page, not a summary of it. The official I Belong Programme page is where a confirmed reopening — if and when announced — will appear first, with the authoritative wording.
2. If your situation is time-sensitive, ask directly. If a Long-Term Residence deadline, employment condition, or other process depends on this certificate, contact the programme using the published address rather than waiting — see official I Belong Programme contacts.
3. Use the pause to prepare, not to guess. Read who official information says is eligible and what each course actually covers, so that when registrations do reopen, you know what you’re applying for.

Frequently asked questions

Exactly which applications does the pause affect?

Official wording names two categories specifically: "new Stage 1 applications" and "Repeat with Payment applications." It does not, in the official wording we have found, separately describe what happens to learners already partway through an in-progress course, or to Stage 2 applications from people who have already graduated Stage 1 — if either applies to you, the programme contact address is the right place to ask.

When will Stage 1 applications reopen?

We have not found an official, dated reopening announcement to report here, and we are not going to guess at one. Some independent commentary circulating online has suggested an informal expectation around early 2026, but that is not an official statement from the Human Rights Directorate, and AGENTS.md-grade source discipline means we will not present an unofficial guess as if it were a published date. The official I Belong Programme page is where a confirmed reopening date — if and when one is announced — would appear first.

Is there anything useful I can do while registrations are paused?

Two things this guide can responsibly suggest: first, use the time to read the official eligibility description and the course breakdowns on this site so you understand what you'll be applying for once registrations reopen; second, if your situation is time-sensitive (for example, tied to a Long-Term Residence application deadline), contact the programme directly using the published contact address rather than waiting and hoping — they are the only authority who can tell you how the pause affects your specific case.

Official sources for this page

• Human Rights Directorate (opens in a new tab)

  Official I Belong Programme overview: the two-stage structure, eligibility, course content, and current Stage 1 application status.

  Source last checked: 8 June 2026