Indefinite Leave to Remain

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is how you settle in the UK. It’s also called ‘settlement’. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible. You can also use it to apply for British citizenship.

You need to live in the UK for a qualification period to apply for ILR. Depending on which visa(s) you have had your qualification period for ILR may be different, for example:

• You can apply for ILR if you have had 2 spouse/partner visas  (2.5 years each) under the 5-year route to settlement.

• You can apply for ILR if you have had 4 spouse/partner/family visas (2.5 years each) under the 10-year route to settlement.

• You can apply for ILR after completing a 5-year qualification period as a Skilled Worker or Tier 2 (General), any Tier 1 visa – except Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur), Scale-up Worker, T2 Minister of Religion or Tier 2 (Minister of Religion), International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson), Innovator Founder, Global Talent (promise).

• You may be able to apply faster (2 or 3 years) for ILR if you have had a tier 1 visa, an Innovator Founder and a Global Talent visa.

• You may be able to apply for ILR after a 10-year period of legal residency in the UK (known as ‘long residence’), in this category you can combine different types of visas to complete the 10-year period.

You must apply for your ILR before your current visa expires.

To be eligible for ILR application, you must meet eligibility requirements:

• Have been living continuously for the required qualifying period in the UK (as explained above).

• The Life in the UK test.

• The English language requirement.

• You have not spent more than the number of days allowed outside of the UK during the qualifying period.

• Each route to settlement will have additional requirements, we recommend you to book an appointment with us when your application date approaches to explain to you in detail everything that you will need according to your migration route.

To apply for ILR you need to pay an application fee of £3,029, please note you no longer have to pay for Immigration Health Surcharge. Additionally, you can pay an extra £1,000 for the super priority service, this will normally get you a decision within 24-hours after your biometric appointment (excluding weekends).