The private life route is for people whose connection to the UK is their life here rather than a job or a partner. Leave is granted under Appendix Private Life, and settlement follows after five or ten years depending on your circumstances.

Who is on the private life route

Children who have lived in the UK for seven continuous years, where it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave; see child route after seven years.
Young adults aged 18 to 24 who have spent at least half their life in the UK.
Adults with 20 years' continuous residence, lawful or not.
Adults with less than 20 years who would face very significant obstacles to integrating in the country they would have to go to.

Five years or ten years

Children and young adults on the route can qualify for settlement after five years, and a child born in the UK who has lived here seven years can in some cases apply for settlement straight away. Others qualify after ten years of continuous leave on the route or a combination of qualifying family and private life leave.

What you must show at settlement

Continuous residence for the qualifying period, with no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period for periods after 20 June 2022.
The Life in the UK test and English at B1 if you are aged 18 to 64, unless exempt.
No suitability bar.

Fee waiver

If you cannot afford the fee, a fee waiver is available for applications on human rights grounds, including this route. We assess eligibility and prepare the waiver application first, because a refused waiver delays the main application.

What we do

We work out which path you are on, calculate the qualifying date, and prepare the application. Where the Home Office disputes the length of residence, we build the documentary record year by year.

Rules that are changing

A higher English level, B2, has been announced for settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027 on most routes, and the government has proposed an "earned settlement" system with a ten-year baseline. As at 13 October 2026 that is a proposal, not a rule. If you are close to qualifying, apply as soon as you are eligible; we check the position on the day.

Fees and timing

Home Office fee £3,226 per person, correct on 13 October 2026. A super priority decision costs £1,000 more. Standard decisions usually arrive within six months. Our fixed fee is quoted before you instruct us; see our fees.