What we help with
- ILR as a Skilled Workercontinuous residence, the 180-day absence limit, salary and sponsor requirements, Life in the UK, English and fees..
- ILR as a spousecontinuous residence, the £29,000 financial requirement, English B1, Life in the UK test, fees and timing..
- ILR as an unmarried partnercohabitation evidence across the five years, the financial requirement, English B1, Life in the UK, fees..
- ILR for a child, private lifechildren with seven years in the UK, young adults who have spent half their life here, and twenty years' residence..
- ILR for victims of domestic abuseAppendix Victim of Domestic Abuse, the three-month concession, evidence, fee waiver..
- Long residencewhat counts, the 180-day absence rule, current permission requirement, Life in the UK, English and fees..
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is settlement: permission to live in the UK without time limit. It is the step before British citizenship, and it ends the cycle of extensions, fees and the immigration health surcharge. The route to ILR depends on the visa you hold now.
The routes
- Work routes: Skilled Worker and most other sponsored work visas lead to ILR after a qualifying period of continuous residence, with absences kept within the limit.
- Partner route: partners of British citizens and settled people apply for ILR at the end of the five-year route, or after ten years on the longer route.
- Long residence: ten years of continuous lawful residence, whatever visas you have held.
- Private life: for people, including children, who have built their life here and cannot reasonably be expected to leave.
- Domestic abuse: partners whose relationship has broken down because of abuse can apply for settlement without waiting for the normal period.
- Refugees and people with humanitarian protection apply for settlement at the end of their grant of protection.
What every ILR application must show
- Continuous residence for the qualifying period, with absences from the UK within the permitted limit and the dates evidenced.
- Knowledge of language and life: the Life in the UK test and English at the required level, unless exempt.
- No breaks in lawful leave, or an explanation the rules allow for.
- Suitability: no convictions, debts to the NHS or deception that bar settlement.
Rules are changing
The government has announced changes to the qualifying period for settlement and to the conditions attached to it. Whether the changes apply to you depends on the route you are on and when you entered it. We check the position on the day we advise you, and our guides page carries updates when rules change.
What we do
We work out the earliest date you can apply, check your absences and leave history for gaps, prepare the application with the evidence the Home Office expects, and deal with any questions raised. If you are refused, we advise on administrative review, appeal or judicial review.
