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If you are looking to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain status, our highly experienced team of immigration lawyers can provide you with the help and guidance you need.
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Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of settlement available to overseas nationals.
Typically, you must have spent at least five years in the UK before you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, though in certain circumstances you can apply after three years of residence in the UK, or even two.
Many different types of immigration visas can lead to ILR including Spouse Visas, Innovator Visas and the Skilled Worker Visa.
Indefinite Leave to Remain enables a person to live in the UK without any restrictions, and is the first step towards naturalisation and full citizenship.
If you have been lawfully living in the UK under a form of settlement visa UK you will be able to apply for ILR once you have passed the minimum time threshold for that particular visa. An applicant will also need to fulfil other stipulated requirements.
Visas/routes which can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain status include:
It is also possible for someone to become eligible for ILR through a less traditional route which doesn’t require holding a specific visa.
The amount of time you must have spent in the UK before you are eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain depends on your particular circumstances.
In most cases, an overseas national can apply for ILR after five years of lawful residence in the UK.
Some of the visas which require five years of UK residence include:
Under certain circumstances you could be eligible for ILR status with less than five years of residence in the UK, including those residing in the UK under:
Also, a Commonwealth citizen who has served in the British Armed Forces can apply for ILR after a qualifying period of four years in the UK.
In some cases, the minimum time requirement will be longer than five years. If someone has been living in the UK under a form of Long Residence, they will need to have spent 10 years in the UK before applying for ILR if they are over 18, and 7 years if they are under 18.
As part of the Indefinite Leave to Remain application, you must be able to prove that you meet the English language requirement of B1 in speaking and listening as specified by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Most applicants will need to hold a certificate from an approved test provider to include in their Indefinite Leave to Remain application or, alternatively, be able to show the results online.
However, some people will not need to fulfil this requirement. For example, citizens of Commonwealth countries or majority English-speaking countries will usually be exempt.
This includes, but is not limited to, citizens of the following countries:
Also, the following applicants will be exempt from the English language requirement:
A necessary component of the Indefinite Leave to Remain application is the Life in the UK test. Otherwise known as the British Citizenship test, the Life in the UK test is based on the culture, history and traditions of Britain.
The test lasts for 45 minutes and is comprised of 24 questions, and those questions are randomly generated on the day of the test. You must achieve a score of at least 75% to pass the test.
It costs £50 to take the test and there are over 30 accredited centres where the test can be taken. However, bear in mind that you can only sit the test in one of the five centres nearest to where you live.
If you fail the test, you can sit it again at least seven days after the date of your test. The test can be retaken as many times as needed to achieve a pass.
Those aged 18 or under, or 65 or over will not need to sit the test. Also, if someone has written confirmation from a doctor of a long-term physical or mental condition, they will usually be exempt too.
On the day of the test, you must bring some official identification such as a passport or driving licence, as well as some correspondence dated within three months which shows your UK address.
As part of your application, you must include your Life in the UK pass
Usually, you must not have spent more than 180 days outside of the UK in a 12-month period to be eligible for ILR status.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, for example, if you have been outside of the UK on business, or your time outside of the UK was due to exceptional circumstances.
If you were outside the UK for the following reasons, it will generally be accepted as permissible absence:
In general, it is a good idea to keep records of any periods of time you have spent outside of the UK since you began your UK residency.
Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain may be stressful and time-consuming. For this reason, at IAS, we are committed to professionally assisting all our clients. Your case will be processed by an experienced immigration lawyer, who will assess your situation and advise you on how to proceed. We will also take complete instructions from you on how to complete and submit your application to the Home Office.
At NWL, our immigration lawyers can help you through each step of your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
After assessing your eligibility, your dedicated lawyer will complete your application form to the best standard. This includes performing a full document check to ensure that your portfolio of evidence is adequate. We can also prepare a Letter of Representation to support your application.
As part of your application for ILR, you will need to include a number of supporting documents. This applies to both yourself, and any dependants who are applying with you.
It is important to note that the documents which you provide must be the original issues. If you cannot provide the original documents, you will need to explain why. If exceptional circumstances mean you cannot access the original documents, the Home Office will give some leniency.
Ordinarily, you will need to provide the following documents and information:
The two main forms which are used for Indefinite Leave to Remain applications are Form Set (O) and Form Set (M).
Form Set (M) is the form that needs to be completed when someone applies for ILR as a partner of someone, or parent of a child who is already settled in the UK
For all other ILR applications, Form Set (O) is the form to use. This includes those who have been living under the Investor and Global Talent visas, Long-term Worker visas, Skilled Worker Visas PBS dependants and those on UK Ancestry visas.
The current fee for an Indefinite Leave to Remain application is £2,389.
If you are applying with your family, your dependents will need to pay the full fee of £2389.
An expedited service is also available if you need a quick decision on your application. The priority service processes your application within five working days and costs a further £500, and the super-priority will process your application within one working day, costing an additional £800.
There is no specific timescale, but a standard Indefinite Leave to Remain application will be processed within six months.
The Spouse Visa is designed for those who wish to join their partners in the UK, and is one of the most popular types of visa.
Ordinarily, a spouse of a settled partner can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain status after five years of being a lawful resident in the UK.
The initial Spouse Visa lasts for 30 months and at the end of this period, it can be extended for a further 30 months. Once the Spouse Visa Extension period expires, a spouse will be able to apply for ILR, provided they can meet the full requirements.
A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is a form of identification which includes your name, date of birth, fingerprints and a photo of your face. It will also detail your immigration status, any conditions of your stay and information on benefits and services which can be accessed.
If you don’t already have a BRP, you will need to get one when you apply for ILR. Details on how to get your BRP will be explained to you once your application has been submitted.
Indefinite Leave to Remain is a form of permanent residence, which means that holders of it will be able to remain in the UK without any restrictions imposed.
You will be free to work in the UK and study and study, and you will be eligible for free NHS healthcare.
It is important to note that ILR status can be revoked in certain circumstances.
ILR status could be revoked if:
A refused application can be very distressing news. Firstly, it is important to understand why your application was rejected. The reasons for the refusal will be explained in the rejection letter.
If there was an obvious mistake made on the application, the best option is to resubmit the application with the mistakes rectified.
However, if you believe that your application was unfairly rejected, you can choose to challenge the decision of the Home Office.
If you think a genuine mistake was made on your application, such as a key piece of evidence not being taken into account, the best option is to choose an administrative review. With this option, your application will be reconsidered by a different immigration official.
In certain cases, you might be able to lodge an official legal appeal against the Home Office’s decision. Your refusal letter will indicate whether this is an option for you.
If you decide to challenge the Home Office’s decision, the IAS can support you through the entire process with our appeal package.
Indefinite Leave to Remain is a major step towards becoming a British citizen. However, you will not automatically become a British citizen after you have spent a certain period of time living under ILR status.
After you have lived in the UK for twelve months under ILR, you will be able to apply for British citizenship, provided your circumstances haven’t changed significantly. If you want to become a full British citizen, you must complete an application for British citizenship by naturalisation and submit it to the Home Office.
As a British citizen, you will be able to apply for a British passport and enjoy the full benefits of citizenship.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can apply for the EU Settlement Scheme instead of Indefinite Leave to Remain.
The EU Settlement Scheme enables successful applicants to live and work in the UK after 30 June 2021 without any restrictions.
In most cases, you must have been living in the UK before 31st December 2020 to be eligible.
If you are eligible for the scheme, your immediate family members will be able to join the scheme too on the basis of their relationship to you, enjoying the same freedoms as yourself.
Contact us at one of our offices in London, Manchester, or Birmingham, as well as in many other locations throughout the UK for advice relating to Indefinite Leave to Remain.
New World Law Associates Limited (Company Number: 05951475) is incorporated in the United Kingdom since 29 September 2006.
New World Law Associates Limited is regulated by OISC level 3 immigration firm, under Registration Number: F200800023.
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