Permanent Residence

You will be eligible for permanent residence in the UK (Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR) after:

  • 5 years as a spouse or partner of a British or EU citizen
  • 5 years of residence in the UK in all professional immigration categories (read more below)
  • 10 years of legal long residence in the UK
  • 20 years of illegal + 10 years of legal long residence in the UK
  • Usually 10 years or 5 years for those who have lived half of their life in the UK, subject to a number of immigration conditions

The table below provides complete information on the timing of obtaining permanent residence (ILR) in the UK for various immigration categories, as well as the possibility of summing up the time spent in various visa categories in relation to the deadlines for applying for ILR, and the need to take the Life in the UK test and the English language test from the list of approved tests.

A. Table on the terms of obtaining permanent residence

     

Immigration Category

Required period of stay in the UK

Categories that can be combined to complete the required qualifying period

English Language Test and Life in the UK

1

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

3 or 5 years (depending on business generated)

None

Yes

2

Tier 1 (Investor)

2,3 or 5 years (depending on amount invested)

None

Yes

3

Skilled Worker Visa (formerly known as Tier 2);

Ministers of Religion;

Sportsperson;

Health and Care Worker Visa

5 years

Member of Operational ground staff of overseas owned Airlines, Minister of Religion, Sportsperson, Health and Care Worker Visa, Representative of Overseas Newspaper etc.,  Tier  1 & Skilled Worker Visa (formerly known as Tier 2)

Yes

4

Innovator

3 or 5 years (depending on business generated)

None

Yes

5

Global Talent Visa

After 3 or 5 years, depending on the endorsement path you are applying for

None

Yes

6

Airport based operation ground staff  of overseas owned Airlines

5 years

None

Yes

7

Representatives of Overseas newspapers, News Agencies etc.

5 years

None

Yes

8

Sole Representatives

5 years

None

Yes

9

Overseas Govt. Employees

5 years

None

Yes

10

EEA nationals and their family members

5 years

None

No

11

Long Residence – legal

10 Years

All visas, excluding time spent as a visitor, short-term student or on the seasonal worker routes

Yes

12

Long Residence – Illegal

20 Years + 10 years legal residence

None

Yes

13

Ancestry Visa

5 years

None

Yes

14

Refugee

5 Years

None

No

15

Discretionary Leave to remain

6 Years

None

No

16

Humanitarian Protection

5 Years

None

No

17

Spouses of persons present and settled in the UK

5 Years

None

Yes

18

Unmarried partners of persons present and settled in the UK

5 Years

None

Yes

19

Victim of Domestic Violence (Spouses / Unmarried partners of settled persons only)

No time limits  mentioned

None

No

20

Bereaved Partners (Spouses / unmarried partners of settled persons only)

No time limits  mentioned

Bereaved Partners (Spouses / unmarried partners of settled persons only)

No

21

Persons having right of access to their child

5 or 10 Years

None

Yes

22

Elderly Dependants

No time limits  mentioned

None

No

23

Those who have lived half of their life in the UK

10 or 5 years (5 years subject to meeting certain requirements)

None

Yes


 

B. Other requirements for obtaining permanent residence (ILR)

Additional rules for obtaining permanent residence (ILR) also affect situations where an applicant is involved in the criminal activity.

Namely, if such an applicant is sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 12 months or more, he will not receive permanent residence (ILR) for 15 years after the verdict of the court.

With shorter terms of imprisonment, shorter bans on obtaining ILR are provided.

Our services

  • Preparation and submission of applications for permanent residence based on any immigration visa categories
  • Consulting on the application procedure
  • Appealing against the decision of the Home Office in case of refusal

 

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