Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as Permanent Residence, grants the right to live and work in the UK free of immigration restrictions. Qualification criteria for ILR vary depending on the type of visa status you have held in the UK.
Minimum Period of Continuous stay in the UK
The following table provides a guide to the minimum period of stay within the UK that you must complete in order to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain. You can combine different visa types. As an example, you could have entered the UK with a Tier 2 Work Permit and then switched to a Tier 1 General Visa. Both of these periods would count towards the qualifying period.
| Status ( Type of Visa currently ) | Qualifying period |
| Ancestry | 5 years |
| Tier 1 / HSMP | 5 years |
| Tier 2 / Work permit | 5 years |
| Investors | 5 years |
| Writers, composers and artists | 5 years |
| Sole representatives | 5 years |
| To establish in business | 5 years |
| Unmarried partners | 2 years |
| Marriage | 2 years |
| Illegal stay on any basis | 14 years |
| legal stay on any basis | 10 years |
Indefinite Leave to Remain removes any immigration based restrictions in the UK.
During the qualifying period you should generally aim to not be outside the UK for more than 90 days during any 12-month period. There are exceptions to this general rule and these exceptions can relate to time outside the UK that is directly related to your UK employment. Some specific situations and visa types will allow for longer periods outside the UK.
If your application is urgent and you will be applying in the UK then we can offer Same Day Visa Processing. Contact us for further information.
Economic Activity
In addition to the above requirements, there are further requirements that will depend on the visa status that you hold at the time of applying for ILR.
Those holding Tier 1 General visa status will be required to demonstrate that they meet a points threshold that is similar to the extension requirements for their visa.
Those holding Tier 2 Visa status (work permits) will be required to demonstrate that they have earned no less than the level of salary that was stated on their most recent Tier 2 Visa application.
Other Requirements
All applicants, other than those covered by the HSMP Judicial Review, will also have to pass the Knowledge of Life in the UK Test. In addition you will have to be free of any unspent convictions under the Criminality section.
After one year of Permanent Residence you can apply for British Citizenship.
Indefinite Leave to Remain Applications
Applications for ILR made by post can take up to 6 months to be decided and you will be without your passport for this time. If your case is urgent or you simply do not wish to be without your passport for this length of time then you can book an appointment for a same-day decision. The waiting time for an appointment is usually between 4 to 6 weeks.
If you need your application decided urgently then we can offer a same-day service. An appointment is usually available for the next week, although places are limited, and the decision is usually granted on the day of the appointment. A Qualified Immigration Consultant will take your application to the Home Office and return with the decision - we do not use couriers to do this. If you use our document check service or engage us for full representation of your case then a discount is offered on the fee for this additional service. Please either contact us by clicking the link above or call us on the number in the footer of this website.
