Indefinite Leave to Remain
settlement in the United Kingdom
An Indefinite Leave to Remain application should be prepared
around the correct settlement route, qualifying residence,
absences, current immigration status, suitability and any
route-specific requirements.
Permission dates, absences, employment or family records and supporting evidence should form one consistent application.
Route Overview
Indefinite Leave to Remain depends on
your immigration route and qualifying residence
Indefinite Leave to Remain, also known as settlement,
can allow an eligible person to live, work and study
in the UK without an immigration time limit.
Eligibility depends on the settlement route connected to the applicant’s current or previous permission. Work, family, long residence, private life, ancestry and other routes can have different qualifying periods and conditions.
The applicant’s current permission, qualifying residence, absences, suitability and route-specific requirements should be checked before deciding when and how to apply for settlement.
Permission dates, travel, employment or family evidence and Home Office records should agree.
Route Snapshot
Core areas to establish
These areas provide an initial overview. The detailed assessment depends on the settlement route, qualifying period, absences, current permission and supporting records.
01
Qualifying immigration route
The applicant must identify a current or previous immigration category that provides a route to settlement and satisfy its specific conditions.
02
Required residence period
The length of residence required can differ by route. All grants of permission relied on should be mapped against the applicable qualifying period.
03
Continuous residence
Travel outside the UK and any event that may break continuity should be checked against the rules for the selected settlement route.
04
Settlement conditions
Suitability, current permission, route-specific work or family conditions, and any applicable language and Life in the UK requirements must be addressed.
Important Route Check
Indefinite leave or another form of settled status?
The correct process depends on the applicant’s immigration position. Work, family and long residence routes use different settlement requirements and application forms.
EU Settlement Scheme settled status, right of abode and confirmation of existing indefinite status are separate processes and should not be treated as a standard ILR application.
Indefinite Leave to Remain eligibility depends on the
settlement route, qualifying period, continuous residence,
current immigration position, suitability and any
route-specific settlement conditions.
01
Eligible immigration route
The applicant must hold, or have held, permission that leads to settlement and satisfy the eligibility rules for that particular category.
Confirm the route and application form
02
Qualifying period
The applicant should complete the required period on the relevant route and identify which earlier grants of permission can be counted.
Map the permission relied on
03
Continuous residence and suitability
Absences, immigration compliance, criminality and other suitability matters should be reviewed before the application is submitted.
Review absences and relevant history
04
Language, life and route conditions
The applicant should address any English-language and Life in the UK requirements, together with the work, family or other conditions attached to the route.
Confirm every applicable condition
Main Requirements
Indefinite Leave to Remain requirements
that need to be considered together
The application should show that the selected immigration route leads to settlement and that the required qualifying period has been completed.
The assessment also includes continuous residence, current permission, suitability and any work, family, English-language or Life in the UK conditions that apply.
01
Qualifying route and period
The applicant must identify the immigration category relied on, complete its qualifying period and confirm which earlier periods can be counted.
Review
Route, permission dates and qualifying periods
02
Continuous residence and absences
Every relevant absence should be recorded and assessed against the continuous-residence rules that apply to the selected route.
Review
Departure dates, return dates and route limits
03
Current permission and suitability
The applicant should confirm that the application can be made from within the UK and review current permission, immigration compliance and relevant suitability matters.
Review
Current status, compliance and suitability
04
Route-specific settlement conditions
The application must address any applicable English-language and Life in the UK requirements, together with employment, relationship, sponsorship or other route conditions.
Review
Language, life and route-specific evidence
Dependants may need their own settlement assessment
Whether a partner or child can apply at the same time depends on the settlement route and their own immigration history. Each dependant’s eligibility should be checked separately.
Supporting Evidence
Supporting evidence for an
Indefinite Leave to Remain application
Documents should establish identity, current permission, qualifying residence, travel history and the route-specific settlement requirements relied on.
Check the settlement record before submissionNames, permission dates, absences and route-specific information should agree across the evidence.
Evidence Groups
Organise documents by purpose
The documents required depend on the settlement route and the issues identified. These groups provide a practical starting structure for preparing the application.
01
Identity and immigration status
Confirm the applicant’s identity, nationality, current immigration status and the route under which settlement is requested.
Current and previous passports or travel documents
eVisa or other proof of current immigration status
Current grant and relevant Home Office decisions
02
Qualifying route and residence
Create a dated record of the immigration permission and residence relied on for the qualifying period.
Visa grants, decision notices and application records
Employment, sponsorship, relationship or route-specific records
Evidence explaining any change of route or period counted
03
Travel and continuous residence
Support the absence calculation and explain any travel or event that may affect continuous residence.
Passport stamps and a complete travel schedule
Tickets, booking records or other travel evidence where needed
Documents explaining significant or unusual absences
04
Language, life and route conditions
Provide the evidence required for settlement and address the conditions attached to the selected route.
Life in the UK Test pass information where required
Accepted English evidence, prior proof or exemption where applicable
Employment, relationship, sponsorship or suitability evidence where relevant
Review translations and document quality
Evidence should be complete and readable. Documents not in English or Welsh may require an appropriate certified translation.
Application Process
Indefinite Leave to Remain application process
from route review to decision
A structured Indefinite Leave to Remain application process
helps keep the settlement route, qualifying-period calculation,
absence history, online form and supporting documents consistent.
Confirm the settlement route and qualifying period
Review the applicant’s current status, immigration history and the route-specific qualifying period proposed for the application.
02
Chronology and Requirements
Map permission and identify every route condition
Create a dated schedule covering visa grants, residence, absences and the employment, family or other conditions relevant to settlement.
03
Online Submission
Complete the form and organise the evidence
Check the online answers, declarations and supporting documents together before submitting the route-specific settlement application.
04
Identity Stage
Upload documents and provide biometric information
Follow the instructions issued after submission, including document upload and identity or biometric requirements.
05
Decision
Keep the application record and review the outcome
Retain the form, evidence, qualifying-period calculation and correspondence. When a decision is issued, review the status granted and any next steps.
Do not travel outside the Common Travel Area while the application is pending
An in-country application for permission to stay is normally
treated as withdrawn if the applicant travels outside the UK,
Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a
decision is made. Check the instructions for the specific
settlement application before travelling.
Common Questions
Indefinite leave to remain
frequently asked questions
These answers provide a general introduction. The correct position will depend on the applicant’s immigration route, qualifying period, absences, current permission and settlement conditions.
Individual Circumstances
Need a more specific review?
Prepare a summary of the current route, previous permission, qualifying residence, absences and any route-specific settlement evidence.
No. The required period depends on the settlement route. Some categories permit settlement after a shorter period, many use a five-year period, and long residence has its own ten-year rules.
No. The applicant must also satisfy continuous residence, suitability and every work, family, language, Life in the UK or other condition attached to the selected route.
All departures and returns should be listed using exact dates. The permitted limits and the way absences are calculated can depend on the settlement route and the dates involved.
That depends on the route. Some settlement categories allow specified earlier permissions to be combined, while others require the full period in a particular category or related group of routes.
The requirements and exemptions depend on the route and the applicant’s circumstances. Some work-route applicants may rely on English already proved, while age, nationality or medical exemptions can apply in certain cases.
Possibly, but eligibility depends on the route and each dependant’s own immigration history. Some family members can apply at the same time, while others must qualify and apply separately.
The standard Home Office fee for an Indefinite Leave to Remain
application is currently £3,226 per applicant. Applicants for
indefinite leave do not normally pay the Immigration Health
Surcharge. Fees can change, so check the
current GOV.UK immigration fees
before applying.
Many settlement routes currently state that a standard decision
is usually made within six months after biometric information is
provided. Faster services may be available for some applications;
for example, GOV.UK currently lists a £1,000 super priority
service for eligible Long Residence settlement applications.
Availability should be checked for the specific ILR route before
submission.
Indefinite Leave to Remain will normally lapse if the holder
remains outside the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies for
two or more years continuously. Different absence periods apply
to settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme. A
person whose ILR has lapsed may need to consider a Returning
Resident application before returning to live in the UK.
Review Your Circumstances
Prepare your indefinite leave to remain application with
a clearer understanding of the settlement route
Discuss the immigration route, qualifying period, absences, current status, supporting evidence and settlement conditions before moving forward.
