Indefinite Leave to Remain UK

You may be eligible to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) / Settlement in the UK after a certain period of time. Depending on the visa category you are currently under, you might be eligible to settle in the UK after two, three, five or ten years. Moreover, you might be able to combine different visa categories when applying for settlement. Your dependents may be eligible to apply for an ILR in line with you or having completed lawfully five years in the UK.

​You can submit a settlement application up to 28 days before you would reach the end of the specified period.

Tier 1 (Investor) visa – this option might be available to you if you have invested at least £10 million by way of United Kingdom Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. The initial applications to Tier 1 (Investor) visa was closed on the 17th of February 2022.

​Applying for Settlement after three years

​Investor visa UK – if you have invested at least £5 million by way of United Kingdom Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies, you might be eligible to qualify for an ILR after 3 years of lawful residence in the UK. The initial applications to Tier 1 (Investor) visa was closed on the 17th of February 2022.

​Innovator Founder visa – if you have resided in the UK continually for at least 3 years and have successfully obtained an Endorsement letter issued by an endorsing body or legacy endorsing body which includes all the required by the Home Office information, you might be eligible for settlement after 3 years.

Global Talent – if your endorsement was given under the Designated Competent Bodies ‘exceptional talent criteria, you might be eligible for indefinite leave to remain under this category having completed lawfully 3 years in the UK

​Applying for Settlement after five years

​Investor visa UK – you might be eligible to apply for settlement after 5 years if you have invested at least £2 million (or £1 million if you entered the Tier 1 (Investor) route before 6 November 2014) by way of United Kingdom Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. The initial applications to Tier 1 (Investor) visa was closed on the 17th of February 2022.

​Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa – if you have resided in the UK continually for at least 3 years and have successfully obtained an Endorsement letter issued by an endorsing body or legacy endorsing body which includes all the required by the Home Office information, you might be eligible for settlement after 3 years.

Global Talent visa – if your endorsement was given under the exceptional promise criteria, you can apply for settlement under this visa route having completed 5 continuous years in the UK

Skilled Worker – an application for settlement under this visa category can be submitted on completion of five years, of which the most recent period must have been spent with leave as a Tier 2 (General) migrant in combination with certain visa categories

​Representative of Overseas Business – if you have completed lawfully 5 years in the UK under Sole Representative visa, you might be eligible to apply for an ILR if you meet all requirements of the Immigration Rules. The application to the Representative of Overseas Business Visa was closed on the 9th of April 2022.

​PBS Dependent visa – your partner might be eligible for settlement having completed lawfully 5 years in the UK

​Domestic worker – if you have entered the United Kingdom under this visa category under the Rules in place before 6 April 2012, you might be eligible to apply for settlement in the UK

​UK Ancestry – Indefinite Leave to Remain may be granted to a Commonwealth citizen with a United Kingdom born grandparents after 5 years of lawful residence in the UK

​Spouse/Civil Partner/Unmarried partner/Same Sex partner visa – from 9 July 2012 you are required to complete 5 years lawful residence in the UK to be eligible to apply for settlement under these visa categories of Appendix FM

​Applying for Settlement after ten years

​Long Residence (10 years route) – if you have completed at least 10 years of lawful residence in the UK, you might be able to qualify for settlement under this visa category

​Private Life – if you have been in the UK with continuous leave on the grounds of private life for a period of at least 10 years, you might be eligible to qualify for indefinite leave to remain under this category.

​If your enquiry is about Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) / Permanent Residence application under any other visa categories or you require any further information about the above-mentioned visa routes, please do not hesitate to contact our immigration team.