Indefinite Leave after 10 years

What is Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – Long Residence Route?

If you have lived in the UK for a continuous period of 10 years, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) through the Long Residence Route. This immigration status allows you to live in the UK without time restrictions, providing a pathway to permanent settlement. Achieving ILR is an important step towards securing British citizenship.

The applicants cannot include their family members (‘dependants’) in their own applications. Dependents can apply separately if they’re eligible for indefinite leave to remain with long residence.

Who is eligible for ILR based on Long Residence?

To apply for ILR through the Long Residence route, you must meet the following key criteria:

• 10 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK: You must have lived in the UK lawfully for 10 consecutive years, under any combination of valid visas or leave to remain. You cannot count time spent in the UK on a Standard Visitor visa (or as a visitor without a visa, on a Short-term study visa or on a Seasonal Worker visa.
• Continuous residence: This means you have been physically present in the UK and not exceeded the allowable absences. The rules on absences depend on whether the time abroad occurred before or after 11 April 2024:
  • Before 11 April 2024, you must not have been absent from the UK for more than:
    • 548 days in total during the 10-year qualifying period.
    • 184 days in any 12-month period.
  • From 11 April 2024 onwards: The applicant should not be absent from the UK no more than 180 days in any 12-month period.
• Lawful residence: Your presence in the UK must have been lawful for the entire 10-year period. This includes any leave to enter or remain in the UK under valid immigration status, excluding Standard Visitor Visa, Short-term Student Visa, Seasonal Worker Visa.
• Meet the Life in the UK Test: You must pass the Life in the UK Test, which assesses your knowledge of UK history, culture, and values (unless exempt).
• Meet the English language requirement: You need to prove your English language ability, typically by passing an approved English test or by holding a degree taught in English or holding a passport of a country on the list of English speaking countries.

Acceptable Absences and Discretion

There are situations where discretion may be applied if you exceed the absence limits of 548 days (pre-11 April 2024) or 180 days in every continuous 12 months (post-11 April 2024), or if your absence exceeded 184 days (before 11 April 2024). The Home Office may consider your case on an individual basis if you provide sufficient reasons and evidence. Acceptable reasons may include:

• Serious illness: If you or a close family member experienced a serious illness or medical condition that required you to be outside the UK for treatment or care.
• Natural disasters: Circumstances such as floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters that prevented you from returning to the UK.
• Conflict: You were unable to return due to political unrest, war or conflict in the country where you were residing.
• Exceptional circumstances: Other personal reasons such as the death of a close family member, urgent family responsibilities or other events beyond your control. If you were unable to return to the UK due to a pandemic, periods spent outside the UK as a result do not count towards periods of absence.
• Humanitarian purposes: You were assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis overseas, providing if on a sponsored route your sponsor agreed to the absence for that purpose.

When applying for discretion, it is crucial to provide strong supporting evidence, such as medical records, death certificates or official documentation related to the exceptional circumstances.

Passportia will:

Applying for ILR under the Long Residence route can be a complex process, especially if you have any gaps in your immigration history or excessive absences. Passportia offers expert guidance throughout the ILR application process, ensuring you have the best chance of success.

Our services include:

• Eligibility assessment: We will carefully review your immigration history and assess whether you meet the requirements for ILR.
• Document preparation: We will help you gather and organise the necessary documents, including evidence for any absences.
• Application submission: We will ensure your ILR application is completed accurately and submitted to the Home Office on time.
• Ongoing support: Our experienced team will guide you through the entire process, answering any questions and addressing concerns along the way.

To enquire about a quotation - please fill in the form below or call a number on the right. No-win no fee arrangements may be available in certain circumstances. We look forward to hearing from you.

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