10 Things To Remember When Applying For Indefinite Leave To Remain

Your application for permanent residence, otherwise known as settlement or indefinite leave to remain (ILR), is the culmination of any overseas resident's journey in the UK. You will of course need to meet the visa route-specific requirements in order to qualify for ILR in your particular visa category, which are not discussed here. There are however a number of common rules you must (in most cases) meet in order to achieve settlement; here we highlight and discuss the most important of these.

1. Know your qualifying period

Most of the UK's visa routes have a 5-year qualifying period for settlement. Some are shorter – notably the Global Talent (Exceptional Talent, not Exceptional Promise) and Innovator Founder categories at 3 years. Some are longer – for example the 10-year long residence route. It is important to remember that your permission to stay in the UK must be both continuous and lawful for the relevant period.