Indefinite Leave to remain (ILR)

Indefinite Leave to remain(ILR)

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as settlement, allows you to live in the UK permanently without any time restrictions. However, not every visa route leads to ILR. For example, visit visas and student visas do not provide a path to settlement.

If your current visa category does lead to ILR, you’ll usually need to have lived in the UK for 5 continuous years on the same type of visa before becoming eligible to apply.

If your current route doesn’t offer a direct path to ILR — such as the student visa route — you might still qualify under the 10-year long residence rule. This allows you to apply for ILR after living legally in the UK for 10 continuous years, on any type of visa or a combination of visas (including time spent under EEA residence rights).

General ILR Requirements
To qualify for ILR, you will typically need to:

Pass the Life in the UK Test
Prove your English language skills — this varies by route, but is usually at least CEFR level B1 in speaking and listening
Meet all visa requirements consistently for the full qualifying period
Not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during the qualifying years
Satisfy the suitability requirements and not fall under the general grounds for refusal

Application Fee

The fee for an ILR application is £3,029 per applicant (adults and children).
No Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is payable at this stage.

Children Born in the UK

If you have a child born in the UK who currently holds a visa as your dependant, once you’re granted ILR, your child may immediately be eligible to register as a British citizen.
The registration fee is £1,070.
If this applies to you, it’s important to seek advice — we can help you plan and coordinate these applications to avoid delays and additional costs.”

10 years long residence

Long Residence Route (10-Year Settlement)
You may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the UK Long Residence route if you have held continuous and lawful leave to remain in the UK for a period of 10 years — even if your current visa category doesn’t yet lead to settlement on its own.

To qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Key Requirements:

Have completed 10 years of continuous and lawful residence in the UK
Pass the Life in the UK test
Meet the English language requirement at CEFR Level B1 (speaking and listening)
Have no immigration or conduct issues that fall under the general grounds for refusal

Not have reasons making it undesirable to grant ILR, considering factors such as:

Your age
Strength of ties in the UK
Personal history, including character, behaviour, and employment record
Domestic and compassionate circumstances
Any formal representations made on your behalf

Timing Considerations:

In exceptional situations, it may be possible to apply for ILR under this route within 14 days of your last visa expiring, though this is not advisable and should be avoided where possible.
If needed, applying for a short extension to reach your 10-year qualifying period is usually the safest approach.

What Counts as Continuous Residence:

Your continuous residence is maintained as long as:
You haven’t been outside the UK for more than 6 months at a time
You held valid leave when you left and returned
Continuous residence is broken if you:
Have been removed, deported, or left the UK after a visa refusal
Left with no realistic expectation of lawful return
Were imprisoned, or confined in a hospital or young offenders institution
Spent over 548 days (about 18 months) outside the UK during the 10-year period

What Counts as Lawful Residence:

Lawful residence includes time spent in the UK with:
Valid leave to enter or remain
Temporary admission or immigration bail where leave was later granted
Exemption from immigration control (if immediately followed by a grant of leave)
EEA residence rights (except derivative rights)
Leave under ECAA provisions (Ankara Agreement)
Periods of overstaying under 14 days where further leave was subsequently granted won’t break continuous residence — but that overstayed time won’t count towards your 10 years.

If You Cannot Meet the English or Life in the UK Test Requirements:

If you’re unable to meet these requirements, instead of ILR you may be granted further leave to remain under your current visa conditions.
For those who have been in the UK for 20 years or more, you may be eligible to apply under a different provision allowing you to work freely, regardless of the restrictions attached to previous visas.

Adult Dependent Relative

Adult Dependent Relative Visa – Overview
The Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) visa is designed for non-UK adult relatives of British citizens, settled persons, or individuals in the UK with protection status (such as refugee or humanitarian protection). This visa allows such relatives to join their family member in the UK permanently if they require long-term personal care due to illness, disability, or age.

Who Can Apply?
You can apply for an Adult Dependent Relative visa if you are:

A parent, grandparent, brother, sister, son, or daughter of someone who is:
A British citizen, or
Settled in the UK (holding Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status), or
In the UK with refugee status or humanitarian protection.
18 years or older.
In need of long-term personal care due to age, illness, or disability.
Unable to receive the required level of care in your home country, either because it is not available or not affordable.

Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Adult Dependent Relative visa, you must meet the following requirements:

Relationship Requirement: You must be a close relative of the UK sponsor (as listed above).
Medical Need: You must be unable to perform everyday tasks without help due to a physical or mental condition.
Lack of Adequate Care: You must demonstrate that the care you require is not available or affordable in your home country, either through family members, a care home, or professional care services.
Sponsor’s Commitment: Your UK-based sponsor must commit to providing adequate maintenance, accommodation, and care for you without recourse to public funds for at least 5 years.
Financial Requirement: There is no fixed income threshold, but the sponsor must prove they can financially support and accommodate you without needing state assistance.

What the ADR Visa Allows
If successful, the Adult Dependent Relative visa allows you to:

Live permanently in the UK with your sponsoring relative.
Access healthcare through the NHS (after paying the Immigration Health Surcharge).
Apply for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) immediately upon entry.

Restrictions

You cannot work or access public funds unless explicitly granted permission.
You must remain dependent on your sponsor and maintain the conditions of the visa.

Important Considerations

The ADR visa has a high threshold and is one of the most difficult family visas to obtain.
Many applications are refused due to insufficient evidence of dependency or care needs.
It is strongly recommended to seek legal or professional advice when applying, as the application must be thoroughly documented and clearly demonstrate both the medical and care-related grounds.

Indefinite Leave to remain (ILR)