Indefinite Leave to Remain: ILR

Permanent Residence in the UK is called Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Indefinite Leave to Remain is granted to people who have already shown a commitment to the UK on a temporary visa.

After a UK visa holder has lived in the UK for a specific period of time, they can apply for ILR which entitles them to live in the UK for as long as they wish, and even apply for naturalisation.

Process

The processing times and requirements for IRL vary greatly depending on the visa class that an applicant is currently on.

Visa Class

There are strict requirements surrounding how applicants qualify for ILR depending on what visa they have been on first, and for how long. Visa holders should see the length of time required before they can apply for UK residency on the ILR requirements page.

Language and Awareness Requirements

Applicants for ILR must have sufficient knowledge of the English language and sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom.

Applicants who are under the age of 18 or over the age 65 at the time of application are exempt from this requirement.

Check your Indefinite Leave to Remain eligibility

Conditions of Indefinite Leave

Please note that once you have been granted ILR, it is important to try to not spend 2 years or over outside of the UK, as this can lead to it being revoked. In order to avoid this, most migrants will be able to apply for British Citizenship after 1 year as a permanent resident after qualifying.

Do you qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain?

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