Settle in the UK with a carefully prepared ILR application
Indefinite Leave to Remain, commonly called ILR or settlement, allows an eligible person to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit.
James Immigration Solutions Ltd provides regulated ILR application assistance for suitable applicants whose qualifying route, immigration history, residence and supporting evidence can be demonstrated clearly.
We assist with straightforward applications including:
- Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and eligible T2 settlement
- Five-year spouse and partner-route settlement
- Eligible work-route dependant settlement
- Straightforward 10-year long-residence applications
- Route, qualifying-period and continuous-residence checks
- Document preparation and online application assistance
Call or WhatsApp JISL on +44 7944 222484 or email admin@jisl.co.uk to arrange an initial ILR assessment.
What is Indefinite Leave to Remain?
ILR is a form of permanent UK immigration status. It normally allows you to:
- Live in the UK without extending your visa
- Work or operate a business without immigration-related work restrictions
- Study in the UK
- Use public services
- Apply for public funds where you meet the relevant benefit rules
- Apply for British citizenship when eligible
The qualifying period and other requirements depend on your current immigration route. There is no single set of ILR rules that applies to every applicant. The official GOV.UK ILR guidance provides links to the different settlement routes.
ILR application overview
| Requirement | General position |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Normally from inside the UK |
| Home Office fee | £3,226 per applicant |
| Standard processing time | Usually up to six months |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Not payable for an ILR application |
| Life in the UK Test | Usually required for applicants aged 18 to 64 |
| English language | Depends on the settlement route and any exemption |
| Earliest application date | Many routes permit an application up to 28 days before completing the qualifying period |
| JISL assistance | Suitable, straightforward applications within IAA Level 1 |
Which ILR route may apply to you?
ILR after a Skilled Worker visa
A Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker or qualifying T2 applicant will usually need to demonstrate:
- Five years of residence on an eligible route or permitted combination of routes
- No more than 180 days outside the UK in any relevant 12-month period, subject to the applicable rules and exceptions
- Compliance with the route’s current salary requirements
- That the sponsoring employer still needs the applicant in the relevant role
- A suitable confirmation letter from the licensed sponsor
- A pass in the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt
- Compliance with the Home Office suitability requirements
A Skilled Worker settlement applicant does not normally need to prove English again because the English requirement was met when applying for the work visa.
The salary threshold is not the same for every applicant. It can depend on the occupation code, going rate, healthcare or education salary rules, Immigration Salary List provisions and when the applicant first obtained Skilled Worker permission.
The earliest Skilled Worker ILR application is normally 28 days before completing the five-year qualifying period. See the current Skilled Worker settlement requirements.
ILR after a spouse or partner visa
A person on the five-year partner route will normally need to show:
- Five continuous years in the UK on a qualifying family visa as a partner
- A valid and genuine marriage, civil partnership or qualifying partner relationship
- That the couple have lived together since the applicant’s last grant of permission
- An intention to continue the relationship
- Compliance with the applicable financial requirement
- Suitable accommodation without prohibited reliance on public funds
- English language ability at a minimum of B1 speaking and listening, unless exempt
- A pass in the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt
Time spent in the UK on another visa or as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner does not normally count towards the five-year partner-route period.
For a partner who first successfully applied on the route before 11 April 2024, the transitional income requirement is normally at least £18,600, with additional amounts potentially required for relevant children and an overall cap of £29,000. Applicants who first successfully applied on or after 11 April 2024 will normally need combined qualifying income of at least £29,000. Different adequate-maintenance provisions apply where the sponsoring partner receives specified disability or carer’s benefits.
Requirements must be checked against the applicant’s individual route and immigration history. See the official partner ILR requirements.
JISL markets assistance for straightforward five-year partner-route applications. Ten-year family-route cases or applications involving complex human-rights issues require a separate scope assessment.
ILR for a work-route dependant
An eligible dependant partner may be able to apply at the same time as the main work-route applicant or later.
A dependant partner will normally need to demonstrate:
- Five continuous years in the UK with permission as an eligible dependant partner
- A genuine and continuing relationship
- An intention to continue living with the main applicant
- Appropriate maintenance and accommodation
- The required English language and Life in the UK evidence, unless exempt
- That the main applicant is applying for settlement, has settled on the relevant route or otherwise meets the applicable requirements
Children have separate settlement requirements. A child may qualify at the same time, but their eligibility depends on their age, immigration status, living arrangements and the status of both parents.
Read the GOV.UK dependant-partner settlement guidance before applying.
Ten-year long-residence ILR
A person may qualify through long residence after living in the UK lawfully and continuously for ten years.
The current requirements normally include:
- Existing permission to stay in the UK
- Ten years of continuous lawful residence
- Permission held under immigration categories that count towards long residence
- Usually having held the applicant’s current permission for at least one year
- Compliance with the relevant absence limits
- Sufficient English language ability
- A pass in the Life in the UK Test
- Compliance with the suitability requirements
Time as a Standard Visitor, short-term student, Seasonal Worker, under a Ukraine scheme, on immigration bail or after permission expired does not normally count.
The current rule generally permits no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period. Different historical limits apply to absences that started before 11 April 2024, including the former 184-day single-absence and 548-day total-absence rules.
Long-residence calculations can become complex where there are gaps, overstaying, lengthy absences, missing passports, disputed travel dates or reliance on exceptions. JISL accepts long-residence work only where the immigration history is straightforward and does not require detailed legal representations.
Check the current 10-year long-residence eligibility rules.
Common ILR eligibility checks
Before preparing an application, the following should be checked carefully.
Your qualifying route
Your current immigration permission and any previous visas must be identified. Not every visa leads directly to settlement, and not every previous immigration category can be included in a route’s qualifying period.
Your qualifying date
Applying too early can result in refusal. Many settlement routes permit an application up to 28 days before completing the qualifying period, but the correct date must be calculated using the rules for the particular route.
Your absences from the UK
A complete travel history should be prepared using passports, tickets, emails, employer records and the applicant’s own records. The relevant absence rule must then be applied to each part of the qualifying period.
Life in the UK and English
Applicants aged under 18 or aged 65 or over are generally exempt from the knowledge-of-language-and-life requirements. A medical exemption may be available where a long-term physical or mental condition prevents an applicant from meeting them.
Other applicants may need:
- A pass in the Life in the UK Test
- A recognised English qualification at B1 or above
- A qualifying degree taught or researched in English
- Evidence of a route-specific exemption
Skilled Worker and certain other work-route applicants do not normally need to demonstrate English again when applying for settlement.
Suitability and immigration history
Criminal convictions, alleged deception, breaches of immigration conditions, overstaying, previous removals or complex refusal histories can affect eligibility and may require advice beyond IAA Level 1.
ILR document checklist
The precise documents depend on the settlement route. A typical application may require the following.
Identity and immigration documents
- Current passport or valid travel document
- Previous passports covering the qualifying period
- UKVI account and eVisa details
- Immigration status share code where required
- Previous Home Office decision letters
- Existing or expired biometric residence permit where relevant
- Evidence of any change of name or personal details
Residence and travel evidence
- Full list of travel dates and countries visited
- Reasons for relevant absences
- Passport entry and exit stamps
- Employer confirmation of work-related travel where required
- Evidence addressing missing passports or incomplete travel records
- Documents showing residence in the UK where required
Life in the UK and English evidence
- Life in the UK Test pass reference
- Approved English-language test result where required
- Degree certificate and any required confirmation that the degree was taught in English
- Evidence of nationality or another applicable exemption
- Medical exemption evidence where relevant
Skilled Worker settlement documents
- Employer or sponsor letter confirming the continuing need for the role
- Confirmation of job title, occupation code, salary and working hours
- Recent payslips
- Corresponding bank statements
- P60 or other employment records where appropriate
- Evidence concerning relevant absences from work
Partner-route settlement documents
- Marriage or civil-partnership certificate where applicable
- Evidence of a genuine and continuing relationship
- Official correspondence showing cohabitation
- Tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or accommodation evidence
- Payslips, bank statements and employer letter
- Self-employment or company documents where applicable
- Evidence relating to cash savings, pension or non-employment income where relied upon
- Documents for any children included in the application
Long-residence documents
- Every available passport held during the ten-year period
- Complete immigration-status history
- Home Office letters and previous visa records
- Detailed travel and absence schedule
- Evidence of UK residence where records are incomplete
- Certified translations for documents not written in English or Welsh
This is a general checklist. JISL provides a personalised list after checking the applicant’s route and circumstances.
How JISL assists with an ILR application
1. Initial suitability assessment
We identify the proposed settlement route, review the basic immigration history and confirm whether the matter is suitable for assistance within our Level 1 authorisation.
2. Qualifying-period and absence review
We calculate the proposed qualifying date and review the applicant’s travel history against the relevant continuous-residence rules.
3. Personalised document checklist
We provide an evidence list based on the applicant’s route, employment, relationship, finances, residence and family circumstances.
4. Document review
Documents are checked for relevance, consistency and obvious omissions. We may request updated or additional evidence before the application is submitted.
5. Application preparation
For suitable cases, we assist with:
- Completing the correct online form
- Organising the supporting documents
- Checking dates and immigration information
- Preparing a concise application cover letter where appropriate
- Explaining the submission and biometric process
6. Submission and biometrics
The applicant pays the Home Office charges and completes the required identity or biometric process. We explain the next steps and any deadlines shown in the application account.
7. Decision and eVisa
Once a decision is issued, the applicant should check that their UKVI account displays the correct settlement status and that their current passport is connected to the account.
ILR fees and Home Office charges
The following charges are correct as of 2 August 2026.
| Charge | Current amount |
|---|---|
| Home Office ILR application fee | £3,226 per applicant |
| Biometric enrolment | No Home Office fee |
| Priority service, where offered | Additional £500 per applicant |
| Super priority service, where offered | Additional £1,000 per applicant |
| Life in the UK Test, where required | £50 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Not payable for an ILR application |
| English-language test | Provider’s fee |
| JISL professional fee | Written quotation after initial assessment |
Optional appointment times, document-scanning services and other commercial services may carry additional charges.
The Home Office confirms that migrants applying for indefinite leave are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. If an ILR application is varied to an application for temporary permission, an IHS payment may subsequently be required.
Government and third-party charges are separate from JISL’s professional fee. Fees can change, so the current Home Office immigration and nationality fee table should be checked before submission.
How long does an ILR application take?
A standard ILR application will usually be decided within six months of the applicant providing their fingerprints and photograph.
Where the relevant application qualifies and appointments are available:
- The £500 priority service usually provides a decision within five working days.
- The £1,000 super priority service usually provides a decision by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment.
- A weekend or bank-holiday super priority appointment will usually receive a decision within two working days.
Faster services are not available for every application. A decision can also take longer if the Home Office requests further evidence, carries out additional checks or considers the application complex. See the official faster-decision service guidance.
JISL cannot guarantee a decision date or obtain special treatment from the Home Office.
Travel while your ILR application is pending
You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while an in-country ILR application is awaiting a decision.
Leaving this area before the decision is made will normally cause the application to be treated as withdrawn. The application fee may not be refunded.
Applicants with urgent travel plans should consider the timing of their application and whether an eligible faster service is available.
After ILR is granted
After receiving ILR, you should:
- Check the decision notice carefully
- Sign in to your UKVI account
- Confirm that the correct immigration status is displayed
- Connect your current passport to your UKVI account
- Keep copies of the application, evidence and decision
- Understand the effect of extended residence outside the UK
Standard ILR will normally lapse if the holder remains outside the UK for two continuous years or more. Different absence rules apply to settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. A person whose ILR has lapsed may need to apply as a returning resident. See the official ILR rights and status guidance.
ILR and British citizenship
ILR is not British citizenship.
Most adults applying for naturalisation must have held ILR for at least 12 months before applying. A person married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen may be able to apply as soon as ILR is granted, provided all the other citizenship requirements are met.
Citizenship has separate residence, absence, language, Life in the UK and good-character requirements. Read the GOV.UK citizenship-after-ILR guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ILR and a visa extension?
A visa extension gives temporary permission for another specified period. ILR normally removes the immigration time limit and gives permanent settlement status, subject to the rules on extended absence from the UK.
Can I apply for ILR before my current visa expires?
Yes, once you meet the route’s requirements. Many routes permit an application up to 28 days before completing the qualifying period. Applying earlier than permitted can result in refusal.
Do I need to pass the Life in the UK Test?
Most applicants aged 18 to 64 must pass it. Applicants under 18, those aged 65 or over and people with an accepted long-term medical exemption may not need to take the test.
Do I need a B1 English test?
This depends on your route and circumstances. Partner and long-residence applicants will normally need to meet at least B1 speaking and listening unless exempt. Skilled Worker settlement applicants do not normally need to prove English again.
How much is the ILR application fee?
The Home Office fee is currently £3,226 for each applicant. Every eligible family member applying for ILR must pay the relevant fee.
Do I have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
No. The Immigration Health Surcharge is not payable for an ILR application. It may become payable if the application is varied and temporary permission is considered instead.
Can my partner and children apply with me?
Possibly, but every dependant must independently meet the requirements applicable to them. Some family members may qualify later and may need to extend their existing permission first.
Can I travel after submitting my application?
You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man while the application is pending. Doing so will normally withdraw the application.
Does ILR expire?
ILR has no normal expiry date while you remain settled in the UK. However, standard ILR will normally lapse after two continuous years outside the UK.
Can JISL assist with ten-year long residence?
Yes, where the immigration history is straightforward, continuous residence can be demonstrated clearly and no detailed legal argument is required. Cases involving overstaying, disputed gaps, complex absences, private-life arguments or human-rights representations fall outside our Level 1 service.
Does professional assistance guarantee approval?
No adviser can guarantee a Home Office decision. Our role is to assess suitability, identify the applicable requirements and help prepare an accurate and properly evidenced application.
Book an ILR assessment
If you are approaching the end of your qualifying period, contact JISL before submitting your application. Early review can help identify problems with the qualifying date, absences, salary, financial evidence or supporting documents.
Telephone and WhatsApp: +44 7944 222484
Email: admin@jisl.co.uk
Website: www.jisl.co.uk
Regulatory information
James Immigration Solutions Ltd is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1.
IAA organisation reference: F202538614
Adviser: Fahad Zohaib Asghar
IAA adviser number: 061760
Company number: 15056317
Our Level 1 service covers basic advice and suitable, straightforward immigration applications within our competence. We do not provide appeals, judicial review, complex human-rights representations or detailed legal arguments under our current authorisation.
Where a matter falls outside our authorised scope or competence, we will explain this and recommend that the applicant obtains advice from an appropriately authorised adviser.
The information on this page is general guidance based on the rules and published charges available on 2 August 2026. Immigration requirements and fees can change. Every application is decided by the Home Office on its individual facts.