be settled

— SERVICE · S.04

ILR — the permanent step.

Settlement for those who have lived in the UK for five — or in some cases ten — years on a qualifying route.

01

Who it’s for.

— FOR

  • —Five-year route applicants on Skilled Worker, Spouse, Parent and similar categories
  • —Ten-year long-residence applicants
  • —Those holding qualifying ILR-eligible status who have met the criteria

— NOT FOR

  • —Visitors and short-term route holders
  • —Those whose absences exceed route tolerances (we discuss alternatives)
02

What it covers.

  • 01

    Continuous residence audit

    Day-by-day absence reconciliation with primary travel evidence.

  • 02

    Life in the UK and English language

    Test certificates verified; nationality- or age-based exemptions documented.

  • 03

    Financial evidence

    Where required, payslips, P60s and tax records assembled to UKVI format.

  • 04

    Accommodation evidence

    Tenancy agreements, mortgage statements, or council tax records — sufficient to demonstrate adequate accommodation.

  • 05

    Application narrative

    Supporting statement framing the five (or ten) year residence as a single, coherent story.

03

The process.

01

Consultation

We confirm eligibility against the specific route and identify risk factors.

02

Evidence audit

Documents reviewed against the checklist; absence reconciliation completed.

03

Application prepared

Online form, supporting statement, indexed evidence bundle.

04

Submission

Lodged with biometric appointment; you retain full copies.

05

Through decision

We remain available for any caseworker requests until the BRP arrives.

04

The timeline.

Standard ILR decisions arrive within six months; priority is typically five working days, super-priority next working day.

05

Common questions.

The exact rule depends on your route, but broadly: no more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period for most work routes. Other routes have different tolerances.

Yes, applicants aged 65 or over at the date of application are exempt from both Life in the UK and the English language requirement.

After 12 months with ILR, you are typically eligible to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. We can discuss this trajectory at the consultation.

— BEGIN YOUR INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN

Twenty minutes, no obligation.

Tell William about your case. You'll hear back within 24 hours.