Last Updated on 3 years by UK Malayali
You may be eligible to apply for Indefinite leave to remain(ILR) after five years of legal stay in the UK. During the term, you shouldn’t spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. It is also worth noting that student visa periods are not calculated for the ILR and it is not clear whether the Post-study period will be considered for the same. Once you are ILR application is successful, you will be a free bird including access to the public funds and your favorite jobs.
Validity
ILR residence permit card is usually valid for ten years and it needs to be renewed nearer the time. Please note that if you stay outside the UK for more than 2 years, the ILR will lapse automatically.
You may be eligible to apply for citizenship after 12 months of ILR; more details can be found on the citizenship page.
Routes
After 5 years of lawful residence in the UK, an individual can apply for ILR through a variety of investment, business, and work-related settlement routes.
- Investor visa
- Entrepreneur visa
- Skilled Worker visa (Tier 2 general)
- Representative of an Overseas Business visa
- Ancestry visa
- Global Talent
- Innovator visa
- Family
- Unmarried partner
Individuals on the Innovator visa, Investor visa, talent visa, entrepreneur visa, etc. may eligible for settlement after 2 or 3 years.
10-year route
If you’ve been in the UK legally for ten years, you can apply for a settlement visa.
Use the link below for further details.
https://www.gov.uk/long-residence
https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/settle-in-the-uk