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Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK through work, partner, child and asylum routes, plus Earned Settlement reforms and domestic abuse cases.
11 articles tagged ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
Yes, for now ILR still takes 5 years. Home Office is weighing 10 years, or 15 for low earners. Shabana Mahmood promised a final decision the week after 31 October 2026.
ILR may rise from 5 to 10-15 years, the Graduate visa shortens to 18 months, and sponsor-search time doubles to 6 months. Here's what's confirmed.
Council tax bills, P60s, Home Office and employer letters: which documents close each year of UK residence for naturalisation without gaps.
The Home Office grants at least 3 months of legal status regardless of your partner's visa type. Where to apply and what rights you keep — explained for 2026.
Since 2 March 2026, new UK asylum claims get 30-month temporary status instead of a permanent route — here's how renewal and settlement now work.
A child born in the UK who has lived there continuously for 7 years qualifies for ILR directly — not the 2.5-year private life visa. Here's why that matters.
Indefinite leave to remain is the UK's main form of settlement: permission to live in the country with no time limit attached. The Home Office grants it after a qualifying period on a route such as Skilled Worker, partner or family visas, or protection status. Holders can work, study and generally access public funds without the conditions that come with limited leave.
Most applicants must pass the Life in the UK test and meet an English language requirement, and ILR can lapse after more than two years of continuous absence from the UK. It is distinct from settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, a separate system with its own rules for EU citizens and their families. ILR is normally the step before naturalisation as a British citizen, and the government's 2025 immigration white paper proposed lengthening standard qualifying periods under an Earned Settlement model.