UK indefinite leave to remain: requirements and routes

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR), also called settlement, is the status that lets you live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you are eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship. Whether you qualify depends on the route you currently hold: the standard requirement is 5 years of continuous residence in the UK, but the specific evidence, fees and family member rules differ between categories such as a UK Ancestry visa, protection status, discretionary leave and section 67 leave. This page sets out the requirements you must prove, the costs and timelines, and what you need to check on the official GOV.UK pages before you apply.

The core eligibility rules

The most common way to qualify for ILR is to have spent 5 continuous years in the UK on a qualifying visa. For example, if you hold a UK Ancestry visa, you can apply after 5 years. In most cases you must also have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during those 5 years. If you think you are affected by that rule, you need to work out your continuous residence carefully.

You must also prove that you:

• have enough money to support yourself and your dependants
• can, and plan to, work in the UK
• are still a Commonwealth citizen (if applying on a UK Ancestry visa)

If you are aged 18 to 64, you will also need to meet the English language requirements and book and pass the Life in the UK Test. If you are not eligible through your current visa, there are other ways to apply for ILR, and you should check the official guidance for your specific route.

Applying on a UK Ancestry visa

If you are in the UK on a UK Ancestry visa, the earliest you can apply for ILR is 28 days before you have been in the UK for 5 years. The Home Office may refuse your application if you apply earlier. Do not wait until your current visa expires: if it expires before you can apply for ILR, you will need to renew it first.

The fee is £3,226 for each person applying. You will each need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken; there is no fee for that. You must apply online, and you must be in the UK to apply. You can include your partner and children on the same application form if they are eligible.

You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. If you do, your application will be withdrawn.

Dependants on a UK Ancestry visa

Your partner and children can apply for ILR as your dependants if they are eligible. A dependant is your partner, your child under 18, or your child aged 18 or over who was previously on your or your partner’s visa as a dependant. You will need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

They cannot apply for ILR if they are currently in the UK on a visitor visa, a Short-term study visa, a Parent of a Child Student visa, a Seasonal Worker visa, a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa, on immigration bail, or because they were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules (for example on compassionate grounds). If your family member is in one of those categories, they must leave the UK and apply for a UK Ancestry visa as a dependant instead.

Your partner must book and pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirements. You must also prove one of the following:

• you are in a civil partnership or marriage that is recognised in the UK
• you have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply and you cannot live together (for example because it is illegal in your country)

If you are not living together, you will need to prove ongoing commitment, for example by showing that you communicate regularly, support each other financially, care for any children you have together, and spend time together as a couple.

Your child must live with you (unless they are in full-time education at boarding school, college or university), must not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children, and must be supported by you without using public funds. You can only include children aged 18 or over if they are currently a dependant on your or your partner’s visa, they were under 18 when they got permission to be in the UK as your dependant, and they still do not live an independent life. They must also book and pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirements.

Applying with protection status, discretionary leave or section 67 leave

If you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection), discretionary leave, or section 67 leave, you may be able to apply for ILR. The fee depends on your category:

Your status	Fee for you and each person included	Super priority service available?
Protection status (refugee or humanitarian protection)	No fee	No
Section 67 leave	No fee	No
Discretionary leave	£3,226 per person	Yes (extra cost)

If you have section 67 leave, you can only include your child in your application. If you want other family members to join you in the UK, you will need to apply for a family visa. If your partner and children are already in the UK as your dependants, they can apply to stay with you if they are eligible; this includes children born in the UK. If your application is successful, your family members will usually have permission to stay in the UK for the same length of time as you.

If your partner and children are outside the UK, they may be able to apply to be reunited with you, but they must first apply for a visa to join you in the UK. If you care for an adult relative, they can apply if they are over 18, have a family visa as an adult dependent relative, and you have protection status. They must apply separately; you cannot include them on your application. Make your applications at the same time, because your adult dependent relative’s visa will expire if you are granted ILR.

You will be told whether your application has been successful within 6 months of either submitting your application (if you are told to use the UK Immigration ID Check app) or having your fingerprints and photo taken (if you are told to go to a UKVCAS service point). If you have discretionary leave and paid to use the super priority service, you will get a decision within 2 working days. You cannot use the super priority service if you have protection status or section 67 leave.

If your application is refused: if you have protection status or discretionary leave, you might still be able to stay in the UK, and your decision letter will explain what you have been offered instead. If you have section 67 leave, you will need to apply for another form of leave (for example a visa) to stay in the UK.

Fees and processing times across routes

The table below summarises the standard fees and decision times you can expect, based on the official pages cited.

Route	Fee	Standard decision time
UK Ancestry visa ILR	£3,226 per person	Usually within 6 months
Discretionary leave ILR	£3,226 per person	Usually within 6 months
Protection status or section 67 leave ILR	No fee	Usually within 6 months
British citizenship (after ILR)	£1,839 (£1,709 application + £130 ceremony)	Usually within 6 months

For UK Ancestry ILR, you can pay an extra £1,000 to use the super priority service. That gives you a decision by the end of the next working day after providing your biometric information if your appointment is on a weekday, or 2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

Applying for British citizenship after ILR

Once you have ILR, you can apply for British citizenship if you have lived in the UK for 5 years and have had ILR (or settled status, or indefinite leave to enter) for 12 months. You do not need to wait 12 months if you are married to a British citizen. You must also be over 18, prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application, prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, have passed the Life in the UK Test, intend to continue living in the UK, and be of good character.

There are residency requirements you must meet. You should not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the 5 years before your application, and no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months. You should not have broken any UK immigration laws. If you have indefinite leave to enter or remain, the Home Office will not usually check if you broke any immigration laws before then. You cannot include any time spent in the UK when you are exempt from immigration control as a diplomat, a member of a diplomat’s staff or household, or a member of visiting armed forces.

You may have lost your ILR if you have been away from the UK for more than 2 years at any time since you got it; in that case you will need to apply for a Returning Resident visa. The limit is more than 5 years if you have settled status, and more than 4 years if you are a Swiss citizen or the family member of a Swiss citizen with settled status.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you apply, confirm which route you are on and read the specific GOV.UK page for that route. The requirements, fees and whether you can use the super priority service differ materially between a UK Ancestry visa, protection status, discretionary leave and section 67 leave. If you are including family members, check their eligibility carefully, especially if they are aged 18 or over or are currently in the UK on a temporary visa.

You must apply online and be in the UK to apply. Prepare your evidence of continuous residence, English language and the Life in the UK Test, and financial support. Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, or your application will be withdrawn. For the most current fees, forms and processing times, check the official GOV.UK pages for your specific route before submitting.