Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR): The Complete Guide to UK Settlement
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) removes the time limit on your permission to stay in the UK and is the last step before applying for British citizenship. This guide explains who qualifies, how the continuous residence and absence rules work, what the application involves, and the "earned settlement" reforms that could change the qualifying period for people who have not yet settled.
What Is Indefinite Leave to Remain?
ILR (also called "settlement" or "settled status" outside the EU Settlement Scheme context) is permission to live, work and study in the UK with no immigration time restriction and no conditions attached to your permission. Once granted, you:
No longer need to renew a visa or worry about a visa expiry date
Can work in any job, for any employer, without sponsorship
Can access most public funds and NHS services on the same basis as a UK resident
Become eligible to apply for British citizenship, usually after 12 months (or immediately if you're married to or the civil partner of a British citizen)
ILR can be lost if you spend too long outside the UK after being granted it (generally more than 2.5 continuous years abroad), so it isn't entirely "permanent" in every sense, but for practical purposes it is the end of the visa treadmill.
Who Can Apply for ILR?
Eligibility depends on which route brought you to the UK. The most common qualifying periods under the current rules are:
Skilled Worker visa: 5 years' continuous residence on a qualifying route
Health and Care Worker visa: 5 years' continuous residence
Global Talent visa: 3 years (if endorsed in certain fields as “talent”) or 5 years as “promise”
Innovator Founder visa: 3 years
Spouse, partner or family visa: 5 years (with a separate 10-year route for applicants who don't meet all the standard requirements)
UK Ancestry visa: 5 years
EU Settlement Scheme: 5 years' continuous residence in the UK before the end of the transition period (some applicants qualified sooner)
Long residence route: 10 years' continuous lawful residence in the UK, regardless of visa category
Each route also carries its own additional requirements (salary thresholds for sponsored workers, income requirements for partners, endorsement conditions for Global Talent, and so on), so meeting the time requirement alone isn't enough.
The Continuous Residence Rule
Almost every ILR route requires continuous residence in the UK throughout the qualifying period. In practice, this means:
You must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during your qualifying years;
Absences are counted cumulatively within each 12-month window, not per calendar year, so a long trip covering a period within two calendar years can still breach the rule;
Certain absences (for example, some compassionate or work-related absences, or time covered by specific Home Office concessions) may be excused, but these are assessed case by case;
A single absence exceeding 180 days, or repeated absences that push you over the limit, will normally reset your qualifying period.
If you've had a demanding travel schedule, career break, or extended time caring for family abroad, it's worth checking your absence record against your Home Office travel history well before you apply.
English Language Requirement
Most ILR applicants must show English language ability at CEFR level B1 through an approved test, a degree taught in English, or nationality from a majority English-speaking country. This is due to rise to B2 for many settlement routes from 26 March 2027, so anyone applying close to that date should check which standard applies to their application.
Life in the UK Test
Applicants aged 18–65 must normally pass the Life in the UK Test; a 24-question multiple-choice test on British history, traditions and the political system, based on the official handbook. It's typically valid indefinitely once passed, so there's no disadvantage to sitting it well ahead of your application.
Good Character and Compliance
The Home Office assesses good character, including any criminal convictions, immigration breaches, deception in previous applications, or unpaid NHS debt. For sponsored workers, any period where your employment fell outside your visa conditions (wrong job, unauthorised second job, or a salary drop below the required threshold) can also be raised at this stage, even if it wasn't picked up at the time.
How to Apply: Process and Timeline
Check your eligibility date: you can normally apply up to 28 days before you complete your qualifying period;
Gather evidence: travel history, payslips or employer letters (for sponsored routes), English test certificate, Life in the UK Test pass reference, proof of relationship (for partner routes), amongst others;
Complete the online application and pay the UKVI fee;
Attend a biometric appointment; and
Wait for a decision: standard processing is usually within 6 months, though many applications are decided faster; priority services may be available for an extra fee.
ILR Application Fees
The ILR application fee is £3,226 per applicant (current as of April 2026). There's no Immigration Health Surcharge on an ILR application.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Refusal or Delay
Applying too early, before the qualifying period is actually complete;
Miscounting absences, especially trips that span two 12-month windows;
Letting current permission lapse before the ILR application is submitted;
Salary or role changes for sponsored workers that weren't reported or that breached visa conditions at the time;
Outdated or incorrect English language test evidence;
Gaps in evidence for partner and family routes, particularly around the financial requirement.
What's Changing: The "Earned Settlement" Reforms
The government has proposed replacing the flat qualifying period with an "earned settlement" model, under which the standard baseline would rise from 5 years to 10 years for most routes, adjustable up or down based on earnings, compliance history and other factors. As of the time of writing:
The consultation, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, closed on 12 February 2026;
No Immigration Rules implementing these changes have yet been laid before Parliament;
The current 5-year (and 10-year long residence) routes remain fully in force;
The government has indicated the changes could apply to people already partway through a settlement route, not only new arrivals, with implementation targeted for later in 2026.
Nothing has changed yet, but anyone approaching their qualifying date should treat this as a strong reason not to delay an ILR application once eligible, rather than wait and see. We're tracking this closely and will publish an update as soon as the formal Rules are laid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I travel while my ILR application is pending? Generally, no. You should not travel outside the UK once you've submitted your application, as this can be treated as a withdrawal.
Do my dependants automatically get ILR when I do? Under current rules, dependants who have completed their own qualifying period alongside you can normally apply at the same time but need to submit their own application.
What happens if my ILR application is refused? Depending on the reason for refusal, you may have a right to administrative review or, in some cases, to appeal. Refusal can also affect any future applications, so it's worth taking early advice if your case isn't straightforward.
Does ILR expire? ILR itself doesn't expire but it may lapse. Holders who spend substantial time outside of the UK (in most cases, more than 2.5 continuous years outside the UK) can lose their settled status entirely.
If you're approaching your ILR qualifying date, or want to understand how the proposed earned settlement changes might affect your timeline, get in touch with us . We can review your residence history and application before you apply.