Indefinite Leave To Remain

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Head Office: 0189 261 0925 - London Office: 0207 836 8505

Indefinite Leave to Remain (also known as Full Residency or Permanent Residency) can be applied for in several ways depending upon the applicant's UK Immigration Status when applying.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) allows the holder to remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period, on conditions that they intend to remain present and settled in the UK. If a person who holds the ILR status then elects to leave the shores of the UK for a continuous period of two years or more, it is usually deemed by the authorities that the person is no longer present and settled in the UK. In this instance, it can result in the person losing their ILR status.

ILR grants to the holder in the United Kingdom the right to work without restriction, it allows the holder to exit and re-enter the UK multiple times, it allows the holder rights to public funds, however it is only relevant in the United Kingdom. Unlike Nationality (and therefore a British passport) ILR does not allow the holder the right to work throughout Europe.

Some ways in which a person may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain are:

Shortly prior to the expiry of a Two Year Marriage Visa.
Shortly prior to the expiry of a Five Year Ancestry Visa.
Having held Work Permit or work related visa (not Student visa) status for Five years.
An EU citizen, (except a student) and their family member may apply for ILR if they have been issued with a residence permit of family permit respectively for five years. They need to have remained , and will continue to do so, in the UK for five years in accordance with the 1994 and 2005 EEA Order.

For further information with regard to any aspect of Indefinite Leave to Remain, please contact our consultants who will be most happy to assist you.

New English language requirements for ILR

From 2 April 2007 it will be necessary for any person wishing to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain to provide evidence that they have passed either the Life in the UK test or an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) test. It is not possible to lodge an application without this evidence.