Settlement and ILR Solicitors

Indefinite leave to remain is immigration status that allows a person to settle in the UK. It is also called ILR or settlement. A person with ILR can usually live, work and study in the UK without time restrictions and may be able to apply for British citizenship if they meet the citizenship requirements.

Yes. GOV.UK uses indefinite leave to remain and settlement together. Settlement is the broader plain-English term, while ILR is the immigration status.

The timing depends on your route. Some people apply after 5 years, some after 10 years, and some routes have different settlement periods. You should check the correct route and timing before applying. Applying too early can create a refusal risk.

Some routes may lead to ILR after 5 years, including certain work, family, UK Ancestry, BNO and other routes. However, each route has its own requirements. A 5-year route should not be treated as one single rule. The correct requirements depend on your current visa category.

You may be able to apply for ILR on the basis of long residence if you have lived lawfully and continuously in the UK for 10 years and meet the relevant requirements. Your residence history, gaps, absences, current permission and immigration record should be checked before applying.

Long residence ILR is a settlement route for people who have lived lawfully and continuously in the UK for 10 years. This can involve time spent on different immigration routes, but the full immigration history should be reviewed carefully.

You may be able to apply for ILR as a partner if you are on a qualifying family route and meet the relevant partner route requirements. This is different from applying for a spouse or partner visa. The family visa route belongs under Family Immigration, while settlement after the qualifying period belongs under Settlement and ILR.

A Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, T2 or Tier 2 visa holder may be able to apply for ILR after the required period if they meet the route-specific rules. The application may involve residence, employment, salary, sponsor and suitability issues.

Dependants and children may be able to apply with the main applicant or separately, depending on the route and whether they meet the relevant requirements. Children's applications can be fact-sensitive, especially where one parent is already settled, applying to settle or where the child was born in the UK.

Many ILR applicants need to pass the Life in the UK Test, but the position depends on the route, age and any exemption. This should be checked before applying.

Many settlement applicants need to prove English language ability. Some applicants may be exempt, and some may already have met the English requirement in a previous application. The correct position depends on the route and your circumstances.

A No Time Limit application is for someone who already has indefinite leave to remain or indefinite leave to enter but needs confirmation of that existing status, usually in the form of an eVisa. It is not the same as applying for ILR for the first time.

Home Office fees can change, so the official GOV.UK fee information should always be checked before applying. RakLAW Solicitors can advise on the legal service fee separately, depending on the complexity of the case and the support needed.

ILR can be an important step before British citizenship, but citizenship has its own rules and requirements. Naturalisation and citizenship advice should sit under the British Citizenship and Naturalisation section, not the ILR hub.

If your ILR application is refused, the next step will depend on the refusal reasons and the rights explained in the decision letter. You may need advice on administrative review, appeal, judicial review or a fresh application. Detailed refusal advice should sit under the Visa Refusals and Appeals section.

You are not required to use a solicitor, but legal advice can be helpful where the route is unclear, the documents are complex, there are absences, dependants are applying, there has been a previous refusal or the application is time-sensitive. A solicitor can help check the correct route, evidence and risks before the application is submitted.