For those who have been living in the United Kingdom for five years or longer, you are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you have lived in the UK lawfully for five years or longer, claiming this is the next step towards your British citizenship.
In this article, you will learn more about how to claim your ILR, the requirements, and other things you need to know about this.
Things You Need to Know
There are a few things to remember before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain. First, you must have held a qualifying visa for the entirety of the five years preceding your application. The types of visa included are the Tier 2 General visa, the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa, and the Ancestry visa. Suppose you have held multiple visas throughout the five years, as long as they were all qualifying visas. In that case, you will still be eligible to apply.
Second, you must have spent no more than 180 days outside of the UK in any 12 months during the five years. This includes time spent in Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. If you have spent time outside the UK, you can still qualify as long as the total days spent outside the UK in the five years is less than 900.
Third, you must pass the Life in the UK Test and prove your knowledge of the English language by providing an acceptable qualification. The Life in the UK Test is a 45-minute exam testing your knowledge of British culture and history. You can take the test as many times as you need to pass. The cost of the test is £50.
To prove your knowledge of the English language, you will need to provide a qualification from an English-speaking country such as the United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Suppose you did your secondary education in English. In that case, you might also be eligible to provide your school leaving qualifications, such as your A-Levels or GCSEs.
Fourth, you must have held a valid visa for the entire duration of the five years preceding your application. This means that if your visa expires during the five years, you will not be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Fifth, you must have held Comprehensive Sickness Insurance for the entirety of the five years preceding your application if you are applying as a student or self-employed person.
Requirements
Now that you know the general things you need to be aware of before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain let’s go over the specific requirements.
First, you must have lived in the UK for a continuous period of five years. This means you cannot have spent more than 180 days outside of the UK in any 12 months during the five years. If you have spent time outside the UK, you can still qualify as long as the total days spent outside the UK in the five years is less than 900.
As mentioned above, you need to comply with these requirements to get your ILR as soon as possible. You can always ask for help from a lawyer for immigration US since it can be confusing to know whether you qualify or not.
Other Things You Must Know
Once you have claimed your Indefinite Leave to Remain, you should know a few other things. First, you are free to live and work in the UK without restrictions. You are also able to access public services such as healthcare and education.
Second, you can apply for British citizenship if you meet the requirements. These requirements include living in the UK for 12 months, being of good character, and passing the Life in the UK Test and an English language test.
Third, as an Indefinite Leave to Remain holder, you can also bring your family members to the UK. This includes your spouse or partner, as well as any dependent children under 18.
Finally, it is important to know that your Indefinite Leave to Remain status is not permanent. If you leave the UK for more than two years, your status will be canceled.
Therefore, it is important to maintain continuous residence in the UK if you want to keep your Indefinite Leave to Remain status.
You should have no problem applying for and receiving your Indefinite Leave to Remain. Once you have it, you can enjoy all the benefits that come with it! Meet all the requirements and follow the steps above.