Permanent residency, or as it is popularly known, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or settlement, is a document that gives an immigrant the right to live in the UK without any visa or immigration restrictions on the work or business you may do in the UK. If you remain a permanent resident for at least 12 months, you are qualified to apply for British citizenship. Before you can qualify to be granted this ILR, you must have passed all criteria that are needed, and some of these criteria are:
- Applicants must have lived in the UK for a certain period (2–14 years) to qualify for this visa (the period of time depends on your visa type).
- Applicants can only apply for an ILR before their existing visa expires.
- Applicants must pay the ILR fee (which costs between$2,0000 and $2,500))
- Applicants must pass the English Language and Life in the UK test.
- Applicants and permanent residents are not allowed to spend more than 2 years outside the UK to keep their permanent residence status.
- Applicants must not have breached UK or immigration laws during their stay in the country.
- Applicants that want to travel outside the UK should always keep ties with the UK, no matter where they are.
- Applicants must meet the financial requirements need to get the ILR (depending on their visa type)
- Applicants must own the visa types that allow them to apply for an ILR; these visa types are
- T1 Visa ( Entrepreneurship Visa)
- Skilled Worker Visa
- International Sportsperson Visa
- Minister of Religion Visa
- Innovator Visa
- Global Talent Visa
- Business Visa
- Student Visa
- Refugee Visa
- Families Visa
- Ancestry Visa ( living in the UK for more than 5 years)
Note: It is advisable that when you want to start the permanent residency application, you seek advice from a UK immigration expert.
