What indefinite leave to remain is
Indefinite leave to remain, also called ILR or settlement, means you can live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like, without a time limit and without immigration conditions. You can claim benefits you are eligible for, and it is the usual step before applying to become a British citizen. It is not the same as citizenship: you do not become British, you do not get a British passport, and you can lose settled status if you spend two continuous years outside the UK.
Who can apply, and when
When you qualify depends on the route you are on:
| Route | Usual qualifying period |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and most work routes | 5 years |
| Partner or spouse of a British citizen or settled person, and parents | 5 years on the family route |
| Global Talent | 3 or 5 years, depending on your field |
| Innovator Founder | 3 years, if the business meets the settlement criteria |
| UK Ancestry | 5 years |
| British National (Overseas) | 5 years |
| Long residence | 10 years of lawful residence |
| Refugees and some others on humanitarian grounds | Set by the status you hold; recent changes have lengthened it |
You can usually apply up to 28 days before you complete the qualifying period. See our guides to long residence, settlement as a partner, Global Talent and Innovator Founder.
What you must show
- Continuous lawful residence for the qualifying period, on routes that count towards settlement. Time on a Student, Graduate, visitor or similar visa generally does not count.
- Absences within the limit. You must generally not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period in the qualifying period. Use our absence calculator. Longer absences can be forgiven in some cases, for example for illness or a family emergency, but you must ask and give evidence.
- The Life in the UK test. See the Life in the UK test. Some people are exempt.
- English language. At the level the route requires, proved in an accepted way. See English language requirements.
- The route’s own requirements, for example that you are still in the sponsored job, with the sponsor still licensed, on a work route, or that the relationship continues on a family route.
- Suitability. A criminal record, an earlier immigration breach or false information can lead to refusal.
The cost
The Home Office fee for indefinite leave to remain is £3,226. There is no immigration health surcharge to pay. The Life in the UK test costs £50, and an English test, if you need one, costs extra. See the full list on our fees page.
The proposed changes: earned settlement
The government has proposed a new system of “earned settlement”, under which the standard qualifying period would rise to ten years, shorter for some and longer for others. It consulted on the proposals between November 2025 and February 2026. At the date of review they have not been made law, and the existing qualifying periods still apply. Ministers have said the final rules, including any arrangements for people already in the UK, will be published later in 2026. The standard of English required for settlement has also been announced to rise from 26 March 2027. See earned settlement: what is proposed, what is law and B2 English: who the higher standard applies to.
If you already qualify, or will soon, the date you apply may matter. Take advice now.
How the application works
- Check that you meet the period, the absence limit and the other conditions on the day you apply.
- Pass the Life in the UK test and gather your English evidence.
- Apply online, pay the fee and give your biometric details.
- You receive a decision, and your status is recorded in your online account as an eVisa. See eVisas and share codes.
Why applications fail
- A trip that takes you over the 180-day limit in a 12-month period.
- Time counted that does not qualify, for example a gap between visas or a period on a non-qualifying route.
- The wrong English evidence, or a Life in the UK test not yet passed.
- Earnings or sponsorship that no longer meet the route’s conditions on the date of the application.
- A past overstay or other breach. See overstaying and re-entry bans.
If it is refused
The remedy depends on the route. A refusal of settlement on a family route is normally a refusal of a human rights claim and can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal; many work-route refusals carry only an administrative review. See immigration appeals and administrative review.
After settlement
After a further period, usually twelve months, you can apply for British citizenship, or sooner if you are married to a British citizen. See naturalisation as a British citizen.
How we help
We check your dates and absences before you apply, make sure the evidence is complete, and advise on the timing in light of the proposed changes. A consultation is from £99.
