UK indefinite leave to remain
Permanent residence in the UK is formally called indefinite leave to remain, an immigration status carrying no time limit. On the work visa routes the published qualifying period is five years, and the application opens 28 days before that period completes.
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- The qualifying period is complete and the absence limits are met.
- The salary rule for the route is satisfied at the point of application.
- The sponsor confirms in writing that the employment continues.
- The Life in the UK test is passed, for applicants aged 18 to 64.
- Language ability is evidenced where the route requires it.
A work visa is granted for a fixed term and tied to the conditions of its route; settlement removes the time limit and, with it, most of those conditions. For how each work route reaches this point, see UK work visa routes.
01
What is indefinite leave to remain?
Indefinite leave to remain is the status permitting a person to live, work and study in the UK with no time limit. GOV.UK also calls it settlement, and it is the step before an application for citizenship.
Settlement removes the conditions a visa attaches to a person rather than granting a new nationality. Work is no longer tied to a sponsor, study carries no restriction, and the status itself does not expire — though it lapses after a long continuous absence from the UK.
02
How many years does settlement require?
The published period on the work routes is five years, and the application is made no earlier than 28 days before that period completes; an earlier application is refused. Global Talent leaders reach it in three years.
| Route | Published period | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Work routes | Five years | Includes Skilled Worker |
| Global Talent, leader | Three years | Basis recorded at endorsement |
| Global Talent, emerging leader | Five years | Basis recorded at endorsement |
| Innovator Founder | Three years | On the route |
03
What conditions apply to a settlement application?
GOV.UK publishes four: the qualifying period, the salary rule, a sponsor letter confirming the job continues, and the Life in the UK test. The test is required from applicants aged between 18 and 64.
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04
What are the steps in a settlement application?
GOV.UK publishes the order: the Life in the UK test, the sponsor letter, the online form, the fee, a biometrics appointment and uploading documents. Remaining in the UK until the decision is part of the process.
Leaving the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before the decision withdraws the application. That is a procedural trap rather than a discretionary matter, and it is the reason travel plans are settled before the form is submitted.
05
What does a settlement application cost?
The application fee is £3,226 per person, and a partner or child added to the same form pays that amount separately. Biometrics carry no extra charge; the Life in the UK test is £50.
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £3,226 | Per person, including dependants |
| Life in the UK test | £50 | Per attempt |
| Biometrics | No charge | Included |
| Priority service | Charged separately | Optional |
06
How long does a settlement decision take?
The published decision time is up to six months, counted from the point fingerprints and a photograph are provided. The priority service returns a decision in five working days, and the super priority service faster still.
The count begins at biometrics rather than at payment or submission, so an appointment booked weeks after the form is filed pushes the whole timeline back by that gap.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Indefinite leave to remain, also called settlement, permits living, working and studying in the UK with no time limit and precedes an application for citizenship.
- GOV.UK — The qualifying period on the work routes is five years and an application is made no earlier than 28 days before it completes; the published conditions are the period, the salary rule, a sponsor letter and the Life in the UK test.
- GOV.UK — The settlement application fee is £3,226 per person and the published decision time is up to six months from the date biometrics are provided.
