Indefinite Leave to Remain is the step that ends your dependency on visa renewals. Once granted, you can work for any employer without sponsorship, travel freely, and access public funds with no restriction. For most people, the qualifying period is five continuous years — but the application demands more than simply reaching that date. For a full overview of the route and who qualifies, see our complete ILR guide.
What We Do
Our OISC-regulated advisers review your eligibility, check your absence record against the 180-day rule, identify document gaps, prepare your application bundle, and submit on your behalf. For cases with complications — excess absences, employer changes, previous refusals, or character issues — we assess whether to apply now or wait, and what evidence will strengthen the case. For cases where the complication is a previous refusal specifically, see our ILR refusal help guide.
Who Can Apply for ILR?
The main qualifying routes are the Skilled Worker visa (five years of continuous sponsorship), spouse or partner visa (five years on FLR(M) with the relationship genuine and subsisting), long residence (ten continuous years of lawful leave), and Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas. Across all routes, you must have maintained continuous residence, passed the Life in the UK test, met the English language requirement, and have no significant character issues. For a full breakdown of route-specific conditions, see our ILR requirements guide.
Eligibility and Timing
Before you apply, we check your qualifying date, review your absence record against the 180-day rule, and confirm you meet all route-specific conditions. An application submitted a week too early, or with an absence problem that could have been addressed, is a costly mistake — the Home Office fee of £3,226 per person is non-refundable on refusal. For a full breakdown of what ILR costs, see our costs and processing times guide.
Document Review and Application Preparation
We identify what documents you need, check what you have, and advise on alternatives for anything missing. For Skilled Worker applicants this includes checking that employer evidence correctly demonstrates the applicable salary throughout the qualifying period. For spouse visa applicants it includes reviewing relationship and financial evidence for the full five-year period. Our ILR documents checklist covers what is needed by route.
We complete the application form, assemble the supporting bundle, draft any covering representations needed, and submit to the Home Office. Where we consider representations are necessary — for example, to explain borderline absences or an employment gap — we prepare these as part of the service.
Complex ILR Cases
Some ILR applications need more than document preparation. We handle applications where absences are close to or exceed the 180-day limit, cases involving a change of employer or sponsor licence issues, applications following a previous ILR refusal, long residence applications with gaps in the ten-year history, and applications involving criminal convictions, cautions, or civil penalties.
ILR Document Review Service
If you want to prepare your own application but are unsure whether your documents are adequate, we offer a standalone document review. We check your evidence bundle against the requirements for your route and provide a written report identifying any gaps or weaknesses before you submit.
ILR Fees (2026)
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard ILR application (per person) | £3,226 | Non-refundable on refusal |
| Priority Service | +£500 | Decision within 5 working days |
| Super Priority Service | +£1,000 | Decision by end of next working day |
| Life in the UK test | £50 per attempt | Book separately at gov.uk |
Our professional fees depend on the complexity of your case. Straightforward applications are available on a fixed-fee basis; complex cases are quoted individually. Contact us for an estimate — we do not charge for an initial call.
When You May Not Need Professional Help
We will say this clearly: if your residence history is clean, your documents are complete, you have no criminal record, and you clearly meet all requirements for your route, you can prepare an ILR application without professional help. Where advice consistently adds value is when something does not fit the standard checklist — that is where errors occur and refusals happen.
ILR and the Path to British Citizenship
ILR is the step before British citizenship for most people. After holding ILR for 12 months you can apply to naturalise, provided you meet the residence and good character requirements. If citizenship is your eventual goal, it is worth understanding the naturalisation requirements before you apply for ILR. See our guide to British citizenship after ILR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an ILR adviser do?
An ILR adviser reviews your eligibility, checks your residence history for absence problems, identifies document gaps, prepares your application, and submits it on your behalf. For complex cases — excess absences, previous refusals, employer changes — they also advise on whether to apply now or wait.
Do I need a solicitor for a straightforward ILR application?
Not necessarily. If your residence history is clean, your documents are complete, and you clearly meet all requirements, you can prepare the application yourself. Professional help is most valuable when there are complications.
What happens if my ILR application is refused?
Most ILR refusals carry a right of administrative review, which must be requested within 14 days of the decision (28 days in some circumstances). See our ILR refusal help guide for next steps.
Can I include my family in my ILR application?
Yes. Dependant spouses, partners, and children who have been in the UK throughout your qualifying period can apply for ILR at the same time. Each pays the same Home Office fee (£3,226 in 2026) and must individually meet the residence requirements.
Need personalised advice?
This guide provides general information only. For advice tailored to your circumstances, speak to one of our immigration advisers.
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