Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is permission to live and work in the UK permanently, with no time limit attached to your stay. Most people qualify after five continuous years on a qualifying visa — such as a Skilled Worker or spouse visa — provided they meet the residence, language, and character requirements.

1. What Is Indefinite Leave to Remain?

ILR is the standard form of settled status for non-EEA nationals in the UK. Once granted, it removes the time restriction on your immigration permission. You no longer need to renew your visa, you can work for any employer, and you are no longer subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.

ILR is not the same as British citizenship, though it is the step before it for most people. After holding ILR for 12 months, you can apply to naturalise as a British citizen — provided you meet the other citizenship requirements. See our guide to British citizenship after ILR for the full naturalisation route.

ILR vs Settled Status: what is the difference?

EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who lived in the UK before 31 December 2020 were eligible for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Settled status is legally distinct from ILR but carries equivalent rights. If you are an EU national who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020, you cannot apply under EUSS — you will need to follow the standard immigration routes that lead to ILR. Our settled status vs ILR guide explains the differences in full.

2. Who Can Apply for ILR?

You can apply for ILR if you have spent the required period in the UK on a qualifying visa and meet the conditions for your specific route. The general requirements are:

• You have held a qualifying visa for the required period (usually five years, or ten years on the long residence route)
• You have maintained continuous residence — meaning you have not spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period
• You have passed the Life in the UK test (with limited exemptions)
• You meet the English language requirement for your route
• You have not breached the immigration rules or committed serious criminal offences
• You can provide the required supporting documents

Each ILR route has its own conditions layered on top of these. A Skilled Worker applicant must show continuous sponsorship and meet the applicable salary threshold. A spouse visa applicant must demonstrate the relationship is genuine and subsisting. These route-specific rules are covered in the sections below. For the complete list of requirements, see our UK ILR requirements guide.

Who is not eligible

You cannot apply for ILR if your current visa does not lead to settlement. Student visas and most visitor visas are non-settlement routes. Temporary worker visas are generally non-settlement routes unless a specific exception applies. If you are unsure whether your visa leads to ILR, check the Home Office guidance or speak with one of our advisers.

3. ILR Routes: Which One Applies to You?

There are several distinct routes to ILR. They share the same broad requirements but differ in qualifying period, evidence needed, and conditions during the route. The table below summarises the main routes.

If you do not fit neatly into one of these categories — for example, you have switched visa types or have gaps in your leave — take advice before applying. The Home Office has discretion in some circumstances but is not obliged to exercise it.

4. Continuous Residence Rules

Continuous residence means that you have been lawfully present in the UK throughout your qualifying period without a significant break. The definition matters because any break in continuous residence restarts the qualifying clock.

What breaks continuous residence?

Continuous residence is broken if:

• You spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any single 12-month period
• You were in the UK unlawfully at any point — for example, if your visa expired before you renewed it
• You were granted leave outside the rules on a discretionary basis and that grant contained a condition preventing settlement

A single absence of more than six months, even if within the 180-day total, is also treated as breaking residence for most routes.

What does not break continuous residence

Time spent outside the UK for a purpose connected with your employment — such as a business trip or overseas posting — is generally acceptable, provided the total stays within the 180-day limit. Absence due to serious illness, where there was no practical way to return, may be treated with discretion by the Home Office, though this is not guaranteed.

5. The 180-Day Rule Explained

The 180-day rule limits how long you can spend outside the UK in any 12-month period during your qualifying period. Exceeding it in any single year — regardless of what happens in other years — is treated as breaking your continuous residence.

How the 180 days are counted

The Home Office looks at rolling 12-month periods rather than calendar years. That means each date in your qualifying period is the end-point of a 12-month window looking backwards. If you spent 181 or more days abroad in any such window, your continuous residence is broken from the date the limit was exceeded.

Example: You entered the UK on a Skilled Worker visa on 1 March 2020. Between June and December 2022 you spent 185 days abroad. The Home Office identifies that the 12-month period ending in late 2022 contained more than 180 days of absence. Your qualifying period is treated as broken at that point. Your five-year clock restarts from your return — meaning your earliest ILR date moves from March 2025 to 2027 or later. Read our ILR 180-day rule guide for the full calculation method and examples.

6. Life in the UK Test

Most ILR applicants are required to pass the Life in the UK test before they can apply. The test covers British history, values, and institutions and is taken at an approved test centre.

Key facts about the test

• The test contains 24 questions and lasts 45 minutes
• You need to answer at least 18 questions correctly (75%) to pass
• The fee is £50 per attempt
• You can take the test as many times as needed — there is no limit on attempts
• Your pass certificate does not expire, so you can take the test well in advance of your ILR application

Who is exempt from the test

You do not need to take the Life in the UK test if you are under 18 years old at the time of your ILR application, 65 years old or over, or unable to take the test because of a long-term physical or mental health condition. For a full breakdown of the test format, revision tips, and what to expect on the day, see our Life in the UK test guide for ILR applicants.

7. English Language Requirement

Most ILR applicants must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level or above on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The acceptable ways of meeting this requirement vary by route.

Ways to meet the English language requirement

• Approved English language test: such as IELTS Life Skills B1, Trinity College London GESE Grade 5, or a LanguageCert test. The test must be taken at an approved centre and results must not be more than two years old at the date of your ILR application
• Degree taught in English: a degree-level qualification taught in English — in the UK or in a majority English-speaking country — satisfies the requirement
• Nationality exemption: nationals of majority English-speaking countries (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States) are exempt
• Previous grant: if you met the English language requirement for a previous visa application at B1 level or above, you will not normally need to demonstrate it again

8. ILR Documents: What You Need to Provide

The documents required for your ILR application depend on your route. The following covers the core documents needed by most applicants.

Core documents for all ILR applications

• Current valid passport and all passports held during the qualifying period
• Evidence of your qualifying visa throughout the period (BRP cards, vignette stickers, or digital status records)
• Life in the UK test pass certificate (or evidence of exemption)
• English language test certificate (or evidence of exemption or previous qualifying award)
• Evidence of continuous residence — payslips, P60s, bank statements, utility bills, or other dated correspondence at regular intervals throughout your qualifying period

Route-specific document requirements

For a route-by-route breakdown of every document required, see our ILR documents checklist.

9. ILR Costs and Processing Times

The Home Office fee for an ILR application is £3,226 per person for 2026. Each family member applying at the same time pays the same fee. This is a significant cost, and it is worth budgeting carefully before you start gathering documents.

Full cost breakdown

Processing times

Standard ILR applications currently take around six months from submission to decision. The Home Office does not guarantee processing times, and complex cases take longer. If you need a faster decision — for example, because you are starting a new job or have travel commitments — the Priority or Super Priority services are available at additional cost. For a full breakdown of all fees and current processing timescales, see our ILR costs and processing times guide.

10. What Happens After ILR?

Once ILR is granted, your status does not expire. You can continue to live, work, and study in the UK without restriction. You are no longer required to maintain any particular employment or relationship to preserve your status.

ILR and travel

You can travel freely in and out of the UK as an ILR holder. However, if you remain outside the UK for more than two continuous years, your ILR lapses. It is not lost permanently, but you would need to apply for a Returning Resident visa before re-entering as a settled person. If you are planning extended time abroad, take advice before you go.

ILR and British citizenship

Most ILR holders become eligible to apply for British citizenship (naturalisation) after 12 months of holding ILR. The requirements include good character, presence in the UK for at least five years before applying, and not having spent more than 450 days outside the UK in the five-year period or more than 90 days in the year immediately before applying. Our British citizenship after ILR guide covers the full naturalisation process, fees, and what to expect.

Citizenship brings additional rights: a British passport, the right to vote in all UK elections, and the removal of any residency obligations. Applicants who complete five years on a qualifying route and obtain ILR immediately may be eligible for citizenship almost immediately thereafter.

Access to public funds after ILR

ILR removes the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition that applies to most visas. Once settled, you can access benefits, social housing, and NHS treatment on the same basis as a British citizen, subject to normal eligibility rules.

11. ILR Refusals: Common Reasons and What to Do

ILR is refused more often than people expect. The most common reasons are:

• Excess absences — spending more than 180 days outside the UK in one or more 12-month periods
• Incomplete or inconsistent documents — gaps in payslips, bank statements, or residence evidence
• Character concerns — criminal convictions, cautions, or civil penalties
• Relationship not subsisting — for spouse and partner applicants where the Home Office is not satisfied the relationship continues
• Salary below threshold — for Skilled Worker applicants where income evidence does not clearly demonstrate the required level
• Application made too early — the qualifying period has not been fully completed at the date of application

Options after a refusal

If your ILR application is refused, you have several options. Most refusals carry a right of administrative review, which allows a different Home Office caseworker to look at the decision again. In some cases, there is a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. Whether you should review, appeal, or reapply depends on the reason for refusal and whether anything can be done to address it. See our ILR refusal guide and ILR appeal guide for a full breakdown of your options.

12. Do You Need a Solicitor for ILR?

Not always. ILR applications with a clean residence record, straightforward documents, and no complications can be managed without professional help. The Home Office provides guidance, and the online application system is reasonably navigable for organised applicants.

You should seriously consider taking advice if any of the following apply:

• Your absences are close to or over the 180-day limit in any year
• You have had previous visa refusals or immigration difficulties
• You have a criminal conviction or police caution of any kind
• You have changed employers, been made redundant, or had gaps in employment during the qualifying period
• You are applying on the long residence route with gaps or inconsistencies in your ten-year history
• You have missing documents that you cannot replace
• Your relationship has changed — for spouse and partner visa applicants

ILR applications are not easily re-run after a refusal. The Home Office fee is non-refundable, and a refusal on record can complicate future applications. If your case has any complicating feature, the cost of advice is small relative to the risk of getting it wrong. Read our guide on whether you need an ILR lawyer to understand when professional representation adds the most value.

13. Frequently Asked Questions

Page last reviewed: May 2026. Requirements are subject to change. Always verify current fees and thresholds against the official UK Visas and Immigration guidance on GOV.UK before submitting an application.