What is long residence?

Long residence is a route to indefinite leave to remain for people who have lived lawfully and continuously in the UK for 10 years or more. Time on most immigration routes can count towards the 10 years, but some types of time, such as visitor time or overstaying, cannot.

How long residence works

Long residence is for a person who has lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years or more. The person can count time with permission on most routes towards the 10-year period.^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence} If it succeeds, the person gets indefinite leave to remain, which GOV.UK calls how you settle in the UK.^{[1]Home Office, Indefinite leave to remain if you have been in the UK for 10 years (long residence)} It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and you can use it to apply for British citizenship.^{[1]Home Office, Indefinite leave to remain if you have been in the UK for 10 years (long residence)}

You must have permission to stay when you apply. You must also have been in the UK legally for 10 years without gaps. GOV.UK calls this your continuous residence.^{[2]Home Office, Long residence: Eligibility} You can submit your application as soon as you meet all the requirements. You do not need to wait until your current visa expires.^{[3]Home Office, Long residence: Apply for indefinite leave to remain}

Long residence is not the same as the private life route. The Rules say a person who has lived in the UK for a long time but has not been lawfully and continuously resident for 10 years may be eligible under Appendix Private Life instead.^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence}

What counts towards the 10 years

The 10 years must be lawful. The Immigration Rules say that for the whole period one or more of the following applied:^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence}

• you had permission to be in the UK
• you were exempt from immigration control
• you were in the UK as an EEA national or family member exercising a right to reside before the end of 2020
• you were a British citizen, unless citizenship was later removed

Time on some routes does not count. GOV.UK says you cannot count time in the UK:^{[2]Home Office, Long residence: Eligibility}

See our page on overstaying.

Time outside the UK

You can leave the UK during your continuous residence for up to 180 days in any 12-month period.^{[2]Home Office, Long residence: Eligibility} The Rules in Appendix Continuous Residence set out exceptions, for example for travel disruption caused by a natural disaster, military conflict or pandemic, or for compelling and compassionate personal circumstances.^{[6]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Continuous Residence} See continuous residence and the 180-day absence rule.

Older rules apply to absences that started before 11 April 2024. You will not have continuous residence if you were abroad for more than 184 days in a row or more than 548 days in total. Only periods abroad that started before 11 April 2024 count towards the 548 days.^{[2]Home Office, Long residence: Eligibility}

Other requirements, fees and timing

If you are aged 18 to 65, you must pass the Life in the UK test and prove you have sufficient English. If you do not meet those requirements, you can apply to extend your stay instead.^{[2]Home Office, Long residence: Eligibility} The Rules set the English level for settlement: speaking and listening at CEFR level B1 for applications before 26 March 2027, and level B2 on or after that date.^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence} If your current permission was granted on or after 11 April 2024, you must also have held permission on your current route for at least 12 months.^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence}

You also give your fingerprints and photo, which has no fee. You usually get a decision within 6 months of providing them for settlement. The super priority service costs an extra £1,000.^{[1]Home Office, Indefinite leave to remain if you have been in the UK for 10 years (long residence)} An extension is usually decided within 8 weeks of providing them.^{[7]Home Office, Long residence: Apply to extend your stay} The Rules provide a 24-month grant on the extension.^{[5]Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence}

You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. If you do, the application is withdrawn and there is no refund.^{[1]Home Office, Indefinite leave to remain if you have been in the UK for 10 years (long residence)}

Example

Tunde has lived in the UK since 2014 on a series of work and family visas. He has never overstayed. He counts 10 years in the UK on 1 September 2024. In the last 12 months he spent 60 days abroad. He is 40, has passed the Life in the UK test and meets the English requirement.

He applies online for indefinite leave to remain and pays £3,226. He does not include his partner. She applies separately if she is eligible. Tunde does not travel until he has his decision. This example uses invented facts. It is not advice on a real case.

What people get wrong

Many people count every year they have been in the UK. Time as a visitor, on a Short-term Study visa or on immigration bail does not count towards the 10 years, and neither does time after permission has run out.

A second mistake is to include family in the application. GOV.UK says you cannot include dependants. They must apply separately if they are eligible. If they are not, they may apply as the partner or child of a settled person once your application succeeds.^{[4]Home Office, Long residence: Family members}

The bottom line

Long residence is a 10-year route to indefinite leave to remain. The 10 years must be lawful and continuous, and the time you spend abroad is limited. Fees are £3,226 for settlement and £1,407 to extend. Dependants apply separately. Check the current GOV.UK pages before you apply, because fees and rules change.