HomeSettlementIndefinite Leave to Remain
Indefinite leave to remain solicitors
Indefinite leave to remain - settlement - removes the time limit on your stay. We will check your qualifying residence, your absences and the Life in the UK requirement before anything is submitted. Fixed-fee packages from £1,296 + VAT.
Written by Dipendra Fakira, Supervising Immigration Caseworker · Reviewed by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Home Office fee
Home Office publishes current fees
Decision time
Priority service usually available
Length of grant
No expiry, subject to public policy limits
Absence limit
Over the qualifying period
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
What ILR gives you
Indefinite leave to remain lets you live, work and study in the UK without a time limit. It does not make you a British citizen - but for most people it is the required step before naturalisation.
ILR can lapse if you spend long periods outside the UK, which is one reason we look at your travel history before anything else.
Routes to settlement
There is no single ILR application - the requirements depend on the route you have been living in the UK under:
- Work routes - most Skilled Worker and other work visa holders after five years.
- Family routes - partners, parents and other relatives of people settled here.
- UK Ancestry - Commonwealth citizens on an ancestry visa after five years.
- Long residence - ten years of continuous lawful residence, which can be made up of different visa categories.
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens - usually settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
The requirements we check
- Qualifying residence - usually five years on the route, with your absences inside the permitted limits. This is where most problems hide, so we count it properly.
- English language at B1 or above, unless an exemption applies.
- The Life in the UK test, for applicants aged 18 to 64.
- A genuine and subsisting relationship, where you are applying as a partner or dependant.
- Good character and suitability - criminal records and significant financial problems can affect eligibility, and are far better addressed before applying than after a refusal.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Full ILR package Residence and absence check, evidence, forms, submission and updates until the Home Office decision | £1,296–£2,700 + VAT |
Initial consultation We tell you whether you qualify yet, and if not, when | from £50 + VAT |
Do you qualify for indefinite leave to remain?
Indefinite leave to remain questions
It depends on your route. Most work and family routes qualify after five years of continuous residence, UK Ancestry after five, long residence after ten. We count your qualifying time before you apply, because a few days short is a full refusal.
Most routes cap you at 180 days abroad in any rolling 12-month period across the qualifying years. Long residence is judged differently. Work out every trip in and out before you apply - the Home Office will.
Yes, if you are aged 18 to 64, unless a medical exemption applies. It is a 45-minute multiple-choice test and you pay for it separately from the application. Book it well before you plan to apply.
Level B1 in speaking and listening, evidenced by an approved test or an eligible degree taught in English. Nationals of majority-English-speaking countries are exempt. We tell you which route to evidence works for your circumstances.
There are limited exceptions - serious illness, compelling family reasons, employment abroad required by your sponsor. Otherwise the clock restarts or you switch to long residence. Get advice before you apply; a refusal is expensive.
Yes. ILR lapses if you spend more than two continuous years outside the UK. It can also be revoked for deception, serious criminality or if you cease to be settled. Naturalising as British is the way to make settlement permanent.
The Home Office application fee is set separately and updated periodically. We publish the current figure in your engagement letter alongside our fixed fee, so you know the whole cost before you decide.
Standard processing runs to six months, though most decisions come sooner. A super-priority service is available for an additional Home Office fee and gives a decision the next working day where the case is straightforward.
Yes, dependent partners and children can usually apply for settlement alongside you if they also meet the requirements. We assess the whole family in one review so nothing is missed.
Think you qualify for settlement?
Book an initial consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will count your qualifying residence and your absences and tell you plainly whether to apply now or wait.