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Complete guide

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR): the complete guide

Settling in the UK with indefinite leave to remain — who qualifies, the residence and English requirements, the Life in the UK test, costs, and how ILR leads to British citizenship.

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General

Is the UK biometrics appointment free, and where do you upload your documents?

Free biometric appointments are available at UKVCAS core service points, and you upload your evidence through your UKVCAS online account. Here's how the process works.

4 min read

General

SET(O) ILR: what to do if the Home Office asks why you didn't include your children

If the Home Office emails asking why your children weren't on your SET(O) ILR application, it's a request for clarification, not a refusal. Here's how to respond and what happens next.

5 min read

General

EU Citizens and ILR: Can You Verify Your Identity With the UK Immigration ID Check App?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can often verify their identity for ILR using the UK Immigration ID Check app — here's when the app applies and when you need an in-person biometric appointment instead.

4 min read

General

Which ILR Form for a Skilled Worker Visa? It's SET(O)

Applying for settlement on a Skilled Worker visa? The form is SET(O), the online ILR application for work and points-based routes. Here's how SET(O) compares to SET(M), SET(F) and SET(LR), and how to apply.

4 min read

General

ILR on the Skilled Worker Route: Should You and Your Dependants Apply Together or Separately?

Skilled Worker dependants apply for ILR in their own right after their own 5 years in the UK. You can apply together if everyone qualifies, or separately if a partner or child joined you later.

5 min read

General

Can You Apply for ILR Early? The 28-Day Rule Explained

You can apply for ILR up to 28 days before your qualifying period ends — but applying even one day too early means refusal and a lost fee. Here's how to find your earliest valid date and avoid the trap.

5 min read

General

Can Self-Employment Income Count Towards Skilled Worker ILR? What the Home Office Accepts

Self-employment income does not count towards the Skilled Worker ILR salary requirement — only guaranteed PAYE pay from your sponsor does. Here's what the Home Office actually assesses, what supplementary work is allowed, and the salary evidence you really need.

5 min read

General

Can You Travel Abroad With ILR? Absence Limits and Pending Applications Explained

Yes, ILR lets you travel abroad freely — but stay out 2 continuous years and it lapses, and leaving while your application is pending can cancel it. The absence limits and pending-application rules explained.

5 min read

General

What Happens If Your Employer Loses Their Sponsor Licence Before ILR?

If your employer loses their sponsor licence, the Home Office normally shortens your visa to 60 days. Here are your real options and timescales to find a new sponsor, switch routes, or protect your path to settlement.

5 min read

General

Citizenship and ILR absence limits explained: the 90-day, 180-day and 450-day rules

The UK uses different absence limits for ILR and for citizenship. Here is what the 180-day, 90-day, 450-day and 270-day rules actually mean — and what to do if the Home Office miscounts your days.

6 min read