Indefinite Leave to Remain: Long Residence

Settlement on the Basis of Long Residence

If you have lived lawfully in the UK for ten or more continuous years, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain on the basis of long residence. This route recognises the significant ties a person builds with the UK over a lengthy period and provides a pathway to permanent settlement that is not dependent on a particular visa category or sponsoring employer or family member.

Naila Kosar is a specialist immigration solicitor with extensive experience in long residence applications, including cases involving complex immigration histories and varied periods of residence. She will assess your individual circumstances carefully and give you an honest view of whether you qualify and how best to approach your application.

Who Does This Route Cover?

The long residence route is open to a person who has spent at least ten continuous years in the UK lawfully. Time can be counted from most immigration routes in combination, meaning you do not need to have been on the same visa throughout. However, not all periods of leave count towards the qualifying period and the rules around what does and does not qualify are detailed. The continuous residence requirement is equally important and must be met throughout the qualifying period. Both of these assessments require careful analysis of your full immigration history before any application is made.

It is important to note that there is no provision for dependants to be included in a long residence application. Each family member must make their own separate application if they wish to rely on this route.

Settlement or Permission to Stay

Depending on whether you meet all the eligibility requirements at the date of application, there are two possible outcomes under this route.

Where all requirements are met, including the qualifying period, continuous residence, English language, and Knowledge of Life in the UK, you will be granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. Settlement gives you the right to live and work in the UK permanently and is the gateway to British citizenship.

Where the qualifying period and continuous residence requirements are met but the English language or Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements have not yet been demonstrated, it may be possible to be granted permission to stay for 24 months while those requirements are completed, before applying for settlement.

The English Language Requirement

Settlement on the long residence route requires you to demonstrate your English language ability. The current required level is B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It is important to be aware that this requirement is due to increase for applications made from March 2027. If you are approaching the ten-year qualifying period, Naila will advise you on this requirement and how to plan ahead accordingly.

What if the Requirements Are Not Fully Met?

Where an application does not meet all the requirements of the long residence route, the Home Office is required to consider whether the applicant qualifies under alternative routes before refusing outright. Naila will consider all available options as part of her assessment of your case and will advise on any challenge available if an application is refused.

How Naila Kosar Can Help

Long residence applications require a review of your full immigration history before an application is made. The qualifying period and continuous residence calculations are technical, and the consequences of a poorly timed or inadequately prepared application can be significant. Naila provides a complete advisory and application service, from the initial assessment of whether you qualify through to the submission of a fully prepared application and advice on any refusal.

Naila operates on a private fee basis and details of her fees are set out on the main immigration page.

Contact Naila Kosar

If you believe you may be approaching or have reached ten years of continuous lawful residence in the UK, please contact our immigration solicitors Manchester to arrange an initial consultation. Early advice is strongly recommended as the timing of an application under this route can be critical.

Our offices in Manchester (Burnage) and Stockport (Heaton Moor) are easily accessible, and Naila represents clients throughout the United Kingdom.