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Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also called settlement, lets you live, work, and study in the UK without time limit and is the main step before British citizenship. You usually qualify after five years on a work or family route, and you must meet residence, English, and Life in the UK Test requirements.
People who have completed a qualifying period in the UK on an eligible work or family route and want to settle permanently.
Our licensed advisors assess your eligibility, build a strategy to strengthen your application, and manage the process end to end, so you submit a complete, competitive application with confidence.
Usually 5 years of continuous qualifying residence, though some routes (such as Global Talent or Innovator Founder) allow 2 to 3 years.
ILR lets you live, work and study in the UK without time limit, but it can lapse; citizenship gives you a British passport and cannot lapse through absence.
Yes. Indefinite leave to remain usually lapses if you spend 2 or more continuous years outside the UK, Ireland or the Crown Dependencies.
Yes. Dependants can apply for ILR, but they must each meet their own qualifying residence and other requirements.
Yes. Most ILR applicants must pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English language requirement, unless exempt.
On most routes you must not exceed the permitted absences (commonly no more than 180 days in any 12-month period) during the qualifying years.
