Close to settling in the UK? Basharat Hussain, an IAA regulated Immigration Lawyer at 93 Ford End Road, Bedford, checks your qualifying date, absences, tax records and test results before you pay the Home Office fee, because an ILR refusal is costly and slow to put right.
Fixed fees from £350 for partner, work, long residence and EU Settlement Scheme applications. Meet us in Bedford, by phone or on video, Monday to Friday, or on Saturdays by appointment.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is permanent permission to live, work and study in the UK with no visa end date. You can usually apply after 5 years on a partner or work route, or after 10 years of continuous lawful residence. Most applicants aged 18 to 64 must also pass the Life in the UK test, meet the English requirement, stay within the absence limit and show good character. However, exceptions may apply to individuals with physical or mental disabilities. ILR is normally the step before British citizenship.
| Your current route | Time before ILR | Key extra requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | 5 years | Financial requirement still met at the ILR stage |
| Skilled Worker | 5 years | Employer still needs you; salary meets the current threshold |
| Global Talent or Innovator Founder | 3 or 5 years | Route-specific endorsement conditions |
| Any mix of lawful residence | 10 years | Continuous lawful residence (long residence) |
| EU Settlement Scheme | 5 years | Move from pre-settled to settled status |
| Parent or child family route | Usually 5 years | Relationship and responsibility still in place |
Written and reviewed by Basharat Hussain, IAA regulated Immigration Lawyer (Ref F201800051). Rules checked October 2026 against GOV.UK.
The government has proposed an "earned settlement" model that would make the standard wait for ILR longer on many routes, with shorter periods for people who contribute more. Until any change takes effect, the current rules apply. We check the rules in force on the day you apply, and tell you if applying sooner could protect your position.
Your qualifying period must be continuous. For most 5-year routes, and for long residence, you must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period. Each 12-month window is checked, not just each calendar year, which is why people who travel often for family or work can fall short without realising.
Source: GOV.UK guidance on calculating continuous residence.
| Requirement | What you need |
|---|---|
| Life in the UK test | Pass before applying if aged 18 to 64. £50 per attempt, at an approved test centre. |
| English language | B1 speaking and listening, a degree taught in English, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country |
| Announced change | B2 for settlement applications made from 26 March 2027 |
| Exemptions | Aged 65 or over, under 18, or a long-term condition that prevents testing |
Book both tests early. A failed or expired test is one of the simplest reasons for an ILR application to be delayed. See GOV.UK Life in the UK test and GOV.UK English language requirements.
The Home Office checks your immigration history and conduct before granting settlement. Criminal convictions, previous overstaying, unpaid NHS charges and false information in earlier applications can all lead to refusal. Declaring everything honestly, with context, matters far more than hoping something is not noticed.
If you are self-employed or run a company, the Home Office may compare the earnings you declared in earlier visa applications with what HMRC holds. A gap between the two can be treated as dishonesty, even when it was an accounting error. Basharat, who is also an accountant, reviews:
If you have lived in the UK lawfully for 10 continuous years, you may qualify for ILR even if your time was spread across student, work and family visas. Short gaps between visas can sometimes be disregarded, but overstaying, long absences or time on immigration bail usually break continuity. Source: GOV.UK long residence.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members with pre-settled status can get settled status once they have 5 years of continuous residence. Many people are now moved across automatically, but it is still worth checking your status and keeping proof of residence in case questions arise. Source: GOV.UK EU Settlement Scheme.
| Evidence | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identity and history | Current and old passports, BRPs or eVisa details, every previous grant letter |
| Residence | Council tax, tenancy or mortgage documents, utility bills across the qualifying period |
| Travel | Full list of absences with dates, plus supporting stamps or tickets |
| Tests | Life in the UK pass notification, English test certificate or degree evidence |
| Route-specific | Partner income and relationship proof, or an employer letter and payslips for work routes |
| Tax | SA302s, tax year overviews and company accounts if self-employed |
The ILR fee is one of the highest Home Office fees and is not refunded if you are refused, so check the current amount on GOV.UK before you apply.
The rules for settlement depend on the visa that brought you here. These are the routes we handle most often in Bedford.
After 5 years as a spouse or partner. You still need to meet the financial requirement and the settlement-level English test.
Spouse visaAfter 5 years on a Skilled Worker or similar route. Your employer must confirm they still need you and your salary must meet the threshold.
Skilled Worker visaAfter 10 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK, even if it was spread across different visa types.
Long residenceEU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their families with pre-settled status can move to settled status after 5 years.
Settled statusThree levels of help for partner, work and EU settlement applications, each delivered by Basharat Hussain. Every package is a fixed fee, starting at £350 and confirmed in writing first.
Best for you if… Your case is simple and you are happy to prepare and submit the application yourself. You just want an expert to check it first.
You prepare and submit the application yourself. Re-check after corrections is included in Gold.
Select SilverBest for you if… You want it right first time. You make the corrections and we re-check everything before you submit.
Submit with confidence, knowing an expert has checked it twice.
Select GoldBest for you if… You have a previous refusal or a complex history, or you simply want us to handle everything for you.
Smooth, stress-free and fully managed. Our most popular choice.
Select PlatinumA £50 working fee gets your case moving today. We study your case, review your documents and recommend the right package for you. Your package fee is then confirmed in writing, with no surprises and no obligation to continue.
Note: Package prices are starting fees. Every case is different, so your final fee is confirmed in writing once we have assessed your case. Home Office fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge are paid separately.
Salaried applicants with few trips abroad who just want their dates and checklist confirmed.
Self-employed applicants or company directors, and anyone whose absences come close to the limit.
Long residence cases, past refusals, or families applying together who want full support.
Long residence and families: Long residence (10-year) ILR is Platinum from £1,100 because every grant and gap is checked. Each dependant applying with you is £250.
Not included: the Home Office ILR fee, priority service fees, Life in the UK and English test fees, translations and other third-party costs. If a refusal needs an appeal, we will tell you and refer you to a solicitor or barrister.
You work with Basharat Hussain from the first check to the decision, on a fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts.
We map every visa grant and trip abroad to confirm your qualifying date and that your absences stay within the limit.
Basharat compares your tax returns, payslips and declared earnings, so any discrepancy is explained before the Home Office asks.
You get a route-specific list covering residence, English, Life in the UK, income and good character, with every document reviewed.
We help you submit on the right date, book biometrics and understand the decision, then plan your citizenship application.
I used immigration inn for my nationality application which was approved in 2 months after Biometric its was only got possible Mr bash ahs prepared my case well. Thank you mR bash and Immigration Inn.
Excellent and professional customer service, supported me throughout the entire visa application process. Highly reliable for all immigration and visa applications. Many thanks.
Send us your travel dates before you apply. We will count every 12-month window and tell you if your absences are safe.
Book an absence checkYour question not answered here? Call 01234 962804, Monday to Friday, or on Saturdays by appointment.
Answers reviewed by Basharat Hussain, IAA regulated Immigration Lawyer. Last reviewed: October 2026. Check current processing times on GOV.UK.
Tell us your current visa, when it started and how often you have travelled. We will confirm your earliest ILR date, flag any risk in your history and explain the evidence you need.
We help people settle from Bedford, Kempston, Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Stevenage and Cambridge, and by video anywhere in the UK.
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