Evidence planner · reviewed 17 August 2026
ILR documents checklist
Organise evidence by requirement, then follow the document instructions in your exact online route. Relevant, legible material is stronger than a huge bundle that does not answer the question asked.
Core evidence organiser
| Folder | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Current and previous passports, BRP where held, eVisa details. | Identity and immigration history. |
| Permission history | Grant letters and visa dates. | Route and continuity. |
| Travel | Chronology, stamps, tickets, employer letters. | Absence/residence test. |
| Tests | Life in the UK reference; English or exemption evidence. | Knowledge of language and life. |
| Route evidence | Employment, sponsor, relationship, finance or residence evidence. | Specific conditions. |
Route examples
- Skilled Worker / SET(O): current sponsor, job and pay material requested by current rules; old payslips alone may not prove every condition.
- Partner / SET(M): relationship, cohabitation and financial evidence for the stated period.
- BN(O): permission history, continuous residence and dependant relationship evidence where relevant.
- Long residence: a full lawful-residence and travel chronology, with evidence for difficult gaps.
Build order
- Read GOV.UK route guidance and the form instructions before requesting records.
- Write a dated timeline of visas, addresses, employment and travel.
- Map every requirement to the best document; identify gaps honestly.
- Check names, dates and addresses against the form.
- Save the submitted form, upload list and originals.
Quality, cost and timing
Use descriptive filenames, for example 2025-04-employer-letter.pdf. Pages must be complete and readable. Documents not in English or Welsh normally need the original plus a suitable translation, so allow budget and time before the upload deadline. If an old passport is unavailable, explain it and provide relevant alternative evidence rather than inventing a document. A complex travel chronology or delayed employer letter can produce further enquiries, including where a faster service is selected.
Common mistakes
- Using a checklist for a different ILR route.
- Uploading bank statements that prove nothing while omitting the decisive record.
- Providing a translation without the original-language document.
- Leaving name, date, address or passport gaps unexplained.
- Assuming the main applicant’s evidence automatically proves a dependant’s case.
Three short evidence scenarios
A sponsored worker with several business trips
Keep the sponsor letter and salary evidence required by the current route, but build the travel record separately. An employer letter should identify the dates and purpose it can genuinely confirm. It should not state that every absence was permitted unless the signatory has checked the underlying records and understands what is being certified.
A partner with changes of address
Do not hide a period when correspondence went to different addresses. Match tenancy, council tax, bank or official correspondence to the period the application asks about, then explain a genuine reason for living apart or for an address discrepancy. The question is the continuing relationship and route requirement, not whether every month produces an identical bundle.
A Long Residence applicant with a missing passport
Record what is missing, when it was lost and which alternative records cover the period. Grant notices, subject access records, travel bookings, employer or education records and contemporaneous correspondence may help organise the chronology. A missing document can require explanation; recreating or altering evidence is never an acceptable solution.
Final upload review
- Open every file and check that each page is readable and correctly oriented.
- Compare dates and spellings with the submitted form rather than an earlier draft.
- Remove duplicates that add file size but no evidential value.
- Pair each translation with its source document and required translator details.
- Keep a copy of the exact files submitted and the final upload list.
FAQ
Do I need every old passport?
Follow the form request. Previous passports often help evidence travel and immigration history; explain if one cannot be obtained.
Should I upload bank statements for every route?
Only where they prove a relevant route condition or are requested.
Is this official?
No. The official application journey and GOV.UK guidance are authoritative.
GOV.UK ILR overview · Requirements · Fees
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026. General information, not legal advice.