ILR application guide · reviewed 17 August 2026
ILR requirements: check the route before you check the boxes
There is no single ILR checklist that fits everybody. The qualifying period, absence test, income evidence and form depend on the permission you hold. This planning guide helps you organise questions for your application; it is not legal advice and cannot confirm that you qualify.
The core checks most applicants meet
| Check | What it usually means | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying permission | Your immigration history must fit the route and required period. | eVisas, decision letters and passports. |
| Continuous residence | Absences and gaps are assessed under the rule for that route and period. | Travel list, stamps, boarding passes and employer records. |
| Knowledge of language and life | Usually English at the level stated in the rules and Life in the UK, unless exempt. | Reference number, pass notification or approved qualification evidence. |
| Suitability | Criminality, immigration compliance and conduct can matter. | Accurate history and explanations where needed. |
| Correct application | Apply in time, on the right form, with the required fee and biometrics. | Submission and payment confirmations. |
What changes by route
Five-year work routes
Skilled Worker settlement normally requires a qualifying five-year period, continuous residence and an eligible sponsored job at the date of application. The sponsor confirmation and salary/going-rate requirements are route-specific, so check the current Immigration Rules rather than an old offer letter. See the Skilled Worker update tracker before relying on headlines about future changes.
Family and partner routes
For a five-year partner route, relationship, cohabitation and financial evidence are central. The route has its own residence and eligibility tests; a generic work-visa absence calculator is not a substitute. A switch between a five- and ten-year family route may affect the clock.
BN(O) route
BN(O) status holders normally plan around five years’ continuous residence, then the settlement application. Keep evidence for every grant, travel and dependant relationship. Dependants must meet their own requirements.
Long residence
Long residence is an existing ten-year lawful-residence route, not a label for every proposed “10-year ILR” policy. Historic and current absence provisions can apply differently depending on dates. Read the 10-year ILR comparison before counting time.
A practical evidence plan
- Download or list every grant of leave, including dates, route and any gaps.
- Create one travel chronology using full dates and retain primary evidence for longer or unusual trips.
- Check test and English evidence early; booking a test late can make an otherwise ready application impractical.
- Match documents to the route, not just to a generic online list.
- Read the current GOV.UK route guidance and Immigration Rules immediately before submission.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting five calendar years from an entry date without testing the qualifying-period rule and earliest application window.
- Using a total number of days abroad where the route requires a rolling period calculation.
- Assuming a dependant’s residence clock is identical to the main applicant’s.
- Sending a document that does not answer the requirement it is meant to prove.
- Applying early. An application outside the permitted window can be refused.
Where to verify the rule
GOV.UK’s indefinite leave to remain overview is the starting point. Read the relevant Immigration Rules and route guidance for the wording that applies on your application date. Policy guidance explains caseworker practice but does not replace the Rules.
Questions applicants ask
Can I combine different visas?
Sometimes, but only where the relevant route permits it. Do not add periods together until the current rule expressly allows the combination.
Is Life in the UK always required?
It is commonly required, with exemptions such as age or a long-term condition in some cases. Check the current GOV.UK guidance for your circumstances.
Does this page tell me I am eligible?
No. It is a planning checklist. A Home Office decision depends on the evidence and rules applied to your case.
Worked planning examples
A sponsored worker
Amira is close to five years on a sponsored route. She should list each grant, map every trip, check the exact earliest application date, then obtain current sponsor and pay evidence. A late overseas trip might be manageable or affect a relevant rolling period; the answer comes from the current rule and dates, not a generic total of days abroad.
A partner who changed route
Daniel has lived with his British partner for five years, but part was on a ten-year family route. Cohabitation is valuable evidence, but it does not automatically create a five-year settlement clock. His grant letters establish which route and qualifying period apply.
Long residence
Priya has ten years across study, work and family permission. She needs every grant, gap, pending-application period and trip. Physical presence is not, by itself, proof of qualifying lawful residence.
Route comparison before payment
| Question | Work route | Partner route | Long Residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central proof | Eligible work, sponsor and pay. | Relationship, route history and finances. | Lawful-residence chronology. |
| Frequent error | Using historic salary rules. | Adding all family-route years together. | Counting time without analysing gaps. |
| First source | Current route appendix. | Current family route guidance. | Appendix Long Residence. |
Final review before submitting
- Re-open the current GOV.UK route page and appendix; check for a change since you assembled the file.
- Compare each form date against the grant letter and travel chronology.
- Ask which named requirement every document proves.
- Confirm English and Life in the UK references exactly as requested.
- Keep a copy of final answers, uploads and payment confirmation.
Build a route-by-route documents checklist · Read the application steps · Estimate official fees
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026. Sources: GOV.UK and the Immigration Rules. We update this page when an official change is published or takes effect.