ILR Knowledge Hub: Everything You Need to Know About UK Settlement
By Howard Wilson, Editor · Reviewed against the Immigration Rules and GOV.UK on 30 September 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Quick answer: getting Indefinite Leave to Remain comes down to six stages: understand what ILR is, find your route, count your qualifying time, meet the requirements, apply, then protect your status and move towards citizenship. This hub explains every ILR term at each stage and links to our in-depth guides, free tools and the official GOV.UK sources. For quick definitions, see the ILR glossary.
Start with the free tools
- ILR Calculator UK: your qualifying date and earliest application date
- ILR absence calculator: the 180-day rule across every rolling 12 months
- Naturalisation calculator: citizenship absence limits
- ILR cost calculator: the total cost for your family
- English requirement checker and Life in the UK test practice
Stages: 1. Understand ILR · 2. Find your settlement route · 3. Count your time · 4. Meet the requirements · 5. Apply and get a decision · 6. After ILR and British citizenship
1. Understand ILR
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is permission to live in the UK without a time limit. It is usually reached after a qualifying period on a settlement route, and it is normally the step before British citizenship. ILR removes the no recourse to public funds condition and the need to renew visas, but it can lapse after a long absence.
Key terms
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) · Settlement · Immigration Rules · Statement of Changes · UKVI · Settled status · No recourse to public funds · Earned settlement
In-depth guides
Official sources
2. Find your settlement route
Your route decides your qualifying period and the extra requirements you must meet. Most work and family routes take 5 years, Global Talent and Innovator Founder can take 3, and long residence takes 10.
Key terms
Skilled Worker · Health and Care Worker · Appendix FM · BN(O) · Global Talent · Innovator Founder · UK Ancestry · Long residence · Private life route · Dependant · Switching · Appendix Long Residence · Appendix Private Life
In-depth guides
- ILR visa routes overview
- Skilled Worker ILR
- Spouse visa ILR
- BNO ILR
- 10-year long residence
- Combining visa routes
- ILR for dependants
Official sources
- ILR for Skilled Workers (GOV.UK)
- ILR if you have family in the UK (GOV.UK)
- BNO visa (GOV.UK)
- Appendix Long Residence (GOV.UK)
- Appendix Private Life (GOV.UK)
3. Count your time
Two calculations decide when you can apply: the qualifying period, counted from your start date, and continuous residence, which absences can break. The 28-day rule then sets your earliest submission date.
Key terms
Qualifying period · Entry clearance · Continuous residence · Appendix Continuous Residence · Absence · 180-day rule · Rolling 12-month period · 28-day rule
In-depth guides
Official sources
4. Meet the requirements
On the date you apply you must meet the language and knowledge requirement, any route-specific rules such as salary or the financial requirement, and the suitability rules in Part 9.
Key terms
Appendix KoLL · B1 (CEFR) · SELT · Ecctis · Life in the UK test · Financial requirement · Appendix FM-SE · Certificate of Sponsorship · Part 9
In-depth guides
Official sources
- Appendix KoLL (GOV.UK)
- KoLL caseworker guidance (GOV.UK)
- SELT guidance (GOV.UK)
- Book the Life in the UK test (GOV.UK)
- Part 9: grounds for refusal (GOV.UK)
5. Apply and get a decision
You apply online on the right form, pay the fee, give biometrics and wait for a decision. Standard decisions usually take up to six months; paid priority services are faster.
Key terms
SET(O) · SET(M) · Biometrics · Priority service · Super priority service · Immigration Health Surcharge · Common Travel Area · Administrative review
In-depth guides
- How to apply for ILR
- ILR document checklist
- SET(O) form guide
- SET(M) form guide
- ILR fees and processing times
- ILR timeline
- Travel during an ILR application
- ILR refused: what to do
Official sources
- ILR for Skilled Workers (GOV.UK)
- ILR if you have family in the UK (GOV.UK)
- Faster decision services (GOV.UK)
- Administrative review (GOV.UK)
6. After ILR and British citizenship
ILR is issued as an eVisa. Keep it by avoiding absences of more than two years, then consider naturalisation, usually 12 months after ILR.
Key terms
eVisa · BRP · Lapse of ILR · Returning resident visa · British citizenship · Naturalisation · Good character requirement · Citizenship ceremony
In-depth guides
- ILR eVisa after approval
- Returning resident visa
- British citizenship after ILR
- Citizenship absence rules
- Good character requirement
- British citizenship cost
- Citizenship for spouses of British citizens
Official sources
- eVisas (GOV.UK)
- Returning resident visa (GOV.UK)
- Check if you can become a British citizen (GOV.UK)
- British Nationality Act 1981 (legislation.gov.uk)
Latest ILR changes
The main pending change is the proposed earned settlement model, which would move the standard qualifying period to 10 years. As of 30 September 2026 it has not been laid as Immigration Rules, so the current routes still apply. The ILR fee is £3,226 per person from 8 April 2026, with no separate biometric fee. Browse every page in our sitemap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ILR Knowledge Hub?
A structured guide to Indefinite Leave to Remain that explains every key term at each stage of settlement and links to detailed guides, free tools and official GOV.UK sources.
Where should I start if I am new to ILR?
Check your dates with the free ILR calculator, then read the section for your settlement route and the ILR requirements guide.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information reviewed against the Immigration Rules and GOV.UK. For advice on your own case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor.