SET(O) Form Guide: Applying for ILR Online

Reviewed against official sources on 29 August 2026. SET(O) is an online settlement application used by a range of immigration categories. The questions and evidence requested can change according to the answers given. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

The form name does not decide whether you qualify. First confirm the settlement route and its requirements. Then access the application through the current official GOV.UK page so that you use the correct service.

What is the SET(O) form?

SET(O) is the application route identified by GOV.UK for several settlement categories, including certain work, talent, ancestry and other routes. The list can be updated. Check the official SET(O) collection page before starting.

The online form adapts to the category selected and the applicant’s answers. A static field-by-field copy can quickly become inaccurate. This page therefore focuses on the decisions and records to prepare rather than reproducing the form.

Who should consider SET(O)?

Use the application link provided by the official page for your settlement category. Routes commonly associated with SET(O) include Skilled Worker and certain predecessor work categories, Global Talent, Innovator or business categories, UK Ancestry, and other categories listed by the Home Office.

Not every ILR applicant uses SET(O). Partner applications may use SET(M), Long Residence and other categories may have their own online route, and legacy cases can require different instructions. The ILR application-process guide explains how to choose the route before choosing a form.

Checks to complete before opening the form

• Confirm the exact settlement category.
• Check the qualifying period and earliest application date.
• Verify which earlier visa categories can be combined.
• Review every absence and any gap in permission.
• Check route-specific employment, salary, endorsement, business or ancestry requirements.
• Confirm English and Life in the UK requirements or exemptions.

Estimate timing with the ILR Calculator UK, but use the relevant Immigration Rules to decide whether the selected start date and route are valid.

Information the application may require

Prepare a consistent record of personal details, current and previous immigration permission, addresses, travel, family members, employment or route activity, criminality and compliance history. The form can ask follow-up questions based on earlier answers.

Identity and status

• Current passport or travel document details.
• Previous passports relevant to travel and immigration history.
• UKVI account or eVisa information where applicable.
• Details of previous applications and decisions.

Residence and travel

• UK addresses and relevant residence dates.
• Departure and return dates for trips outside the UK.
• Reasons for absences when the route or guidance makes them relevant.

Check the travel list with our ILR absence calculator. Do not reduce a rolling 12-month test to a yearly average.

Route-specific evidence

The evidence differs substantially. A Skilled Worker may need sponsor and employment information. A Global Talent applicant may need evidence relevant to qualifying earnings or activity. A UK Ancestry applicant may need ancestry and employment evidence. Follow the document instructions produced for the selected category.

How to complete the form carefully

• Use one verified timeline for all dates.
• Match names and identifiers to the supporting documents.
• Explain discrepancies rather than silently choosing a convenient date.
• Save a copy of answers and the final document checklist.
• Review declarations before submitting.

Use our document checklist to organise evidence, then adapt it to the route-specific checklist generated by the application.

Fees, identity checks and decision services

The settlement fee and any faster service offered can change. Confirm the current amount in the official application and review our fees and processing-times guide. After submission, follow the instructions for proving identity, providing biometrics and uploading evidence.

The official SET(O) online application page is the correct starting point when your route uses this form.

When not to rely on a general form guide

Consider regulated advice if there are gaps, overstaying, criminal convictions, a refused or invalid previous application, complex absences, a sponsor problem, unclear route switching, or dependants whose eligibility differs from the main applicant. A form cannot resolve the underlying legal issue.

Last reviewed: 29 August 2026. Editor: Howard Wilson. Read our editorial standards.