Planning to Leave For The UK? Here’s What You Need To Know About Its Leave To Remain Policy

The leave to remain policy in the UK is quite a strict one. The reason for this is that an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK is a great privilege for immigrants. It is more vital than a visa and grants you most of the benefits that a permanent citizen can enjoy.

An ILR in the UK allows you to work and live anywhere in the United Kingdom without any restrictions. Any immigrant planning to leave their country and make a life for themselves in the United Kingdom has to consider an ILR sooner rather than later if they want to clear the qualifications as soon as possible.  

The quickest way to get an immigration plan is to speak to immigration services online, as they can give you a roadmap on your journey to an indefinite leave to remain. Regardless, you will want to read this article to get a quick overview of everything you need to know about an ILR in the United Kingdom.

How To Qualify for an ILR

Immigrants are qualified for an ILR if they live as upstanding citizens in the United Kingdom for a total of 5 years at least. Within these five years, they must not commit any significant offenses and must adhere to all rules of immigration.

The five years you spend in the United Kingdom must be physical and in person. You need to avoid leaving the United Kingdom for long periods, which may void your stay. It is important to note that your “living in” five years has to be continuous with minimal setbacks, discussed further in this article.

As you may suspect, you will need an appropriate visa to stay the five years in the country. Applying for a long-term visa should be your primary goal when thinking of moving to the United Kingdom. After securing one, think seriously about applying for an indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Continuous Stay in the UK

The most important and hardest to achieve qualification would be your five years of continuous residence in the country. The United Kingdom immigration officers will look extensively into your entire stay in the country. They will take note of any discrepancies and ask you to explain any absences from the nation. It helps to keep a detailed guide of when, where, and if you decided to leave the United Kingdom, even if it is for just a few days.

During your five year stay in the country, you must not be out of the UK at any point for more than 450 days in total. Generally, the less you leave the United Kingdom, the higher your chances are to be approved for an ILR as soon as possible. In the last year of your stay, you shouldn’t spend more than 90 days out of the country as you may lose your progress. 

Once you receive your ILR, you need to continue your stay in the country, though you are afforded more freedom to leave. As long as you don’t spend years out of the country or are outside it more than you are living in it, then you do not need to worry about losing your ILR status.

Other Qualifications

Aside from living in the United Kingdom for five years, there are other qualifications you must pass in order to receive your ILR. For starters, there will also be an English test where you need to prove that you are proficient in the language. There will also be a separate test on life in the United Kingdom, though that should be easy for you to pass by now.

Immigration services in the United Kingdom may require you to provide proof of residence and employment. These documents will show that you truly have started life in the nation and that you are serious about the indefinite leave to return. 

Where to Apply

As previously mentioned, you need to have lived for five years in the United Kingdom which will be monitored closely by the immigration offices of the nation. In order to do so, you need to submit your application for an ILR at the start of your stay in the country. Once you submit it, your five years will officially begin and it is up to you to fulfil the requirements. As long as you follow the local rules and take care to not leave the country for too long, your ILR application will be completed in no time!