Route to ILR
10-year long residence to ILR.
Ten years of continuous, lawful residence on almost any combination of visas. It's still in the rules today, but the government has confirmed it will close.
Continuous lawful residence on qualifying permissions: work, study and family time can all combine. Visitor, short-term student, Seasonal Worker and Ukraine Scheme time never counts.
In any rolling 12 months, for absences starting on or after 11 April 2024. Earlier absences are still judged under the old limits: 184 days for a single trip, 548 days in total.
You must have held your current permission for at least a year when you apply, waived if it was granted before 11 April 2024.
Per person, applying in the UK, from the current official Home Office fee table.
The government has confirmed that the Long Residence route will close. Time on temporary visas, such as Student and Graduate, will no longer count towards settlement. The government has confirmed its decisions. The detailed rules and start date have not been published. Settlement is usually decided on the rules in force on the day of the decision, not the day you arrived. If you're relying on long residence, don't assume it will still be there when you apply. If you already qualify, speak to an IAA-regulated adviser about timing. Separately, today's rules already require B2 English for long-residence applications made on or after 26 March 2027.
What ILR actually requires on this route
Ten unbroken, lawful years
Every day must be covered by valid permission (or protected by an in-time application under section 3C). Overstaying that the rules 'disregard' avoids breaking continuity, but adds nothing to the ten years.
The right kinds of time
Most routes count, including student time, unlike work-route ILR. Time as a visitor, short-term student, Seasonal Worker, on immigration bail or in prison does not.
English and Life in the UK
B1 English (rising to B2 for applications from 26 March 2027, already laid in the rules) and the Life in the UK test. Standard suitability requirements apply, and you can't be on immigration bail when you apply.
Partners and children
There's no dependant provision inside long residence. Each family member needs their own qualifying basis. A partner may qualify on their own ten years, or via their own route.
What breaks it
- A single gap between visas without an in-time application breaks the whole ten years.
- Heavy travel before April 2024 judged under the old 184/548-day limits: a pre-2024 travel history can sink an application even when recent years are clean.
- Counting visitor or short-term-student stints towards the ten years: they never count, and may break continuity.
- Applying while on immigration bail, or leaving the Common Travel Area while the application is pending.
This is one page. Your case is a moving picture.
SettleWell computes your dates from your actual trips and visa history, tracks your family's clocks beside yours, and tells you when a rule on this page changes.
Common questions
Does time as a student count towards the 10 years?
Under today's rules, yes: time with permission on most routes counts, including study. The exceptions that never count: visitor, short-term student (English language), Seasonal Worker and Ukraine Scheme permission. Time on temporary visas, such as Student and Graduate, will no longer count towards settlement. The government has confirmed its decisions. The detailed rules and start date have not been published.
Is the long residence route closing?
The government has confirmed that the Long Residence route will close. Time on temporary visas, such as Student and Graduate, will no longer count towards settlement. The government has confirmed its decisions. The detailed rules and start date have not been published. Settlement is usually decided on the rules in force on the day of the decision, not the day you arrived.
I had long absences years ago. Do today's rules apply?
No. Absences that started before 11 April 2024 are judged under the old limits (184 days for one absence, 548 days total). Only absences from that date onwards use the 180-days-per-rolling-12-months rule. Both regimes can apply to one application.
Does overstaying break the 10 years?
A gap without permission generally breaks continuity. Short overstays that the rules disregard (with an eventual grant) don't break it, but they never count towards the ten years either. An application made in time protects you via section 3C leave.
Do I need to be on my current visa for 12 months first?
Yes, unless that permission was granted before 11 April 2024. Recent switchers may need to wait out the year even after passing the ten-year mark.
Official sources
Checked against gov.uk and the Immigration Rules, July 2026. Rules change; SettleWell watches them daily.
This page is guidance only, not immigration advice. For advice on your case, consult an IAA-regulated adviser.