Apply For A Private Life Visa

If you have accumulated at least 20 years of residence in the UK which includes periods of unlawful stay, you may be eligible to apply for Leave to Remain in the UK based on your Private Life.

About the Private Life Visa

Paragraph 276ADE(1) of the Immigration Rules takes into account the time you have spent in the UK and your connections here.

private life visa path

Example of our successful client:

The client initially entered the UK on a Visitor Visa and overstayed. In addition, he had used different identities in the UK which made proving his continuous residence rather difficult. Furthermore, he kept barely any documentation from his earlier years in the UK. He worked for cash in hand to support himself. We were very resourceful in assisting the client to gather a plethora of strong evidence and presented compelling legal arguments to support his application. The client received Leave to Remain promptly, without any further questions from the Home Office.

If you would like to discuss your case with our team please get in touch.

Applying for a visa on the basis of Private Life

Evidence required for the 20 years long residence visa:

You:

√ Should provide evidence of your residence in the UK throughout these years

X  Do not have to show that you have been previously living in the UK on a lawful basis (eg, if you had overstayed expired visa or entered the UK illegally)

X Do not have to fulfil English language requirements or income requirements

Unlawful stays in the UK under 20 years of residence

If you have had an unlawful stay in the UK but have not accumulated 20 years of residence here, you may still qualify for Leave to Remain based on your Private Life if you fulfil one of the following requirements:

  1. You are under 18 years old, and have lived continuously in the UK for at least 7 years, and it would not be reasonable to expect you to leave the UK; or
  2. You are aged between 18 to 25, and have spent at least half of your life living continuously in the UK; or
  3. You are aged 18 years old and above, have lived continuously in the UK for less than 20 years, but there would be very significant obstacles to your integration into the proposed country to which he would have to go if required to leave the UK.

Have a questions?

Book a consultation

How we work

1
consultation.

We start a discussion by understanding your history, and we will clearly outline the best option available and any recommendations to save you time and costs.

2
instruction.

Once you instruct us to be your legal representative, we will start preparing your case. We may require more information about you to help you more effectively.

3
documents.

Documentation is a crucial part of an immigration application. We will customise a document list to guide your preparation. Your dedicated lawyer will check the documents and advise of any improvements needed.

4
application.

We will complete your application to the Home Office and may also write a cover letter with strong legal arguments where relevant. We may discuss this with you to confirm the final details.

5
submission.

We will submit your application to the Home Office, Court authorities securely. We will represent you as the main point of contact with them for any further requests.

6
interview.

You may sometimes be invited to attend a Home Office interview or Court hearing. While this may sound daunting, we will help you prepare and provide guidance on what questions to expect.

7
decision.

As soon as we receive a decision from the Home Office, we will get in touch with you to share the news.

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What clients say

We did multiple assignments with QC and were very happy with the fast response and results we achieved on our applications.

manish rungta
manish rungta
Google five star client rating

Qiyin was very quick to respond to my inquiries. She was very professional, supportive and helpful. Highly recommended!

Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Google five star client rating

Qiyin listened very attentively to my concerns and reassured me. Gave me a lot of insight into how I need to plan my application in a very personal way. Would definitely highly recommend.

Sashi Ganes
Sashi Ganes
Google five star client rating

Very professional team, who helped me gain EU Settled status pre-Brexit using a new Android app. It is refreshing to see that QC-immigration team adopts fast the technology and is on top of all changes in legislation. They got my full trust.

Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac
Google five star client rating

Hafsah made my application look so simple and easy even though i was doubtful about my case before approaching QC. I can’t believe my ILR application got approved by Home office within 24 hrs of biometric appointment. Thank you Hafsah for helping me get this done.

Shubha Shet
Shubha Shet
Google five star client rating

It was a pleasure working with Qiyin and her team. They were very helpful and responsive all the time. They helped me with my Permanent Residence which was succesful and was received in less than a month. I will work with them again in the future, so I strongly recommend this Immigration office to everyone.

Nasos Balasis
Nasos Balasis
Google five star client rating

Definitely the best law firm I've ever dealt with. Hafsah Awan is an amazing lawyer, she is extremely professional, she truly cares, and gives great advise to ensure all goes smoothly. My entire process with Hafsah went really well, and we successfully got our Start-up visas to the UK, many thanks to Hafsah for her great efforts. I also loved that they are very responsive, to emails, calls, etc. Qiyin Chuah, the founder, actually helped me in the last moment during her weekend, I was very thankful for that, as not many people would even get back to you during the weekend. Overall, an amazing law firm, I'm very pleased, and I truly wish Hafsah, Qiyin, and the rest of QC Immigration team all the best, God bless you all :)

Ahmad Agha
Ahmad Agha
Google five star client rating

I had an exploratory conversation with QC Immigration. Qiyin was professional and personable throughout our conversation, explaining clearly the current criteria and regulatory considerations to keep in mind. I would have no reservations in appointing them for representation should there ever be a need, as Qiyin provided from the outset, the calm assurance of having the knowledge, experience and an individual approach that I strongly value.

May Loke
May Loke
Google five star client rating

Very good service and professional company! I contact them trough a friend because I had problem with a Family Visa in Scotland, they helped me and advised in all the process and they solved what I needed to solve so quick. Specially Qiyin and Marianna. I would always come back to them again if I needed and also recommend them. As I said, very good and Professional.

Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Google five star client rating

Both my fiancé and I used QC Immigration this year for our new visa and naturalisation applications, respectively, and were very happy with the service. Our main point of contact was Marianna, who was very prompt and thorough in her preparation of our applications and helpful throughout every step of the process with our concerns, etc. Highly recommend QC Immigration. Thank you again, Marianna!

Sarah Monaco
Sarah Monaco
Google five star client rating

My friend had recommended QC Immigration and I was not disappointed! Marianna was my main point of contact and she was kind, prompt and very efficient. I had a lot of questions and Marianna was very quick in replying to me. I would definitely recommend QC Immigration.

Malulie Tongprasert
Malulie Tongprasert
Google five star client rating

They were extremely professional and thorough throughout the application process. I even shared my travel plans and they worked based on my timelines, which based on experience, most companies don't prioritise. Highly recommend working with them if you want to be stress free and want your application handled with care.

Shruthi Padmanabhan
Shruthi Padmanabhan
Google five star client rating

I have been using QC Immigration to help prepare for my partner's Proposed Civil Partnership Visa application. We have been dealing with Marianna since January, and have found her to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. She has always responded to my queries and concerns, (however neurotic!) and she has paid great attention to detail. It has been an invaluable service, and should our application be successful in this instance, I will not hesitate to appoint QC Immigration again to assist with the next stages. Many thanks again for your hard work and for showing us such an understanding and caring attitude! :)

Bethany Taylor-James
Bethany Taylor-James
Google five star client rating

My partner and I recently used QC Immigration when applying for a UK partner visa. They were very professional throughout and dealt with all questions and queries accordingly. Marianna was our main point of contact and was extremely diligent and reassuring throughout the process. We appreciated their attention to detail and extensive knowledge of UK immigration law and would highly recommend them to any prospective clients.

Eliot Parker
Eliot Parker
Google five star client rating

FAQ

Am I allowed to add my family members to the application?

You may add qualifying family members to your visa application. For example, if you are applying as a partner with children, you can all apply on the same application.

What if the application is successful?

If your application is successful, you would be granted Discretionary Leave to Remain for 2.5 years, on a 10-year route towards Settlement.

You may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain by the 10th year of being on this Visa.

How do I meet the alternative ‘significant obstacles’ requirement?

This is a very high standard of proof, you will need to show that leaving the UK would lead to very serious hardship for you. The Home Office will consider if you will be able to integrate in your home country or the country they propose your return to. You bear the burden of proof that you will have ‘significant obstacles’ to that integration, such as risks of being prosecuted or discrimination because of your sexual or political orientation or faith. The decision-maker will consider all the relevant factors:

  1. Cultural background
  2. Length of time spent in the country of return
  3. Family, friends and social network
  4. Faith, political or sexual orientation or sexual identity

How do I apply for this Private Life visa?

The application can be made online on the Home Office website.

How do I show my UK ‘residence’ for the application?

Besides passports or travel documents covering the relevant period, you also have to show yearly evidence of residence in the UK from official or independent sources.

What if I cannot afford the private life visa application fee?

There is an online fee waiver request form which you may fill in if you:

  • Do not have a place to live and you cannot afford one
  • Have a place to live but cannot afford your essential living costs like food or heating
  • Have a very low income and paying the fee would harm your child’s wellbeing

When can I extend the Private Life Visa?

You should apply for another 30 months’ leave, no more than 28 days before your current visa expires.

What does living ‘continuously’ mean?

A ‘continuous’ residence means living in the UK for an unbroken period. You:

√ Can be absent from the UK for a period of maximum 6 months at any one time, provided that you have an existing limited leave to enter or remain upon your departure and return.

X  Any time spent in prison. Nevertheless, time before and after that imprisonment can be added to make the full amount of time.

What are the conditions of the Private Life Visa?

This Discretionary Leave will normally be subject to a condition of no access to public funds, unless you can provide evidence that you are entitled to the funds because you are destitute.

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