Apply For Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) on the Innovator Visa route

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) confirms your right to live in the UK permanently or settle, without any time limit and free from immigration control. It is also known as Settlement.

Overview of Requirements

In order to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain as an Innovator, you must have continually resided in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the application and meet all of the following requirements:

  • You must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must meet the English Language requirement.
  • You must not be in breach of any immigration laws.
  • Your last grant of leave must have been in the Innovator Visa category.
  • Your absences must not exceed 180 days in any consecutive 12-month period.
  • You need to show significant achievements in line with the business plan for your previous application.
  • Your business must be registered with Companies House and you need to be listed as a director or a member of that business.
  • Your business must be active and trading.
  • You need to prove that your business is sustainable for at least the following 12 months.
  • You must have demonstrated an active key role in the day to day management and development of the business.

Settlement Success Criteria

Additionally, your business venture must satisfy at least two of the settlement success criteria below:

  • You have invested at least £50,000 into the business in order to advance the business plan of your previous endorsement.
  • The number of the business’s customers has at least doubled within the last 3 years and is now higher than the mean number of customers for other UK businesses with similar services.
  • The business undertakes significant research and development activity and has applied for intellectual property protection in the UK.
  • The business has a minimum annual revenue of £1 million in the last full year covered by its accounts.
  • The business is generating a minimum annual revenue of £500,000 in the last full year covered by its accounts, with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas.
  • The business has created the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for resident workers.
  • The business has created the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for resident workers, which have an average salary of at least £25,000 a year (gross pay, excluding any expenses).

Have a questions?

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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

When can I apply for British Citizenship once I have acquired Indefinite Leave to Remain as Innovator?

You can apply for British Citizenship 12 months after the date you have acquired ILR, provided that you have continually resided in the UK for at least 5 years.

Read out British Citizenship for more information. applications:

What is continuous residence?

Continuous residence can be defined as time spent lawfully in the UK without any excessive periods of absences or overstaying.

What if my total absences exceed the limit?

We often come across clients who have spent substantial time away from the UK due to holidays, work, study, medical or family reasons. These can sometimes lead to the total absences being over the limit.

We can in certain circumstances request the Home Office to exercise discretion in disregarding the excess absences due to exceptional circumstances.

The online application for Indefinite Leave to Remain is available via the Home Office website.

As a QC Immigration client, you will benefit from a detailed document list, document checks, thorough guide for any interview and ongoing advice to help you meet the above-mentioned requirements. Our fee is fixed and reflect our success rate.

We can also provide recommendations for Endorsing Bodies that our clients have successfully secured Endorsements from. If you would like to plan your Innovator visa and Indefinite Leave to Remain applications, please call 02036378633 or email info@qc-immigration.com today.

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