Apply For Indefinite Leave to Remain After 10 Years

If you have lived in the UK for 10 continuous years, you may be eligible for the 10 Years’ Long Residence ILR route. To qualify for this ILR route, you must have legally resided in the UK for 10 years without breaks and meet all of the relevant criteria.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is an immigration status that allows you to remain in the UK without any time limit and free from immigration control. It allows you to work, study, live in the UK and claim qualifying benefits. ILR can be used as a path to British Citizenship.

Much like the 5 Years’ ILR route, you must not only meet the eligibility requirements for the 10 Years’ Long Residence ILR route, you must also put forward a convincing application about your UK history to the Home Office to increase your chances of success.

The lawyers at QC Immigration have extensive experience in successfully submitting ILR applications for both the 5 and 10-year routes and will be able to give you the guidance that you need to submit a comprehensive and strong case.

Indefinite Leave To Remain 10 Years’ Long Residence Infographic

10-Year route requirements

To successfully obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain through the 10 Years’ Long Residence route, you must have met all of the terms of your past visas and have legally resided in the UK continuously for 10 years.

In addition, you must meet the following general requirements:

  • You have been in the UK legally for 10 continuous years
  • You have permission to stay in the UK (‘Leave to Remain’)
  • You have complied with the terms of your visa
  • You have passed the Life in the UK Test
  • You have met the Knowledge of the English language requirement

English Language Requirements and Life in the UK Test

If you are aged 18 to 64 years old, you must meet both the English Language and Life in the UK Test requirements known as ‘Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK’ (KoLL).

  1. You may meet the knowledge of the English language requirements, which can be satisfied by having an academic degree taught or research completed in English, or by passing an accepted Secure English Language Test (SELT) at level B1 or above. You may be exempt from the English language requirement, if you are from a majority English speaking country.
  2. You must further pass the Life in the UK Test.

Doctors, dentists, nurses or midwifes who have previously been granted leave under Tier 2 (General), do not need to meet the English language requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain. The exemption only applies to the knowledge of English language requirement and they are still required to satisfy the Knowledge of Life in the UK.

You may be exempt from any or both the above KoLL requirements because of your age, a physical or mental condition, or being one of the below:

  • victims of domestic violence
  • foreign and Commonwealth citizens on discharge from HM Forces (including Gurkhas)
  • highly skilled migrants applying under the terms of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) judicial review, and their dependants
  • bereaved spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners or same-sex partners of people present and settled in the UK
  • parents, grandparents and other dependent relatives of people present and settled in the UK, applying under paragraph 317 of the Immigration Rules, even if they are aged between 18 and 64
  • adult dependent relatives, under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, even if they are aged between 18 and 64
  • retired persons of independent means
  • people applying for ILR as a refugee
  • people applying for ILR on the basis of discretionary leave
  • people applying for ILR on the basis of humanitarian protection
  • people applying for ILR outside the Immigration Rules, for example under discretionary arrangements such as those for Gurkhas, widows, overage dependants and orphans
  • people applying for ILR as a stateless person

Documentation

You will need to submit your application with the relevant documentation in order to successfully apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain through 10 Years’ Long Residence. This includes your current passport (or another valid ID), your Biometric Residence Permit or your police registration certificate, if you have one, as well as every past passport that you have held throughout your 10 years of stay in the UK where available.

You may also need to submit additional documents depending on your circumstances. As a QC immigration client, we will provide you with a list of documents that is customised to your case.

How the team at QC Immigration can help

QC Immigration specialises in 10 Years’ Long Residence Indefinite Leave to Remain applications. We have maintained an exceptional success rate, even when handling complicated cases. Contact us now to discuss your unique case.

Our London-based team of lawyers will be able to offer you a comprehensive approach and practical guidance, to help you put together a thorough and clear application that has a good chance of being accepted. This can be done remotely, or in-person as we work with clients seeking to gain access to the UK from across the globe.

Bringing on legal professionals to advise you and help you shape a strong application is highly advisable. Having to deal with an appeal or an administrative review can prove to be a drawn-out and costly process. Therefore, it’s best to do what you can in order to be successfully granted ILR on the first attempt.

If you would like to use our services, please get in touch with us. You can contact one of our skilled immigration lawyers online. Book your consultation today and begin your application for ILR through 10 Years’ Long Residence.

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

What is the processing time for ILR under the 10-year route?

Currently the Home Office published processing time for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the 10-year route is approximately 6 months using the standard service. Subject to availability, you may be able to get a faster decision with the super priority service, at an additional cost of £800. The super priority service will provide you with a decision by the end of the next working day after your biometric appointment, if your biometric appointment is on a weekday.

Can I lose my Indefinite Leave to Remain if I am away from the UK?

You may lose your Indefinite Leave to Remain status if you leave the UK for 2 consecutive years unless you have exceptional reasons. Our team at QC Immigration has helped clients reinstate their Indefinite Leave to Remain successfully, contact us if you need help.

How much does the application cost?

The application fee is £2,404. You will also have to consider additional costs such as legal advice and biometric information (£19.20).

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, please see examples here.

How can I prepare for the Life in the UK test?

You can prepare for the Life in the UK test by studying from the official guidebook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide For New Residents. We would also encourage you to take our free Life in the UK Quiz.

Can my family members also apply?

Your family members cannot be included in your application, but if they are also eligible for ILR via Long Residence, your dependants will be able to apply separately.

Which English test qualifications fulfil the requirement for knowledge of English?

You can see a list of all the English test qualifications that fulfil the requirement for knowledge of English by clicking here.

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