Which UK settlement (ILR) route fits your situation?
Answer eight plain-English questions. We’ll tell you which ILR route looks most relevant for your circumstances, with the rule reference, and whatever you should think about next. No call follows automatically — we only contact you if you specifically ask us to email the result.
Why we built this
Plain-English routing. No sales call. No spam.
Most people landing on an ILR page already know they need help — they don’t know which route applies to their specific situation. The official UK government guidance at gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain is comprehensive but doesn’t flag the practical considerations that decide most cases (absences clocks, continuous-residence breaks, suitability rules, category-switch consequences).
This wizard is eight plain-English questions written by Imran Shah (Immigration & Litigation Solicitor, SRA #509359, admitted 2012) and reviewed against the current Immigration Rules. The output is a route name, the relevant rule reference, and what you should think about next — not a prediction of whether you will succeed.
It is free, anonymous until you ask us to follow up by email, and there is no automatic call. If you want to book a free 30-minute consultation, that’s a separate decision you make at the end.
What this wizard isn’t
- It’s not legal advice. A solicitor reviewing the full evidence will give you a proper assessment.
- It’s not a prediction of approval. Outcomes depend on your evidence, the case officer, and case-specific facts the wizard can’t see.
- Where the answers reach a complex fact pattern (switched visa categories, serious suitability questions, or any “not sure”), the wizard routes to a solicitor consultation instead of guessing.
Understanding UK settlement
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), explained
Indefinite Leave to Remain — also called settlement— is permanent immigration status in the UK. Once you have ILR there is no time limit on your stay, you are free of most visa conditions, and after a further qualifying period you can usually apply for British citizenship. Because settlement is decided on the whole of your immigration history, the route you qualify under and the continuity of your residence both matter.
The main routes to ILR
- Five-year work routes — for example Skilled Worker, after five years of continuous qualifying residence.
- Five-year family routes — partner or parent under Appendix FM.
- Long residence — based on a continuous period of lawful residence (the qualifying period and how it is counted are set out in the Home Office long-residence guidance).
- Protection routes — settlement following refugee status or humanitarian protection.
- Other routes — including Global Talent and certain business routes, some of which can settle sooner.
Confirm the current qualifying period for your route on GOV.UK.
Continuous residence and absences
Most settlement routes require your residence to have been continuous, with no more than 180 days’ absence in any rolling 12-month period. The way absences are counted has changed over time and varies by route, so if you are close to the limit, or have gaps in your leave, that needs checking carefully before you apply.
Life in the UK Test and English language
Most applicants must pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirement (usually B1 speaking and listening), unless exempt by age or on certain protection routes. A relevant UK degree can satisfy the English requirement but does not remove the Life in the UK Test.
Suitability and good character
The Home Office also assesses suitability — criminal history, previous breaches or deception, and similar issues can affect an application. These do not automatically end your eligibility, but they should be addressed properly rather than left to chance.
Fees, processing and what happens after
The Home Office application fee and any optional priority service are set by the Home Office and change periodically — check the current amounts at gov.uk. Once granted, ILR is evidenced digitally (or by a biometric residence permit on older grantings). After 12 months with settled status — and subject to the good-character and residence rules — many people go on to apply for British citizenship. ILR can lapse if you spend a long continuous period outside the UK, so keep that in mind once settled.
Frequently asked questions
UK settlement (ILR) — common questions
- How long do I need to have lived in the UK to apply for ILR?
- It depends on your route. Most work and family routes qualify for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years of continuous lawful residence; the long-residence route is based on 10 years of continuous lawful residence; and some routes (for example certain Global Talent and partner-of-British-citizen cases) can be shorter. The wizard helps identify which route fits your circumstances — always confirm the current qualifying period for your route on GOV.UK.
- How many days can I spend outside the UK without breaking continuous residence?
- For most settlement routes the rule is no more than 180 days' absence in any rolling 12-month period across the qualifying years. The way absences are counted has changed over time and differs by route, so excessive or borderline absences should be checked carefully — see the Home Office long-residence and continuous-residence guidance on GOV.UK, and take advice if you are close to the limit.
- Do I have to pass the Life in the UK Test and an English test for ILR?
- Yes — most ILR applicants must pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English language requirement (usually B1 speaking and listening), unless they are exempt (for example by age, or on certain protection routes). A relevant UK degree can meet the English requirement but does not remove the Life in the UK Test.
- What happens if I have an absence over the limit, a gap in my leave, or a complex history?
- Excess absences, gaps in leave, time on different visa categories, or suitability issues (such as previous refusals or criminal matters) do not automatically end your eligibility, but they need careful handling. Where the wizard reaches one of these fact patterns it routes you to a solicitor rather than guessing, because the outcome turns on the full evidence.
- How much does an ILR application cost?
- The Home Office application fee (and any optional priority service) is set by the Home Office and changes periodically, so check the current amount at gov.uk before you apply. The Immigration Health Surcharge is generally not payable for ILR itself. Our own fixed fee for preparing the application is agreed in writing before any work begins.
- Can I travel outside the UK while my ILR application is pending?
- It is usually best not to. If your existing leave expires while the application is pending you remain in the UK lawfully under section 3C leave, but that protection does not cover travel — leaving the UK can be treated as withdrawing the application. Speak to a solicitor before making any travel plans during the decision period.
- How soon after getting ILR can I apply for British citizenship?
- Most people can apply for naturalisation 12 months after being granted ILR, provided they meet the residence, good-character and other requirements (those married to a British citizen may not need to wait the extra 12 months). We can help you plan the timing of a citizenship application after settlement.
This page is general information about UK settlement, reviewed by Imran Shah (SRA #509359). It is not a substitute for tailored legal advice, and outcomes depend on the full evidence of your case.
Your Solicitor
Three SRA-regulated solicitors. Direct access.
Imran Shah
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Imran handles immigration and litigation cases that need methodical preparation and clear strategy.
SRA #509359
Humaira Anjum
Immigration & Litigation Solicitor
Humaira walks families through every stage of immigration and litigation matters with calm, careful guidance.
SRA #663190
Sannah Khatoon
Litigation & Housing Disrepair Solicitor
Sannah recovers damages and forces repairs in housing disrepair claims — usually on no win, no fee.
SRA #654258
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. UKVI fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge change periodically — confirm current rates at gov.uk before applying. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Abrahams Solicitors · SRA-regulated firm #809071. Last reviewed: May 2026 by Imran Shah (SRA #509359). Reviewed quarterly against Statements of Changes to the Immigration Rules.
Wizard logic last reviewed: May 2026. Page URL: https://www.abrahamssolicitors.co.uk/ilr-wizard/.