Indefinite Leave to Remain is the entitlement to live and work permanently in the UK, without any restrictions and with access to benefits, education and healthcare. Our immigration lawyers can help you apply for indefinite leave to remain and also advise businesses on how to support their migrant employees.
There are numerous conditions that you must meet before you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. To start with, we’ll review your situation and advise whether or not you qualify.
If you qualify, our solicitors can help you through the whole application to give you the best chance of success without any unnecessary delays.
If you can’t apply straight away, we’ll explore your options to help you stay in the country or work towards applying at a later date. We have years of experience helping people who were in your situation and have worked hard to get them the results they want.
For any business with a diverse workforce, helping your staff get indefinite leave to remain can improve employee turnover and reduce the risk of disruption. We can advise on practical, cost-effective ways to support your employees, and help you put policies and procedures in place for your migrant workers.
To find out more about how we can help, call us on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you.
Why Apply For Indefinite Leave To Remain?
A successful application will allow you to live, work, study, and apply for benefits in the UK for the rest of your life. Indefinite leave to remain also means:
- Your UK-born children can register as British citizens
- Any future children will automatically become British citizens at birth
- You’ll be able to sponsor certain family members to come and live with you in the UK
- You will become eligible to apply to naturalise as a British citizen.
You’ll have the status of indefinite leave to remain for the rest of your life, under two conditions:
1. You keep your home in the UK and don’t spend more than two consecutive years abroad
2. You don’t commit a criminal office for which you receive 12 months imprisonment and are deported.
Who Can Apply For Indefinite Leave To Remain?
Whether you can apply for indefinite leave to remain depends on what visa you have and how long the UK has been your legal residence.
Some of the visa categories that lead to indefinite leave to remain include:
- A Tier 1 (Investor, Entrepreneur or Exceptional Talent) visa
- A Tier 2 (General) visa
- An Innovator visa
- A UK Ancestry visa
- A Representative of an Overseas Business visa
- A family member of a partner who has settled status in the UK.
The amount of time you must have spent in the UK before you can apply depends on which of these visas you have.
For example, you may be eligible if you have lived here lawfully, under any type of visa, for 10 continuous years.
As immigration experts, we know the law inside out and know it can be difficult and stressful to understand. If you’re unsure whether you qualify or not we can help. Call our immigration team on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online.
How Does It Work?
You can apply online and will have to pay a fee as well as have your fingerprints and photograph taken. You may also have to pass a test to show you know about life in the UK and have an adequate command of the English Language.
We can help you at each stage of the process to make sure your documents and supporting evidence are factual and correct. We can also prepare you for any tests and appointments you may have to attend.
The process can take up to six months. However, the time will vary depending on which route you take and which visa category you fall under.
Any mistakes on your application can have disastrous consequences. There is no “near-miss” policy, even if you can show that it was just an innocent mistake or oversight. Our experienced solicitors can help you make sure your application is complete and correct and goes through as quickly as possible.
As long as you apply before your current visa expires, you can legally stay in the UK and continue working until the Home Office makes a decision.
Speak to a member of our immigration team today to get started. Call 0370 1500 100 or fill in our online enquiry form and we’ll get back to you.
Why Choose Us?
Over the years, we’ve learnt that no immigration case is the same. That’s why our immigration lawyers take the time to understand your situation before giving any guidance.
We help migrants from all types of backgrounds, including senior executives, entrepreneurs, investors and professional sportspeople. We know the impact your immigration status can have on your career and ambitions for the future. So we work hard to reduce the stress to allow you to focus on what’s important.
We also know how beneficial migrant employees can be for your business, and can work with you to get and keep the international talent you need to succeed.
We’re experts in our field and are ranked highly in the independent legal guides, Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, for the services we provide. We’ll guide you through the application process and explain everything to you in plain English so you’re always in the loop.
For a confidential discussion, contact us today on 0370 1500 100. Alternatively, send us an online enquiry and we’ll get back to you.
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