Indefinite leave to remain if you have a business, investor or talent visa

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Overview

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain if you have one of the following visas:

  • Global Talent
  • Tier 1 (Investor)
  • Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

Indefinite leave to remain is a way you can settle in the UK. It鈥檚 also called 鈥榮ettlement鈥�. Getting it means you can live, work, study or claim benefits in the UK without time restrictions. You can use it to become a British citizen.

The Global Talent visa has replaced the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa. If you have a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa, apply for indefinite leave to remain as someone with a Global Talent visa.

Eligibility

Time in the UK and financial requirements

You must:

  • have lived in the UK for long enough - this can be from 2 to 5 years
  • meet the financial requirements

The specific eligibility depends on your visa - check the time in the UK and financial requirements.

If you鈥檙e not eligible using one of these visas, there are other ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Time on other visas

If you have a Global Talent visa, you can include any time you鈥檝e spent on the following visas to meet the requirements for time spent in the UK:

  • any Tier 1 visa - except Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)
  • Tier 2 (General) or Skilled Worker
  • Scale-up Worker
  • Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) or T2 Minister of Religion
  • International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
  • Innovator Founder
  • Representative of an Overseas Business

If you have a Tier 1 (Investor) or Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, you cannot include time you鈥檝e spent on other visas.

Time outside the UK

You must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months.

If you think you鈥檙e affected by this rule, find out how to calculate your time in the UK (鈥榗ontinuous residence鈥�).

If you have a Global Talent visa, time you鈥檝e spent outside the UK doing work related to your job may not count towards this 180-day limit. This rule applies if you were endorsed by the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, British Academy or UK Research and Innovation. It also applies if you did not need an endorsement for your visa because you had won an eligible award in the fields of science, engineering, humanities or medicine.

Knowledge of language and life in the UK

If you鈥檙e 18 to 64 you鈥檒l need to book and pass the Life in the UK Test.

You鈥檒l also need to meet the English language requirements if you鈥檙e applying with a Global Talent visa or Tier 1 (Investor) visa.

When to apply

The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you鈥檝e met the requirements for the time you need to have lived in the UK - check the time in the UK and financial requirements. Your application may be refused if you apply earlier.

Do not wait until your current visa expires. If your visa expires before you can apply for indefinite leave to remain, you鈥檒l need to renew it first.

Fees and how long it takes

It costs 拢2,885 for each person applying. You can include your partner and children on the same application form, if they鈥檙e eligible.

You鈥檒l each need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there鈥檚 no fee for this.

You鈥檒l usually get a decision within 6 months if you apply using the standard service.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

Get a faster decision on your application

If you鈥檙e applying using your Tier 1 (Investor visa), you can pay an extra 拢500 to use the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

If you鈥檙e applying using your Tier 1 (Investor) or Global Talent visa, you can pay an extra 拢1,000 to use the super priority service to get a decision:

  • by the end of the next working day after providing your fingerprints and photo (known as 鈥榖iometric information鈥�) if your appointment is on a weekday
  • 2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

The priority and super priority services are not available if you鈥檙e applying with a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa.