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You may be able to settle permanently in the UK if you have one of the following visas:

• Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker or Tier 2 (General)
• T2 Minister of Religion or Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
• International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson)

Indefinite leave to remain is how you settle in the UK. It鈥檚 also called 鈥榮ettlement鈥�. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you鈥檙e eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship.

Eligibility

You must:

• have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years - there are rules for what counts towards your time in the UK
• meet the salary requirements
• continue to be needed for your job and meet the salary requirements after you get indefinite leave to remain - you鈥檒l need a document from your employer (sponsor) to confirm this

If you鈥檙e not eligible using your T2, Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa, there are other ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

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 do not need to prove you meet the English language requirements when you apply to settle using your Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, T2 or Tier 2 visa. This is because you did this when you applied for your visa.

When to apply

The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you鈥檝e been in the UK for 5 years on a qualifying visa. Check which visas count towards your time in the UK. 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3,029 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.

Get a faster decision on your application

You can pay an extra 拢500 to use the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

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.

You must have lived in the UK for 5 years before you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.

There are rules for what counts towards the 5 years if you have:

• spent time outside the UK
• been a partner or child (a 鈥榙ependant) on a visa
• had more than one visa

If you鈥檝e spent 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, the Home Office has guidance about how to calculate your time in the UK (鈥榗ontinuous residence鈥�).

If you鈥檝e been a partner or child (a 鈥榙ependant鈥�) on a visa

In the 5 years you鈥檝e lived in the UK, you cannot include any time you鈥檝e spent in the UK as a partner or child (a 鈥榙ependant鈥�) on a visa.

If you鈥檝e had more than one visa

In the 5 years you鈥檝e lived in the UK, you can include time you鈥檝e had on any combination of the following visas:

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

You need to be paid at least a minimum salary if you hold a T2, Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa. How much you must be paid depends on your visa.

You鈥檒l usually need to be paid at least whichever is the higher out of the following:

• 拢38,700 per year
• the 鈥榮tandard going rate鈥� for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

Example

Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. Check the going rate for your job in the going rates table.

When the salary requirements are different

The salary requirements are different if:

• you work in healthcare or education
• your job is on the Immigration Salary List
• you got a certificate of sponsorship for your first Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa before 4 April 2024 and have held Skilled Worker visas since then
• you have an International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa
• you have a T2 Minister of Religion or Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa

If you work in healthcare or education

There are different salary rules if you work in some healthcare or education jobs, where the going rate is based on national pay scales. You must be paid whichever is higher out of the following:

• 拢23,200 per year
• the 鈥榞oing rate鈥� based on national pay scales for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

Check your going rate in the table of national pay scales for either:

• eligible healthcare jobs - listed by NHS pay band and area of the UK
• eligible teaching and education leadership jobs - listed by role and area of the UK

Ask your employer if you鈥檙e not sure what your role or pay band is. These going rates apply whether you鈥檙e working in the public or private sector.

If your job in healthcare has different salary requirements

If you鈥檙e on a Health and Care Worker visa and your job is in one of the occupation codes with different salary requirements, you must be paid whichever is higher out of the following:

• 拢29,000 per year聽
• 拢23,200 per year if your job is on the Immigration Salary List (or it was at the time you applied)
• the 鈥榣ower going rate鈥� for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

If your job is on the Immigration Salary List

If you do not meet the usual salary requirements, and you do not work in healthcare or education, you might still be eligible.

If you鈥檙e on a Skilled Worker visa and your job is on the Immigration Salary List (or it was at the time you applied), you must be paid at least either:

• 拢30,960 per year
• the 鈥榮tandard going rate鈥� for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

Check the going rate for your job in the going rates table.

If you got a certificate of sponsorship for your first Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa before 4 April 2024聽

If you have continually held one or more Skilled Worker visas since then, you must be paid whichever is higher out of the following:

• 拢29,000 per year
• 拢23,200 per year if your job is on the Immigration Salary List, (or it was at the time you applied)
• the 鈥榣ower going rate鈥� for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

There are also different salary requirements if you were sponsored for a Tier 2 (General) visa in one of the following occupation codes:

• 2111 Chemical scientists
• 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists
• 2113 Physical scientists
• 2114 Social and humanities scientists
• 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
• 2150 Research and development managers
• 2311 Higher education teaching professionals

In this case, you must be paid whichever is higher out of the following:

• 拢23,200 per year
• the different going rate for the type of work you鈥檒l be doing

Check the going rate for your job in the going rates table.

If you have an International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa

You must be paid 拢35,800 or more a year.

When working out your salary, you can only count earnings:

• from your main job that you鈥檙e sponsored for
• for up to 48 hours a week, if you鈥檙e paid hourly

If you have a T2 Minister of Religion or Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa

You must be paid at least the same as UK workers in the same role, and meet national minimum wage requirements.

You can include your partner and children on your application if they鈥檙e eligible.

Eligibility for partners

Your partner may qualify if all the following apply:

• they have permission to be in the UK as your partner (as a 鈥榙ependant鈥� on your visa)
• they鈥檝e lived in the UK with you as your dependant for at least 5 continuous years
• your relationship is genuine
• you intend to keep living together
• you have enough income to support yourselves and your dependants
• you鈥檙e not using public funds

If your partner is 18 to 64, they must:

• book and pass the Life in the UK Test
• meet the English language requirements

Eligibility for children

You can include your child on your application if:

• they have permission to be in the UK as your child (as a 鈥榙ependant鈥� on your visa)
• they are not married or in a civil partnership
• they will live with you and be supported by you without using public funds
• you and your child鈥檚 other parent are both currently applying to settle, or are already settled

Your child can also apply to settle in one of the following situations:

• you鈥檙e the child鈥檚 sole surviving parent
• you have sole responsibility for the child鈥檚 upbringing
• there are serious or compelling family or other considerations, for example you (if you鈥檙e settled in the UK) or your child has a serious illness

Extra documents for children over 16

You鈥檒l need to prove:

• where they live - if they do not live with you, you鈥檒l need to explain why
• any rent or upkeep they pay you each month
• that you support them financially if they do not live with you

You鈥檒l need to provide documents such as the ones on this list, to prove where they live:

• bank statement
• credit card bill
• driving licence
• NHS registration document
• a letter from their current school, college or university, on headed paper and issued by an authorised official of that organisation

The documents you provide should not be more than a month old on the date you make your application.

If your child lives away from home, you鈥檒l need to provide evidence they are not living an independent live, for example:

• bank statements for you and your child covering the 3 months before the date you apply (to prove you鈥檝e supported them)
• confirmation from their university or college on headed paper and issued by an authorised official (if they鈥檙e studying)

Children 18 and over

You can only include older children in your application if they both:

• were under 18 when they first got permission to be in the UK as your dependant
• still do not live an independent life - for example, they have not got married or had children

They also need to:

• pass the Life in the UK Test
• meet the English language requirements

If your child is over 18 by the time you apply and does not meet these requirements, they must .

You must .

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

You鈥檒l be told which documents you need to provide when you apply. For example, to show that:

• you鈥檝e passed the Life in the UK Test
• you meet the salary requirements
• you鈥檙e still needed for your job - your employer (sponsor) will need to provide a document confirming this

You鈥檒l need to pay the fee as part of your application.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you鈥檙e applying in the UK.

You鈥檒l be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).

You鈥檒l also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

• upload them into the online service
• have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

Any children aged 6 or over must provide biometric information if you鈥檙e applying for them on your form.

Getting a decision

You鈥檒l usually get a decision within 6 months. If you paid to use the 鈥榮uper priority service鈥� you鈥檒l get a decision within 2 working days, or within 5 working days if you paid to use the 鈥榩riority service鈥�.

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

You鈥檒l be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example:

• if your supporting documents need to be verified
• if you need to attend an interview
• because of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction

If your application is approved

You can do the following:

• work
• run a business
• study
• use public services, such as healthcare and schools
• apply for public funds (benefits) and pensions
• apply for British citizenship, usually after a minimum of 12 months

If you stay outside of the UK for more than 2 years

You can lose your indefinite leave to remain if you stay outside the UK for more than 2 years at a time.

You may need to apply before you can return to the UK.