10 Year ILR: Long Residence Requirements, Cost and Process in 2026
What is the 10 Year Long Residence Route to ILR?
- Ten years of continuous lawful residence, with valid leave covering every single day.
- Your visa category does not matter. The lawfulness of each period is what counts.
Are you eligible for 10 Year ILR?
You are likely eligible if:
- Every one of your ten years was covered by valid leave to enter or remain
- You can account for every trip abroad with matching passport stamps and travel records.
- You hold English language proficiency at CEFR Level B1 or a qualifying UK degree.
- You have passed the Life in the UK test, or you are exempt by age
- You have no unspent convictions and no history of deception
This may need advice first if:
- You have a gap between visas that nobody has ever properly explained to you.
- You spent time on visitor leave, short-term study, or seasonal work during your decade.
- You had a period of immigration bail or lived without lawful status.
- You had a single continuous absence that exceeded 180 days.
- You hope to include dependants, as family members must apply separately on this route.
What will you need to apply?
The public good test
Granting you settlement must be consistent with the wider public interest. Home Office officers consider unspent convictions, tax amendments, and past compliance history. We draft detailed legal representations to present your character and contribution with complete clarity.
Immigration history
Caseworkers review your continuous status across the complete ten-year span. Any historic gaps or delays must be explained openly with legal context. It helps to share your complete application history with us early so we can protect your position.
Life in the UK test
The Life in the UK test is a separate requirement from the English test. You only need to pass it once, and your certificate remains valid indefinitely. You will be exempt only if you are under 18 or aged 65 and over.
English language
Proving English language proficiency at CEFR Level B1 or higher is mandatory. An approved Secure English Language Test, a degree taught in English, or qualifying nationality will satisfy it. We suggest booking your test early if your previous qualifications do not meet the requirements.
Your absence record
Your absence record is the part the Home Office checks hardest. You will need to list every trip abroad with exact travel dates. It is also useful to cross-check flight records against your passport stamps beforehand.
Your ten years
Every one of your ten years has to be accounted for. Indefinite leave to remain long residence is proven through official records, not personal summaries. You will want to start with passports because entry and exit stamps anchor your entire timeline.
How do you apply for Long Residence ILR?
You will need to build a comprehensive chronology of your ten years, mapping every visa grant, extension, and absence. We can help you ensure every single month is supported by valid leave.
You will need to complete the SET(LR) application online. SET(LR) stands for Settlement Long Residence, and it is the mandatory statutory form for this route.
You will pay the Home Office application fee and schedule your identity appointment. There is no Immigration Health Surcharge payable when applying for permanent settlement.
You have to audit your documents and upload your evidence pack to the Home Office portal. We can help draft comprehensive legal representations detailing how you meet every requirement.
Standard processing takes up to six months, while priority services can decide your case within five working days. We usually monitor your file continuously until your decision arrives.
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Cost Breakdown
In our clients' own words.
“I had an excellent experience with Ms. Ikra throughout the entire application process. She was highly professional, responsive, and attentive to detail. All of my questions were answered clearly and promptly, and I always felt that my application was handled with great care and professionalism. I’m very pleased with the successful outcome and would highly recommend their services.”
"Working with AY&J Solicitors turned what felt like a complex visa journey into a true victory. Their legal team guided me step-by-step through every intricate detail of the Skilled Worker visa, sponsorship, and settlement process. Thanks to their meticulous approach and deep UK immigration expertise, I was able to secure Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and build a successful future in the UK."
Frequently Asked Questions
Refusals and remedies
Yes, but you will need to resolve every refusal ground, so legal representation ensures a clean second submission.
Refusals and remedies
Past HMRC amendments can trigger suitability grounds for refusal, so tax records must be audited and explained beforehand.
Refusals and remedies
You can lodge an appeal on human rights grounds, so challenging an unlawful decision through tribunal remains open.
Eligibility and residence
Yes, because gaps under 14 days with good reason can be disregarded, so exceptional circumstances protect continuous status.
Refusals and remedies
Most refusals arise from unidentified gaps between visas, so unevidenced Section 3C leave is the primary refusal trigger.
Application, fees and timing
You can provide historic bank records, tenancy agreements, and HMRC letters, so alternative official documents prove your continuous presence.
Application, fees and timing
You must submit every passport, your absence log, and both test pass certificates, so your entire decade is evidenced.
Application, fees and timing
No, because Indefinite Leave to Remain long residence is permanent, so you are exempt from healthcare surcharge fees.
Application, fees and timing
Standard processing takes six months, so choosing priority service secures a decision within five working days.
Application, fees and timing
You must complete online form SET(LR), so your documents and absence timeline are uploaded directly to the digital portal.
Eligibility and residence
No, because visitor leave is temporary, so time spent on visit visas or immigration bail breaks continuous lawful residence.
Eligibility and residence
Yes, because Section 3C protects your lawful status during pending decisions, so that time counts toward your ten years.
Eligibility and residence
Time after April 2024 lifts the 548-day cap, so you only must stay under 180 days per rolling year.
Eligibility and residence
Time before April 2024 permits no single absence over 180 days, so your total time abroad cannot exceed 548 days.
Eligibility and residence
Your period is assessed in two chapters, so different absence rules apply to time before and after 11 April 2024.
Eligibility and residence
It removes all visa time limits, so you can work, study, and travel without immigration restrictions or renewal fees.
Application, fees and timing
No, because long residence is an individual entitlement, so partners and children must submit their own separate settlement applications.
Eligibility and residence
Yes, because the 10 year route to settlement is route-agnostic, so all lawful leave counts toward your ten-year qualifying total.
Eligibility and residence
You can apply up to 28 days before completing your tenth year, so applying earlier leads to an automatic refusal.
Eligibility and residence
Long residence ILR grants permanent settlement after ten lawful years, so you can combine various visa routes into one application.
Long Residence Insights
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