Indefinite Leave to Remain

 Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a residence right that foreign citizens can use to establish a settled life in the UK. After receiving your permanent residence, you have the freedom to work in any workplace and any profession including self-employment, as well as having the right to education, provided that you comply with all laws. If your children are born after you receive your permanent residence, you can apply for British citizenship for them directly.

There are certain types of visas suitable for this route and application requirements may vary for each visa type. To generalise, people who spend an average of 5 years in the UK with a visa type suitable for the Indefinite Leave to Remain course can apply for this right at the end of the fifth year.

Permanent Residency

Permanent residency, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain, allows you to live in the UK without any restrictions and is the last big step prior to acquiring citizenship. When applying, you are expected to demonstrate your continued residence in the UK and your knowledge of English. In addition to these two requirements, conditions may vary depending on the visa types to achieve permanent residence. It may take an average of 6 months for the application to be finalized.

Tier 1 – Permanent Residence Requirements for Exceptional/Global Talent Visa

The Exceptional Talent Visa has been replaced by the Global Talent visa after December 31, 2020. Those who want to apply for the Exceptional Talent visa type from this date can apply under the title of Global Talent. However, the course to permanent residence is the same for both visas.

For this application, you are initially expected to show that you have proven your ability in your field and that the relevant institutions in the UK also recognized this ability. For example, you may have won an award recognized by your field of study, or accreditation bodies such as Tech Nation or Arts Council England may support you with a statement about your talent. Depending on your visa route (exceptional talent or exceptional promise), you must have lived and worked in the UK for 3 to 5 years. The following are the conditions you must meet:

• You should not have stayed more than 180 days in a country other than the UK in the past 3 to 5 years.
• You must still be working in the field where you came to work with your visa
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test
• You must prove that you have a minimum B1 level of English.
• You should receive an up-to-date accreditation statement showing the continuity of your business from institutions such as Tech Nation, as mentioned above.

Tier 1 – Investor Visa – Permanent Residence Requirements for Investor Visa

The Tier 1 Investor Visa allows you to live in the country with a minimum investment of £ 2,000,000 made in the UK. One of the basic requirements for you to apply for a permanent residence with a Tier 1 Investor Visa is that you have used a certain amount of funds for investment in the UK. To apply, you must also pass English proficiency and Life in the UK tests. To explain roughly, the basic conditions are as follows:

• You should not have stayed more than 180 days in a country other than the UK in the past 2, 3 or 5 years.
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test
• You must prove that you have a minimum B1 level of English

With an Investor Visa, you can apply for a permanent residence at the end of the second, third or fifth year of your stay in the UK. Depending on the length of time, the amount of investment you need to make in the country also varies. The following rules are valid for those who have received this visa after November 6, 2014.

Time period you live in the UK	Investment
2 years	£10 million
3 years	£5 million
5 years	£2 million

 

Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa – Permanent Residence Requirements for Entrepreneur Visa

The Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa, which allows you to work and live by establishing your own business in the UK, is one of the visa types which was withdrawn after the Brexit process happened on 31 December 2020. However, people who are currently in the UK with this visa type can apply for an extension and also a permanent residence based on their eligibility. There are also new types of entrepreneur visas that have been formed after Brexit. You can review the Start-up and Innovator visa types.

If you want to apply for permanent residence with your existing Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa, the main condition you need to meet specifically is that you have earned sufficient income through your job or provided employment opportunities for a sufficient number of employees. You can check your eligibility for permanent residency application through the list below:

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 3 or 5 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• You are expected to prove that you have at least a B1 level of English. You can contact us for related information.
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test.
• You can apply for permanent residence after spending 3 years with your visa in the UK; for this, it is expected that you have either earned £5 million in revenue or have created 10 new full time jobs.
• You can apply for permanent residence at the end of the fifth year you have worked and lived in the UK.

Tier 2 General Visa / Skilled Worker – Permanent Residence Requirements for Skilled Worker Visa

The Skilled Worker visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) Working Visa after the Brexit process happened on 31st of December 2020. To summarize briefly, salaried employees affiliated with a sponsor / company can obtain this visa. While there are no new applications for a Tier 2 General visa, visa holders can continue to extend and apply for permanent residence. People who want to apply with a sponsor as a salaried employee should apply for the “Skilled Worker” visa type from January 1, 2021. However, the course to permanent residence is the same for both visas.

• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test.
• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 5 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• Proving that your employer still needs an employee in your position
• Not having received a salary below the salary criteria set for your profession.

Permanent residence can be achieved with other visa types; you can reach us for detailed information. In some professions or in some exceptional cases, you can apply for permanent residence even if you receive a salary below the specified salary criteria. Please contact our team for details.

Tier 1 – Sportsperson – Permanent Residence Requirements for Athlete Visa

Tier 2 Sportsperson / Athlete visa is for distinguished athletes and qualified trainers who are accepted as top-level professionals. If you meet the requirements, you can apply for permanent residence at the end of five years with this visa.

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 5 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• Proving that your employer still needs an employee in your position
• Meeting the annual salary criteria (this is set at a minimum of £ 35,800)
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test
• You are expected to prove that you have at least a B1 level of English. You can contact us for related information.

Turkish Businessperson / Worker – Permanent Residence Requirements for the Turkish Businessperson Visa

The Turkish Businessperson visa allowed Turkish citizens to set up their own business, work and live within the UK. With a Turkish Worker visa, you could work as a salaried employee in the UK. As of December 31, 2020, these visa types are no longer available after the United Kingdom left the European Union. However, Turkish citizens who already have this visa can continue to apply for extension and permanent residence. The basic criteria determined for permanent residence application are as follows:

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 5 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• Living in the UK for the last 5 years without government funding
• You are expected to prove that you have at least a B1 level of English. You can contact us for related information.
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test
• Having registered with the police

Representative of an Overseas Business – Permanent Residence Requirements for the Sole Representative Visa

Persons who are in the UK to establish and manage a branch or dealership of a business outside the UK to represent it in the UK, can apply for permanent residence at the end of 5 years. You can apply for permanent residence with all three related types of visa, which are the Representative of an Overseas Business Visa, the Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organization, or the Sole Representative Visa. The basic criteria are as follows.

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 5 years (you can spend a maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• Proving that the employer you represent still needs an employee in your position
• Proving that you successfully manage in the UK a branch or subsidiary of the company based outside the UK
• You are expected to prove that you have at least a B1 level of English. You can contact us for related information.
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test

Domestic Worker – Permanent Residence Requirements for In-House Worker Visa

Domestic workers are people who provide personal care services for the employer and the employer’s family. Examples of such roles are drivers, nannies, caregivers, cooks, cleaners, gardeners, etc. Extension and permanent residence applications are possible for those who acquired this visa type before April 6, 2012. After April 6, 2012, this visa type has been brought to a position equivalent to a visitor visa. Persons who acquired this visa type before 6 April 2012 can apply for permanent residence if they meet the following conditions:

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 5 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• You are expected to prove that you have at least a B1 level of English. You can contact us for related information.
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test
• You should also receive a letter from your employer stating the days you have spent outside the UK (including holidays, etc.).

Innovator Visa – Permanent Residence Requirements for Innovative Investor Visa

The Innovator visa allows you to sustain a partially small-scale but growth-promising business in the UK or to establish a new and unique business in the UK. Your eligibility for permanent residence with this visa may vary depending on your job, your profit rate and the duration of your stay in the UK.

• Ensuring uninterrupted residence eligibility for the last 3 years (you can spend maximum of 180 days outside of the UK)
• Receiving a new letter from the relevant institution that confirms the validity and growability of your business
• You must pass the “Life in the UK” test

Family Members

If you have family members living with you in the UK through your visa, they can also apply for permanent residence. However, your partner applying for permanent residence must also meet the basic conditions such as staying in the UK uninterruptedly and passing English language and “Life in the UK” exams, just like you. You can contact us for more detailed information.

The application fee is £2,389 per person, including children.

The required documents can vary, but they should prove the work you have done during your years of employment in the UK. For this reason, the presentation of the documents is very important. You can always contact our team to get support with your application.

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