Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Indefinite leave to remain in UK or ILR is a type of visa offered to those who wanted to stay in the country indefinitely. This form of visa is also known as permanent residency. This type of visa could be considered as an advanced form of visa since it will have a lot of prior requirements. Although there are those that could directly apply for an ILR, the process will take a very long time before it could be approved not to mention the documents required so that a person could be approved for this type of visa. But even though the visa could take time to be approved, it’s a highly desirable visa with lots of benefits for those who qualify.
Duration and Benefits
One of the best advantages of those who will qualify for ILR is that they will never have to go through the usual renewal system again. As already indicated, they can stay in the country as long as they want provided they consider UK as their primary residence. There is also no limitation as to what they can do as long as it is legal. They can transfer jobs, work full time while studying or even establish a business they prefer.
The only limitation is that they need to consider UK as their home. They should not stay in other countries for a very long time or else their visa will be revoked. They should never stay outside the country for more than two years without going back to UK. The key is that they should show that they stay in UK more than anywhere else, including their previous residence.
Types of Qualification
There are five ways to be qualified for ILR:
• Through Work Permit – the applicant will be qualified for ILR if he or she has stayed in the country for at least five years through tier 2 worker’s visa. Five years of working in UK should be more than enough to prove the worthiness of the individual in the industry.
• ILR Through Ancestry – anyone whose ancestor is a UK citizen can apply for an ILR. But they can only apply for an ILR if they have stayed in the country for no less than five years.
• ILR Through Extended Residency – those who have stayed in the country (even illegally) for more than 14 years. Although it will take at least a decade before they could apply, the mere fact that they have stayed in the country will allow them to ask for an ILR.
• Marriage/Partnership – those who have stayed in the country for two years and have been married or a partner with a UK citizen could ask for an ILR. This is the fastest way to obtain ILR since the applicant is practically on the process of being a UK citizen and not just someone who wants to have this form of visa.
• EU Citizens – citizens of the members of the European Union could ask for this type of visa. This also includes the applicant’s dependents.
Additional Requirements
Although the above mentioned requirements are already quite rigorous for some, there are still additional requirements to be fulfilled. These additional requirements were enforced for those who applied for ILR after April 2, 2007.
The first requirement is to show proficiency in the English language. This could be done through exams that are recognized by the government. These examinations are geared for those applicants whose English is not the primary language in their country.
The second requirement is the familiarization of the British culture. Although showing your knowledge about the British culture differs from time to time, this part of the requirement could be obtained as long as the applicant complies with the requirement of his or her chosen immigration agency.
Although these requirements look very simple to be obtained, they still have to be fulfilled in a timely fashion. If the applicant is unable to fulfill such requirements, the applicant will never be approved for ILR. For that reason, planning for every requirement, big and small, is very important. Through proper planning, the approval of ILR will be very likely. Permanent residency in UK provides great benefits for those who qualify but it will need time and effort to be approved for this status.
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