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Settlement & Nationality

10 Year Long Residence ILR Applications

A 10 year long residence ILR application allows you to apply for settlement if you have lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for at least 10 years. This route is often used by people who have held different visas over time, including student, work, family, private life or other forms of lawful permission. We review your full immigration history, absences, gaps, Home Office records and evidence before preparing your long residence ILR application.

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What is 10 year long residence ILR?

Long residence ILR is a settlement route for people who have lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years or more. The 10 years can usually include time spent on different types of permission, provided the residence has remained lawful and continuous.

This route is different from a standard five-year Indefinite Leave to Remain application. Instead of relying on one specific visa route, such as a spouse visa or Skilled Worker visa, the Home Office looks at your full 10-year immigration history. That includes your grants of leave, application dates, any section 3C leave, absences from the UK, gaps in permission and suitability issues.

A 10 year long residence ILR application can be helpful where you have built up lawful residence across several routes. For example, you may have started as a student, later switched to a work visa, then moved onto a family or Private Life route. The key question is whether the 10 years can be counted lawfully and continuously under Appendix Long Residence.

Who can apply under Appendix Long Residence?

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain long residence if you meet the main requirements below.

  • You have lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for at least 10 years.
  • You have held permission on routes that can count towards long residence ILR.
  • You have not had a break in continuous lawful residence that prevents you from qualifying.
  • Your absences from the UK fall within the rules that apply to your long residence period.
  • You meet the Life in the UK test and English language requirement, unless an exemption applies.
  • You meet the Home Office suitability requirements, including checks on criminality, immigration history and any relevant debts.

The main 10 year long residence ILR requirements

The Home Office looks closely at the full 10-year period. Small gaps, late applications or unrecorded absences can make a strong case more complicated, so the chronology needs to be checked carefully before submission.

10 years continuous lawful residence

You must usually show 10 years of lawful residence in the UK without a break in continuity. This can include time on most immigration categories, or a combination of different categories, as long as the time counts under Appendix Long Residence.

Absences from the UK

Absences must be checked against the long residence rules, including the rules that apply to the dates when the absences took place. We calculate your travel history carefully and identify whether any absence may affect continuous residence.

Gaps and section 3C leave

The Home Office checks whether you made applications in time and whether any period of section 3C leave preserved your lawful status while an application, appeal or administrative review was pending. We prepare a clear chronology so these periods are explained properly.

Suitability

The Home Office considers criminal convictions, immigration breaches, deception, unpaid NHS debt above the relevant threshold, unpaid litigation costs owed to the Home Office and other suitability issues. If there is a concern, we address it carefully in the application.

Life in the UK and English language

Most adult applicants must pass the Life in the UK test and show English at B1 or above, unless exempt. If you meet the residence requirement but not the Knowledge of Life and Language requirement, the Home Office may consider permission to stay instead of immediate settlement.

Long residence rules and Home Office guidance can change. The points on this page are a general guide, correct as at June 2026, and not legal advice on your case. We confirm the current rules when you instruct us.

How we help with long residence ILR

  1. 1

    Immigration history review

    We start by building a full timeline of your immigration history. This includes visa grants, application dates, expiry dates, appeals, administrative reviews, section 3C leave and any period that may need careful explanation.

  2. 2

    Absence and gap check

    We review your travel history and check whether your absences fall within the long residence rules. We also identify any late applications, gaps in permission or periods where the Home Office record may need to be explained.

  3. 3

    Evidence and document preparation

    You receive a tailored document checklist. We review your passports, BRPs, eVisas, Home Office letters, previous applications, travel records and supporting documents before the application is submitted.

  4. 4

    Application, representations and submission

    We complete the online form, prepare a supporting letter, organise the evidence and submit the application. If there are complex issues, we explain why the requirements are met and deal with Home Office correspondence on your behalf.

What is included in our service

  • Full review of your 10-year immigration history
  • Absence and travel history assessment
  • Gap, overstaying and section 3C leave analysis
  • Tailored document checklist and evidence review
  • Completion of the online application form
  • Supporting letter and Home Office correspondence

Our fee for long residence ILR usually ranges from £1,500 to £3,000 plus VAT, depending on complexity. The exact figure is confirmed in writing before any work begins, after a free short initial phone call. See our full fixed-fee schedule for the breakdown by route. Government costs are paid separately and are not part of our fee. These include the Home Office application fee (£3,226 per applicant from 8 April 2026), the Life in the UK test fee, any approved English test fee where one is needed, and biometric enrolment fees where charged. Priority and super priority services may be available from the Home Office at additional cost, depending on availability.

Common questions

You may be able to apply for ILR after 10 years in the UK if your residence has been lawful and continuous. The Home Office will look at the full 10-year period, including the visas you held, whether applications were made in time, whether any section 3C leave applies and whether your absences break continuous residence.

The main requirements are 10 years of continuous lawful residence, current permission to stay, compliance with the long residence absence rules, the Life in the UK test, English at B1 or above unless exempt, and suitability. Some applicants may qualify for further permission to stay if they meet the residence requirements but do not yet meet the Knowledge of Life and Language requirement.

Yes. Absences can affect a long residence ILR application. The rules are detailed and can depend on when the absences took place. We review your passport stamps, travel history, Home Office records and any periods outside the UK before advising whether your continuous residence is intact.

Overstaying can break lawful residence, but the impact depends on the dates, the reason, whether an application was made, and whether any exception or section 3C leave applies. This is one of the most important issues to check before submitting a 10 year lawful residence ILR application.

Yes, time on most immigration categories can usually be combined for long residence ILR. For example, a person may rely on time spent as a student, worker, partner, parent or under another eligible route. The important question is whether the time was lawful, continuous and capable of counting under Appendix Long Residence.

The documents usually include your current passport, old passports where available, BRP or eVisa details, Home Office decision letters, evidence of previous applications, travel history, Life in the UK test pass notification, English language evidence if required, and any evidence needed to explain gaps, absences or suitability issues.

No. Long residence ILR is usually based on 10 years of continuous lawful residence. A person who has lived in the UK for a long time but cannot show 10 years of lawful continuous residence may need advice on a Private Life application instead. The 20-year route is different and should not be confused with 10 year long residence ILR.

After long residence ILR is granted, you will usually be settled in the UK with no time limit on your stay. You may later be able to apply for British citizenship and, once citizenship is granted, a British passport application. The timing depends on your circumstances.

Last updated: June 2026.