Indefinite leave to remain (permission to stay as a refugee, humanitarian protection, discretionary or section 67 leave)

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1. Overview

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) if you have:

  • protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection)
  • discretionary leave
  • section 67 leave

Indefinite leave to remain is how you settle in the UK. It바카라 사이트檚 also called 바카라 사이트榮ettlement바카라 사이트�. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship.

Check if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible for indefinite leave to remain.

Family members

Your family members may also be able to apply.

If you have section 67 leave, you can only include your child in your application. If you want other family members to join you in the UK, you will need to apply for a family visa.

Partners and children in the UK

If they바카라 사이트檙e already in the UK as your dependant, they can apply to stay in the UK with you if they바카라 사이트檙e eligible. This includes children born in the UK.

Check if your family member is eligible.

If your application is successful, your family members will usually have permission to stay in the UK for the same length of time as you.

Partners and children outside the UK

Your family members may be able to apply to be reunited with you in the UK if your family was formed before you fled your country.

If you formed your family after you left, they must first apply for a visa to join you in the UK. This also applies if they바카라 사이트檙e not eligible to apply as your partner or child.

If you care for an adult relative

Your adult dependent relative can apply if all the following are true:

They must apply separately - you cannot include them on your application.

Make your applications at the same time. Your adult dependent relative바카라 사이트檚 visa will expire if you바카라 사이트檙e granted ILR.

Fees

There바카라 사이트檚 no fee if you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection) or section 67 leave. This will also apply to your partner or child.

If you have discretionary leave it costs 拢3,029 for you and each other person you include in your application. You바카라 사이트檒l each need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there바카라 사이트檚 no fee for this.

Getting a decision

You바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 6 months.

If you have discretionary leave and you paid to use the 바카라 사이트榮uper priority service바카라 사이트�, you바카라 사이트檒l get a decision within 2 working days. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

You cannot use the 바카라 사이트榮uper priority service바카라 사이트� if you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection) or section 67 leave.

You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

You바카라 사이트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

Travelling outside the UK

You can travel outside the UK using a Home Office travel document.

You can lose your indefinite leave to remain if you:

If your application for indefinite leave to remain is refused

If you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection) or discretionary leave, you might still be able to stay in the UK. Your decision letter will explain what you바카라 사이트檝e been offered instead of indefinite leave to remain.

If you have section 67 leave, you will need to apply for another form of leave (for example, a visa) to stay in the UK.

2. Eligibility

You must have a residence card if you have protection status (either permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection).

If you have discretionary leave or section 67 leave you must still meet the eligibility criteria for your type of leave. Check your documents to see what your criteria are.

The eligibility criteria are different if you바카라 사이트檙e applying as an adult dependent relative.

Time in the UK

You can apply after 5 years in the UK if you have either:

  • protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection)
  • section 67 leave

If you have discretionary leave, you can apply after:

  • 6 years if you were first given discretionary leave on or before 8 July 2012
  • 10 years if you were first given discretionary leave from 9 July 2012

3. Family applying as dependants

Your family members can apply for indefinite leave to remain as your 바카라 사이트榙ependants바카라 사이트� if they바카라 사이트檙e eligible.

To include your dependants in your application, you must have either:

  • protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection)
  • discretionary leave

If you have section 67 leave, you can only include your child in your application.聽

Your dependants

A 바카라 사이트榙ependant바카라 사이트� is any of the following:

  • your partner (husband, wife, civil partner or the person you바카라 사이트檝e been in a genuine relationship with for 2 years before applying to settle)
  • your child under 18
  • your child aged 18 or over - if they were living in the UK as your dependant before they turned 18

Your partner or child must:聽聽

  • have been part of your family before you left your country
  • already be in the UK

They must also have been given permission to be in the UK with you, either:

  • as your dependant, at the same time that you were granted protection status or discretionary leave
  • using the family reunion route

If you바카라 사이트檝e had a child since you바카라 사이트檝e come to the UK, they바카라 사이트檙e also eligible to apply.

Other relatives who can apply

Other relatives who can apply are:

  • an adult relative you care for who has permission to stay with you
  • a child who바카라 사이트檚 a close relative but not your child who has permission to stay with you

They바카라 사이트檒l need to apply separately. You cannot include them as dependants in your application.

How much it costs

If you have protection status or section 67 leave, there바카라 사이트檚 no fee for you or anyone included in your application.

If you have discretionary leave, it will cost 拢2,885 for each person included in your application.聽

What you바카라 사이트檒l need to provide

You바카라 사이트檒l need to provide evidence of your relationship with your family members - check the form when you apply.

If you care for an adult relative

Your adult dependent relative can apply for indefinite leave to remain if all of the following are true:

They must apply separately - you cannot include them in your application.

Make your applications at the same time. Your adult dependent relative바카라 사이트檚 visa will expire if you바카라 사이트檙e granted indefinite leave to remain.

Find out how to apply for indefinite leave to remain as an adult dependent relative.聽聽

If you care for a child who바카라 사이트檚 a close relative but not your child聽

Your child relative can apply for settlement to stay with you if all of the following are true:

  • they바카라 사이트檝e already been given permission to join or stay with you as their close relative
  • they바카라 사이트檙e already living with you in the UK
  • they바카라 사이트檙e not leading an independent life (for example, they must not be married or have moved into their own home)
  • you have protection status and are applying for settlement or are already settled permanently in the UK

How much it costs

They바카라 사이트檒l need to pay an application fee of 拢2,885.

What they바카라 사이트檒l need to provide

They바카라 사이트檒l need to provide documents or other evidence to prove:

  • their identity
  • their immigration status
  • their address

If they바카라 사이트檙e 18 or over they may also need to:

They바카라 사이트檒l also need to provide details about you, including:聽

  • your name
  • your address聽
  • your 锘匡豢date of birth
  • your nationality
  • your i锘縨migration status - including if you are settled

How to apply

Your child relative must - you cannot include them in your application.

If your family members are not in the UK

They may be able to join you another way. For example, they may be eligible to:

When your family members in the UK cannot apply聽聽

Your family members cannot apply for indefinite leave to remain as your dependants if they:聽聽

  • already have permission to be in the UK in another category聽聽
  • are currently in the UK without permission

They may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain some other way.

4. Apply

You should apply during the last month of your current permission to be in the UK.

You must apply online. The form you use depends on your situation.

Once you바카라 사이트檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

You바카라 사이트檒l be told what documents you need to provide when you apply. You바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 6 months.

If you have permission to stay in the UK as a stateless person, there바카라 사이트檚 a different way to apply.

If you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection) or section 67 leave

.

If your partner or children are eligible to apply, the application form will tell you if you can include them in your own application. If you cannot include them, they바카라 사이트檒l need to apply separately.

If your partner and children need to apply separately

They can:

  • apply for a family visa, if you have section 67 leave

Your partner and children will need to provide biometric information (usually fingerprints and a photo) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) point.

Proving your identity

As part of your application you바카라 사이트檒l need to prove your identity.

You바카라 사이트檒l either:

  • use the 바카라 사이트楿K Immigration: ID Check바카라 사이트� app to scan your identity document - you바카라 사이트檒l also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

  • give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) point

If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for your partner and children they바카라 사이트檒l need to provide biometric information. You바카라 사이트檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.

You바카라 사이트檒l also need to submit your supporting documents. You can upload them to the online service, or if you바카라 사이트檙e attending a UKVCAS service point you can have them scanned at your appointment.

If you have discretionary leave

The form you use to apply depends on why you got discretionary leave.

You either:

It costs 拢3,029 for each person applying.

Providing biometric information and supporting documents

When you apply, you바카라 사이트檒l be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (usually your fingerprints and a photo).

If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for your partner and children they바카라 사이트檒l also need to provide biometric information.

You바카라 사이트檒l also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

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

Get a faster decision on your application

If you got discretionary leave after your non-asylum application was refused, you can choose to use the super priority service to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

It costs an extra 拢1,000 to use this service. You바카라 사이트檒l get a decision either:

  • by the end of the next working day after providing your biometric information, 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.

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 you바카라 사이트檙e applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

5. Family reunion

Your partner or child may be able to join or stay with you in the UK if both of the following are true:

  • you were part of a family or in a relationship before you were forced to leave your country
  • you have protection status (permission to stay as a refugee or person with humanitarian protection)

If their application is successful, your family members will be allowed to come to or stay in the UK with the same permission as you.

If you formed your family after you left your country, your partner or child must first apply for a visa to join you in the UK.

When your partner or child cannot join you

Your partner or child cannot join you if:

  • you do not have protection status聽
  • you바카라 사이트檙e a British citizen聽
  • you바카라 사이트檝e not received a decision on your asylum claim
  • you바카라 사이트檙e under 18
  • you have discretionary leave

They may be eligible to apply for the following instead:

Eligibility

Your partner and any children must meet the following requirements.

Partner

Your partner is someone you바카라 사이트檙e in a genuine relationship with. You must be able to prove one of the following:

  • you바카라 사이트檙e in a civil partnership or marriage that바카라 사이트檚 recognised in the UK
  • you바카라 사이트檝e been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

You바카라 사이트檒l also need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:

  • communicate regularly with each other
  • support each other financially
  • care for any children you have together

Children

Your child is:

  • under the age of 18
  • not married or in a civil partnership and does not have a partner
  • living with their parent (except when they바카라 사이트檙e at boarding school, college or university as part of their full-time education)

If your child is aged 18 and over, they can apply as a child if all of the following apply:

  • your child is dependent on your financial and emotional support
  • the parent of the child is in the UK or they바카라 사이트檙e eligible to come to the UK for family reunion and are planning on travelling to the UK
  • your child does not live an independent life and cannot afford essential living costs
  • your child has no other relatives for support and cannot get support or work in the country where they are living

Apply outside the UK

Your partner or child must for family reunion.

They바카라 사이트檒l also need to attend a visa application centre (VAC) to have their fingerprints and photograph (known as 바카라 사이트榖iometric information바카라 사이트�) taken.

Apply in the UK

Your partner or child can apply by email or by letter.

UKVI Family Reunion Team
acscincountryfamilyreunion@homeoffice.gov.uk

聽聽
UKVI Family Reunion Team聽聽
Admin Team聽聽
Level 0聽聽
Capital Building聽聽
Liverpool聽聽
L3 9PP聽聽

Providing biometric information and supporting documents

When your family member applies, they바카라 사이트檒l be asked to make an appointment at a Service and Support Centre to provide their fingerprints and photograph (known as 바카라 사이트榖iometric information바카라 사이트�) and have their supporting documents checked.

Getting a decision

If your family member has not heard back after 9 months, they can contact UK Visas and Immigration.

Fees

There바카라 사이트檚 no fee for applying for family reunion for eligible family members.聽