UK Lists 4 Conditions Foreigners Who Lived in Britain for 10 Years Must Meet for Permanent Residence
- The UK government has outlined the conditions immigrants must meet to get Indefinite Leave to Remain through the long residence route
- Applicants must show 10 years of continuous legal residence in the UK, with strict rules on how long they can spend abroad each year
- It is noteworthy that those aged 18 to 65 must pass the Life in the UK Test and prove sufficient English language skills to qualify
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The UK government has published the conditions that foreign nationals who have lived in the country for 10 years must meet to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which is the UK equivalent of permanent residence.
The requirements are outlined in the government's long residence eligibility guidance and apply to applicants under the long residence route in 2026.
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UK ILR: Who can apply
To be eligible, an applicant must currently hold valid permission to stay in the UK. Beyond that, the government sets out the following core conditions:
1. The applicant must have lived legally in the UK for 10 continuous years, which can include time spent under most immigration categories or a combination of different ones.
2. The applicant must usually have held their current permission for at least one year before applying.
3. Applicants aged 18 to 65 must pass the Life in the UK Test.
4. Applicants aged 18 to 65 must also prove they have sufficient English language skills.
Those who do not meet both the language and life knowledge requirements may still apply to extend their stay rather than apply for ILR outright.
UK ILR: What counts as continuous residence
The guidance defines continuous residence as unbroken time spent in the UK, and it can include time spent in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
Applicants are allowed to leave the UK, but only for up to 180 days in any 12-month period without breaking their continuous residence.
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The government is clear that certain periods of time spent in the UK do not count towards the 10 years. These include:
1. Time spent on a Standard Visitor visa or as a visitor without a visa.
2. Time on a Short-term study visa.
3. Time on a Seasonal Worker visa.
4. Time spent under any of the Ukraine schemes.
5. Time on immigration bail, temporary admission, or temporary release.
6. Time spent in a prison, young offender institution, or secure hospital.
7. Time spent in the UK after a previous permission expired, including periods covered by exceptional COVID-19 assurance grants.
8. Time in the UK as a British citizen, if that citizenship was subsequently removed.
For those who travelled abroad before April 11, 2024, different rules apply. Under those older rules, continuous residence was broken if an applicant was outside the UK for more than 184 consecutive days, or more than 548 days in total. Only periods of absence that began before April 11, 2024, count towards that 548-day total.
The government also notes that applicants who hold a family visa and whose partner is British or settled in the UK may be eligible to apply for ILR as a partner rather than through the long residence route.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had published five conditions for parents to get permanent residence through their children.
Requirements for UK Health and Care Worker visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had shared the conditions foreigners must satisfy to qualify for its Health and Care Worker visa.
The guidance, published on the UK government's official website, applies in 2026 and covers doctors, nurses, and a range of other health and social care professionals seeking to relocate to or remain in the UK.
A critical condition that the government emphasised is that applicants must have a confirmed job offer in place before submitting their visa application.
Source: Legit.ng
