10 Years Long Residence

Long Residence Visa

The Long Residence route allows individuals who have lived lawfully in the UK for ten continuous years to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). It recognises those who have made the UK their home over an extended period, even if they have held several different types of visas during that time.

What is the Long Residence route?

Under the Immigration Rules, long residence means ten years of continuous lawful stay in the UK. The period can be made up of time spent under different visa categories, as long as each was valid and the person did not overstay for more than the permitted period.

Once you complete ten qualifying years, you may be eligible to apply for ILR based on long residence, provided you meet the requirements for lawful stay, absences, good character and knowledge of English and life in the UK.

What counts as lawful residence?

Lawful residence means time spent in the UK with valid leave to enter or remain under the Immigration Rules.
This includes time spent on most visa types, such as:

• Student or Graduate visas

• Skilled Worker or other work-related routes

• Family visas

• Innovator Founder or Global Talent visas

• Any other category granting limited leave to remain lawfully in the UK

Periods of time spent on temporary admission, immigration bail, or without valid leave do not count towards lawful residence.

Continuous residence and permitted absences

To qualify for ILR on the basis of long residence, you must show continuous residence in the UK throughout the ten-year period.

Your residence will normally be considered broken if:

• You were absent from the UK for more than 184 days in one trip, or

• Your total absences exceeded 548 days over the ten-year period, for absences that started before 11 April 2024.

These transitional limits continue to apply to earlier absences. For any absences after April 2024, the Home Office applies the updated continuous residence rules, which allow short absences for reasonable purposes such as travel, study, or employment, provided the person maintained their main home in the UK.

Any period of overstaying may also break continuous residence unless it falls within the Home Office’s limited exceptions.

Other eligibility requirements

In addition to continuous lawful residence, you must also:

• Have no serious breaches of immigration law or criminal convictions under the Home Office suitability requirements.

• Have passed the Life in the UK Test and meet the B1 level English language requirement (unless exempt due to age or disability).

• Intend to make the UK your permanent home.

When to apply for Long Residence ILR

You can apply up to 28 days before completing ten years of continuous lawful residence. Applying earlier than this will result in refusal.
If you reach ten years while your current visa is still valid, you do not need to wait for it to expire before applying.

Applications are made online and must include all supporting evidence proving your lawful residence, absences, and compliance with visa conditions over the ten-year period.

Travel while your application is pending

If you travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while your long residence ILR application is under consideration, your application will be automatically treated as withdrawn. You should remain in the UK until a decision has been made.

Benefits of ILR under the Long Residence route

Once granted Indefinite Leave to Remain on the basis of long residence, you will:

• Be free from immigration time limits or visa renewals

• Have the right to work and study in the UK without restriction

• Be eligible for certain public funds

• Be able to apply for British citizenship after holding ILR for at least 12 months (subject to meeting nationality requirements)

Common reasons for refusal

Applications can be refused if:

• There are gaps or unlawful periods in your residence

• Absences exceed the permitted number of days

• The applicant fails the Life in the UK or English language test

• False or incomplete information is provided

• There are criminal convictions or breaches of immigration conditions

Our solicitors can review your immigration history and identify any risks before you apply, ensuring your application meets the latest Home Office standards.

How Hi Solicitors can help

Our immigration team provides expert advice on all aspects of the long residence route, including:

• Calculating lawful and continuous residence periods

• Reviewing visa history and absences

• Preparing your ILR application under the long residence category

• Advising on KoLL (Knowledge of Language and Life) requirements

• Submitting Priority or Super Priority applications where available