The ILR Application Process: Step by Step (2026)

Overview: how the ILR application works

Applying for indefinite leave to remain is done entirely online through the GOV.UK website. The process has several distinct stages: checking eligibility, completing the online form, paying fees, booking a biometrics appointment, uploading documents, and waiting for a decision.

Unlike some visa applications, you do not attend an in-person interview. The entire indefinite leave to remain application is submitted digitally. Your only required in-person step is your biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS centre, where your fingerprints and photograph are taken. Everything else happens online.

This guide walks through each stage in sequence. It assumes you have already confirmed that you are eligible to apply. If you are still checking eligibility, start with our ILR Eligibility Calculator before proceeding.

Before you apply: eligibility checks

Before submitting your indefinite leave to remain application, confirm that you meet all requirements. Submitting a doomed application wastes your time and the non-refundable fee. Run through this checklist first:

• Qualifying period complete: You must have completed the required period of continuous residence (typically 5 years on a work route). You can apply up to 28 days early. Use the ILR Eligibility Calculator to confirm your earliest application date.
• Absences within the 180-day rule: No rolling 12-month period during your qualifying period should exceed 180 days of absence from the UK. Check every window using the ILR Absence Calculator.
• Life in the UK test passed: You must have a valid pass certificate. If you have not taken the test yet, book it at the official test centre website. Most people pass on the first attempt with adequate study.
• English language requirement met: You need English at CEFR level B1 or above. If you met this when your visa was granted, you have already satisfied it. Nationals of majority English-speaking countries are exempt.
• Documents ready: Your core documents should be gathered before you begin the form. Use the ILR Document Checklist to track what you have and what is still outstanding.

If any of these checks fail, address the issue before submitting. A refused indefinite leave to remain application costs you the full fee with nothing to show for it.

Which ILR application form do you need?

The form you use depends on your visa route. All forms are submitted online through the UKVI account system, but they are labelled differently. Here are the main options:

If you are unsure which route you are on or which form applies to you, see our guide to ILR routes for a full explanation of each pathway to indefinite leave to remain.

Step 1: Create a UKVI account

All indefinite leave to remain applications are submitted through the UKVI online system. To get started, go to gov.uk/apply-settlement-return-uk and create an account using your email address and a password.

Your UKVI account is used for the entire application: completing the form, paying fees, booking your biometrics appointment, and uploading documents. Keep your login details somewhere safe. You will need to log back in multiple times across the process.

If you already have a UKVI account from a previous visa application, you can use the same account. You do not need to create a new one.

Step 2: Complete the online form

Once logged in, start your indefinite leave to remain application. The online form takes most people between 1 and 3 hours to complete carefully. Do not rush it. Mistakes or omissions at this stage can cause delays or refusal.

The form covers the following key areas:

• Personal information: Your name, date of birth, nationality, and contact details. Make sure these match your passport exactly.
• Travel history: Every trip outside the UK during your qualifying period. You need the destination, departure date, and return date for each trip. Have your travel records open to reference as you complete this section.
• Employment history: Your employer(s), job title(s), start and end dates, and salary details throughout the qualifying period.
• Previous visa applications: Any previous applications to come to or stay in the UK, including refused applications.
• Criminal convictions: You must disclose all unspent convictions and cautions, including minor offences. The Home Office takes good character seriously. Undisclosed convictions are one of the most damaging things you can have on an indefinite leave to remain application.
• English language evidence: The form will ask about how you meet the English language requirement. You will likely reference your original SELT certificate or confirm your degree was taught in English.
• Life in the UK test reference number: Enter the unique reference from your pass notification. Keep this email or letter safe well before your application.

Save your progress frequently throughout the form. The system allows you to save and return, so there is no need to complete it in a single sitting. Having all your documents and dates available before you start will make the process significantly faster.

Step 3: Pay the application fee

At the end of the online form, you pay the application fee by card. Payment must be made at the time of submission. The fee is non-refundable even if your indefinite leave to remain application is refused.

Current fees for the most common routes are as follows:

If you are applying with dependants, each person must submit a separate application and pay a separate fee. A family of four would pay £11,540 in application fees alone.

For a full breakdown of everything you will spend on the road to indefinite leave to remain, see our ILR costs guide.

Step 4: Book your UKVCAS biometrics appointment

After paying, you are directed to book a biometrics appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre. UKVCAS manages biometrics enrolment on behalf of the Home Office. You attend the centre in person to have your fingerprints scanned and your photograph taken.

UKVCAS centres are located in cities across the UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Belfast. When booking, you can choose from:

• Standard locations (free): Core centres included in the biometric enrolment fee you already paid.
• Enhanced/premium locations (extra cost): More central or convenient venues that charge an additional fee, typically £60 to £200 depending on location and time slot.

What to bring to your UKVCAS appointment:

• Your passport (or travel document)
• Your current BRP (Biometric Residence Permit)
• Your appointment booking confirmation

The appointment itself usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. You do not need to bring all your supporting documents at this stage. Document upload happens separately through the online portal after your biometrics appointment.

Step 5: Upload your supporting documents

After completing your biometrics appointment, you upload your supporting documents through the UKVI online portal. This is where the caseworker will find the evidence used to assess your indefinite leave to remain application.

Key documents to upload depend on your route, but for most work routes include:

• Employer letter: Confirms your current job title, salary, SOC code, Certificate of Sponsorship number, and that your employment is ongoing. This is one of the most important documents in your application.
• Payslips: Recent payslips (at minimum the last 6 months, ideally covering the full qualifying period) showing your salary and employer details.
• P60 certificates: Annual tax summaries from HMRC for each tax year within your qualifying period. These corroborate your payslips and employment history.
• Travel history evidence: Passport copies showing entry and exit stamps. If you used eGates (no stamps), use flight bookings, boarding passes, or bank statements to evidence your travel dates.
• English language certificate: Your SELT certificate, a transcript showing your degree was taught in English, or evidence of exemption.
• Life in the UK test pass certificate: The pass notification showing your unique test reference number.
• Bank statements: Not always required, but useful for corroborating income and UK residence, and for filling gaps where passport stamps are missing.

Tips for uploading documents: scan at 300 DPI or higher for clarity, use PDF format where possible, and name files clearly (for example, "Employer_Letter_March2026.pdf" or "Payslip_Feb2026.pdf"). A caseworker who can easily locate and read your documents is more likely to process your application efficiently.

Use our ILR Document Checklist to make sure you have everything before uploading.

Step 6: Wait for a decision

Once your documents are uploaded, your indefinite leave to remain application is with the Home Office for a decision. Processing times vary based on the service level you purchased:

• Standard processing: 6 to 8 weeks. This is the most common option. In busy periods, processing can take longer.
• Priority service (£500): Decision within 5 working days of attending your biometrics appointment.
• Super priority service (£800): Decision by the end of the next working day after your biometrics appointment.

You will be notified by email when a decision is made. For more detail on expected waiting times and what affects them, see our ILR processing times guide.

Do not travel internationally while your application is being processed. Under Section 3C leave, your existing visa leave is extended while your indefinite leave to remain application is pending. However, if you leave the UK during this time, your Section 3C leave ends and re-entry is not guaranteed. It is best to stay in the UK until you receive a decision.

What happens if your ILR application is refused?

If your indefinite leave to remain application is refused, you will receive a refusal letter explaining the reasons. Common grounds for refusal include:

• Absence days exceeding the 180-day limit in one or more rolling 12-month windows
• Salary not meeting the going rate for your SOC code at the time of application
• Missing or inadequate supporting documents
• Good character concerns (undisclosed criminal convictions or immigration breaches)
• Errors or inconsistencies in the application form

If your application is refused, you have several options:

• Administrative review (£80): You can request an administrative review if you believe the caseworker made a factual or legal error. This is not an appeal on the merits of your case but a check for caseworker mistakes. It must be requested within 14 days of receiving the refusal.
• Reapply: If the refusal was due to a fixable issue (such as missing documents or a salary shortfall you can now address), you can reapply after resolving the problem. You will need to pay the full fee again.
• Appeal: A right of appeal is available on limited grounds, typically human rights grounds. This is a more complex and slower route.

For a detailed breakdown of refusal reasons and how to avoid them, see our ILR refusal reasons guide.

After approval: your new immigration status

When your indefinite leave to remain application is approved, your immigration status in the UK changes permanently. Here is what to expect:

Digital immigration status (eVisa)

For applications decided after January 2025, you will receive a digital immigration status rather than a physical BRP card. Your indefinite leave to remain is recorded digitally and linked to your passport number and date of birth. You can view and share your status at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status.

Sharing your status

When an employer or landlord needs to verify your right to work or rent, you generate a share code from the GOV.UK portal. The share code allows them to check your status online without needing to see a physical document. Share codes expire after 90 days and can be regenerated as needed.

What indefinite leave to remain means for you

With indefinite leave to remain, you are no longer tied to a sponsor or restricted to a specific type of work. You can work for any employer, become self-employed, or start a business. You no longer pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and have full access to the NHS as a settled person.

Path to British citizenship

After holding indefinite leave to remain for 12 months, you can apply for British citizenship through naturalisation. The naturalisation process has its own requirements, including a separate absence rule. For full details, see our citizenship after ILR guide.

How ILR Tracker helps with the application

Preparing an indefinite leave to remain application involves juggling eligibility dates, absence records, documents, fees, and deadlines. ILR Tracker was built specifically to take the guesswork out of this process.

Eligibility calculator

Enter your visa start date and ILR Tracker shows you your exact earliest application date, including the 28-day early application window. No manual date arithmetic required.

Absence calculator

Log your trips and ILR Tracker checks every rolling 12-month window across your qualifying period. You see exactly how many absence days you have used in each window, which windows (if any) are at risk, and how many safe travel days remain before your next trip.

Document checklist

The ILR Document Checklist shows you exactly which documents you need for your specific visa route. Tick off documents as you gather them and see at a glance what is still outstanding before you submit your indefinite leave to remain application.

Financial planner

See a full breakdown of all the costs involved, including the application fee, biometrics enrolment, priority or super priority services, Life in the UK test, and optional extras. Plan your savings well in advance so there are no surprises on application day.

Free tools to get started

No account is needed to try our free calculators:

• ILR Eligibility Calculator - Find out when you can apply for indefinite leave to remain based on your visa start date.
• ILR Absence Calculator - Check your absence days across every rolling 12-month window instantly.
• ILR Document Checklist - See exactly what documents you need for your application route.

For ongoing tracking with saved trip history, document readiness scoring, and financial planning, create a free ILR Tracker account and manage your entire indefinite leave to remain journey in one place.