There are a number of Home Office requirements that need to be met to keep your Indefinite Leave to Remain status. For example you are not allowed to spend more than 2 years outside the UK and you should consider the UK as your home. If you do not meet these requirements your Indefinite Leave to Remain status may be withdrawn.
A person with Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK may be eligible to apply for naturalization as a British citizen.
How do I qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain ?
An Indefinite Leave to Remain applicant must have settled status in the UK. This usually means that you have been resident in the UK on the same visa class for at least five years (excluding student visas).
The only exception to this is for people on Marriage visas or Unmarried Partner who only require two years, and for periods of exceptionally Long Term UK Residency (10 years legal UK residency or 14 years as a combination of illegal and legal UK residency).
You and your spouse now also need to take and pass "life in the UK" test. This test is obligatory since the 2nd April 2007. It will confirm that you and members of your family can speak English as well as know the life and history of the UK. This is a similar test that was previously required for naturalization applications only. You can now use the results of your test for naturalization applications, that is, you do not have to take the test again when you will be applying for naturalization as a British Citizen.
We can aaply for settlement on your behalf on all the above mentioned categories except for long residency cases.
What we can do for you
As British lawyers, we will do our best and even go that extra mile for you. We can help you with the necessary paperwork that will be needed to ensure that your application meets the Immigration requirements.
Please expect us to do the following for you, when you instruct us to represent you or a member of your family:
Full and professional assessment of your case
Advice on whether you should consider a different immigration programme or category
Strong and weak points of your application
Advice on correct list of documents
Advice on evidence required
Instructing your sponsor, relative, employer or college (if required)
Final check of your documents before submission to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post
Creating a professionally looking paginated immigration bundle
Drafting representations and cover letters to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post
Working with interpreters (if required)
Submission your application to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post
- Correspondence with the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post
Keeping you updated by post, E-mail or phone on the progress of your application
If something goes wrong : requesting a review or reconsiderationAny further in-country/out-of-country immigration assistance
