ILR Eligibility Calculator

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) gives you permanent residence in the UK. Most routes require 5 years of continuous lawful residence, though some (such as the partner route) have specific pathways. You must also pass the Life in the UK test and meet English language requirements at B1 level or above.

Continuous residence means you must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period. This calculator checks your eligibility date based on your visa start date, calculates the total costs to date and the ILR application fee, and flags any potential issues with absences.

The ILR application fee is currently £2,885 per person. There is no IHS for ILR itself, but you continue to pay IHS on any visa extensions needed before becoming eligible. The calculator totals everything from your current visa through to ILR.

Standard 5-year ILR routes. Most common routes to Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years lawful UK residence: Skilled Worker Visa, Spouse Visa, Global Talent Visa, Innovator Visa, Family Visa, certain Tier 1 routes. Must demonstrate: continuous residence (no more than 180 days absence in any 12-month rolling period — was 180 days/year before April 2024, now rolling); meeting the route's specific requirements throughout; Life in UK test pass; B1 English; £29,000+ income (Spouse/Family routes).

10-year long residence route. If you've lived in UK lawfully for 10 continuous years (any visa type or combination), you can apply for ILR via 'long residence'. 'Lawfully' means with valid visa throughout — gaps cause failure. Absences: no more than 184 days in any 12-month period. Open even to those who switched visas multiple times. Useful when none of the 5-year routes fits your situation.

Life in UK test. 24 multiple choice questions on UK history, society, government, and culture. 75% pass mark (18/24). £50 fee. Book at lifeintheuktest.gov.uk. Study materials: official handbook 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents' (5th edition). Test centre exams, 45 minutes. Can retake unlimited times until passing. Required for ILR AND British Citizenship — only need to take once.

Documents and application. Forms: SET(M) for spouse, SET(O) for skilled worker, SET(LR) for long residence. Fee £3,029 (£0 for victims of domestic abuse). Biometric appointment required. Processing: 6-month standard, 8-week priority (£500 extra), super-priority same day (£1,000). Common pitfalls: incorrect application form; insufficient evidence of continuous residence; missing original documents. Use a regulated immigration adviser for complex cases.