UK Citizenship and Permanent Immigration Services
A number of UK visas and immigration services lead to the opportunity to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (ILR) often referred to as permanent residency in the UK. Many UK visas such as the UK entrepreneur visa, UK investor visa and UK innovator visa are specifically intended as permanent immigration services, as are the family visa routes which include marriage visas, unmarried partner visas and ancestry visas. In other cases, such as a UK work permit, ILR is not expressly part of the visa category but may be available if the candidate has been living and working in the UK for a minimum residency period.
At Global Visas, we offer the complete range of UK visas and immigration services from short term visit visas through to applications for UK citizenship. To find out whether you qualify today, visit the online assessment area now.
Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK – (ILR)
Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK is available to candidates already living and working in the UK. ILR, otherwise known as permanent residency in the UK permits the holder to live and work in the UK on a permanent basis for any employer they choose and is a prerequisite for British naturalisation. In all cases, the fundamental requirements for ILR are a high level of proficiency in the English language and the applicant’s intention to make the UK their main home. Unlike UK citizenship, ILR can be revoked if a candidate is deemed to be spending too much time outside the UK and periods of more than two years spent outside Great Britain may leave to permanent residency being withdrawn.
ILR Applications - Eligibility Criteria
In order to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, a candidate must be present in the UK and must have been living in Britain for a minimum residency period which varies according to their visa status. In most cases, the minimum residency requirement is five years; this is the case with Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) applicants, and those applying for permanent residency based on a UK work permit or a dependency visa. However, in some cases, such as the marriage visa and de facto visa, the requirement is two years, whilst in the Long Residency Visa category explored below, the residency requirement can be 7, 10 or 14 years.
UK Long Term Residency Visa
Long-term residency visas for the UK are granted on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the UK Home Office and offer ILR to those who have been living in the UK for a significant amount of time. In most cases, applications will only be considered from those who have been legally resident in the UK for a minimum of ten years, or those who, as a combination of legal and illegal residency have been living in the UK for fourteen years or more.
In exceptional circumstances, a seven-year long-term residency visa for the UK may be issued where an applicant is facing immediate removal from the UK and has young children. As with the 10 year and 14 year long-term residency visa each case is assessed on its own merits, however the key requirement is that any children must have been resident in the UK for seven years or more.
UK Citizenship – Applying for British Naturalisation
Applying for British naturalisation is the process through which a non-EEA national can obtain a grant of UK citizenship. Citizenship, unlike permanent residency cannot be revoked and offers successful applicants the same rights and privileges enjoyed by native UK citizens including the right to vote in UK elections and a British passport.
Applying for UK citizenship requires candidates to be over the age of 18 with a high level of proficiency in the English language and applicants must intend to continue living in the United Kingdom. The essential requirements for UK citizenship are that a candidate is already in possession of ILR and that they have been living and working in the UK for a minimum of five years.
Applying for Dual Citizenship
The United Kingdom supports dual citizenship, and as such it is possible for a non-EEA national to apply for British naturalisation without surrendering their existing citizenship. However, it should be noted that many countries do not support this practice and for a candidate to hold citizenship of two countries, both governments must permit dual citizenship. Where a candidate residing in the UK with a grant of Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK applies for UK citizenship and is already a citizen of a country which does not support dual citizenship, British naturalisation would result in the candidate surrendering their existing citizenship. A Global Visas immigration consultant will be able to tell you whether your current country of residence supports dual citizenship.
You can begin your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or take the first step toward British citizenship today by visiting the online assessment area. Simply complete one of our straightforward assessment forms and a consultant will contact you.
