Guidance

Calculating continuous lawful period: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance explaining how to calculate the 5 year continuous lawful period in the UK requirement for an applicant.

Documents

Indefinite leave to remain: calculating continuous period in UK

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Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff dealing with individuals who are applying for settlement in the UK on the following routes:

  • domestic workers in private households

  • dependants of a tier 1 entrepreneur and tier 1 investor

  • tier 1 (entrepreneur)

  • tier 1 (investor)

  • retired person of independent means

This includes information on:

  • deciding if the continuous period is spent lawfully in the UK

  • when absences will not break continuity when calculating if the continuous period requirement has been met

  • considering time spent overseas during the continuous period of residence

  • breaks in the continuous lawful period

  • lawful leave which continues whilst absent from the UK

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Updates to this page

Published 28 August 2013
Last updated 23 December 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added accessible HTML version.

  2. Updated the guidance on calculating the 5 year continuous period in the UK.

  3. Guidance updated: removal of intra-company transfers provision.

  4. Updated guidance.

  5. Guidance updated.

  6. Updated guidance.

  7. Guidance document updated.

  8. Updated document.

  9. Updated document.

  10. Updated guidance.

  11. Updated guidance.

  12. Updated guidance

  13. First published.

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