Immigration Rules Appendix Long Residence

The Long Residence route is for a person who has lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years or more. The person can count time with permission on most routes towards the 10 year qualifying period.

There is no provision for dependents of a person on the Long Residence route to apply on this route.

A person may apply for immediate settlement if they meet all the requirements for settlement or may apply for temporary permission to stay if they meet the suitability and qualifying period and continuous residence requirements but do not meet the English language or Knowledge of life in the UK requirements.

A person who has lived in the UK for a long period but has not been lawfully and continuously resident for 10 years may be eligible to apply under Appendix Private Life.

Permission to stay on the Long Residence route

Validity requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

LR 1.1. A person applying for permission to stay on the Long Residence route must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form “Application to extend your stay in the UK on the basis of long residence”.

  1. LR 1.2. An application for permission to stay on the Long Residence route must meet all the following requirements:
    1. (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
    2. (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
    3. (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality.

LR 1.3. The applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.

LR 1.4. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

LR 2.1. The decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant should not be refused under Part 9: grounds for refusal.

  1. LR 2.2. The applicant must not be:
    1. (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded (although it will not count towards the qualifying period); or
    2. (b) on immigration bail.

Eligibility requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

Qualifying period requirement for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

  1. LR 3.1. The applicant must have spent a qualifying period of 10 years lawfully in the UK, for the entirety of which one or more of the following applied:
    1. (a) the applicant had permission, except permission under Appendix Ukraine Scheme, or permission as a Visitor, Short-term Student (English language) or Seasonal Worker (or under any of their predecessor routes); or
    2. (b) the applicant was exempt from immigration control; or
    3. (c) the applicant was in the UK as an EEA national, or the family member of an EEA national, exercising a right to reside under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 prior to 11pm on 31 December 2020 (and until 30 June 2021 or the final determination of an application under Appendix EU made by them by that date).
  1. LR 3.2. The following periods will not count towards the qualifying period for Long Residence:
    1. (a) time spent on immigration bail, temporary admission or temporary release; and
    2. (b) any period of overstaying between periods of permission before 24 November 2016, even if a further application was made within 28 days of the expiry of the previous permission; and
    3. (c) any period of overstaying between periods of permission on or after 24 November 2016 even if paragraph 39E applies to that period of overstaying; and
    4. (d) any current period of overstaying where paragraph 39E applies.

Continuous residence requirement for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

LR 4.1. The applicant must have met the continuous residence requirement set out in Appendix Continuous Residence for the entirety of the qualifying period.

Transitional arrangements for the Long Residence route

LR 5.1. A person granted an extension of stay on the basis of long residence following an application made on or before 8 July 2012 will remain subject to the rules in force on 8 July 2012.

Decision on an application for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

LR 6.1. If the decision maker is satisfied the suitability and eligibility requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route are met, the application will be granted.

LR 6.2. If the decision maker is not satisfied the requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route are met, the applicant will be considered under the leave to remain rules for a partner, parent or child under Appendix FM (family life) and the permission to stay requirements of Appendix Private Life, and where those requirements are met, the applicant will be granted leave to remain under the relevant rules in Appendix FM (family life) or granted permission to stay under Appendix Private Life.

LR 6.3. Subject to LR 6.2, if the decision maker is not satisfied that the applicant meets the suitability and eligibility requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route, the application will be refused.

Period of grant for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

LR 7.1. The applicant will be granted permission to stay for a period of 24 months.

Conditions of grant for permission to stay on the Long Residence route

  1. LR 8.1. The grant will be subject to the following conditions:
    1. (a) no access to public funds; and
    2. (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted; and
    3. (c) study is permitted, subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) condition in Appendix ATAS.

Settlement on the Long Residence route

Validity requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 9.1. A person applying for settlement on the Long Residence route must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form “Apply to settle in the UK – long residence”.

  1. LR 9.2. An application for settlement on the Long Residence route must meet all the following requirements:
    1. (a) any fee must have been paid; and
    2. (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
    3. (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality.

LR 9.3. The applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.

LR 9.4. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 10.1. The decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant should not be refused under Part 9: grounds for refusal.

  1. LR 10.2. The applicant must not be:
    1. (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded (although it will not count towards the qualifying period); or
    2. (b) on immigration bail.

Eligibility requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route

Qualifying period requirement for settlement on the Long Residence route

  1. LR 11.1. The applicant must have spent a qualifying period of 10 years lawfully in the UK, for the entirety of which one or more of the following applied:
    1. (a) the applicant had permission, except permission under Appendix Ukraine Scheme, or permission as a Visitor, Short-term Student (English language) or Seasonal Worker (or under any of their predecessor routes); or
    2. (b) the applicant was exempt from immigration control; or
    3. (c) the applicant was in the UK as an EEA national, or the family member of an EEA national, exercising a right to reside under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 prior to 11pm on 31 December 2020 (and until 30 June 2021 or the final determination of an application under Appendix EU made by them by that date).
  1. LR 11.2. The following periods will not count towards the qualifying period for Long Residence:
    1. (a) time spent on immigration bail, temporary admission or temporary release; and
    2. (b) any period of overstaying between periods of permission before 24 November 2016 even if a further application was made within 28 days of the expiry of the previous permission; and
    3. (c) any period of overstaying between periods of permission on or after 24 November 2016 even if paragraph 39E applies to that period of overstaying; and
    4. (d) any current period of overstaying where paragraph 39E applies.

LR 11.3. Subject to LR 11.4, the applicant must have had permission on their current immigration route for at least 12 months on the date of application, or have been exempt from immigration control in the 12 months immediately before the date of application.

LR 11.4. If the applicant’s current permission was granted before 11 April 2024, LR 11.3. does not apply.

Continuous residence requirement for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 12.1. The applicant must have met the continuous residence requirement set out in Appendix Continuous Residence for the entirety of the qualifying period.

English Language requirement for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 13.1. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening of at least level B1.

LR 13.2. The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement, or that an exemption applies, as set out in Appendix English Language.

Knowledge of life in the UK requirement for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 14.1. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must meet the Knowledge of life in the UK requirement as set out in Appendix KOL UK.

LR 14.2. The applicant must show they meet the Knowledge of life in the UK requirement, or that they are exempt, as set out in Appendix KOL UK.

Decision on an application for settlement on the Long Residence route

LR 15.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that the suitability and eligibility requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route are met, the applicant will be granted settlement.

  1. LR 15.2. If the decision maker is not satisfied the suitability and eligibility requirements for settlement on the Long Residence route are met, but thinks the applicant may meet requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route or one of the following routes, the application will be varied by the Secretary of State to an application for permission to stay:
    1. (a) as a partner, parent or child under Appendix FM (family life); or
    2. (b) under Appendix Private Life.
  1. LR 15.3. If the application is varied as set out in LR 15.2, the Secretary of State will contact the applicant informing them of this variation and:
    1. (a) no additional application fee for the application for permission to stay will be required and the settlement application fee will not be refunded; and
    2. (b) the applicant must pay any required Immigration Health Charge.

LR 15.4. If LR 15.2. applies and the applicant does not pay the required Immigration Health Charge, or does not request a waiver for the Immigration Health Charge, which is then granted, the application for permission to stay will be rejected as invalid and the applicant will not be refunded the fee paid for the settlement application.

LR 15.5. If the application is varied to an application for permission to stay and the decision maker is satisfied the suitability and eligibility requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route are met, the applicant will be granted permission to stay on the Long Residence route.

LR 15.6. If the decision maker is not satisfied the requirements for permission to stay on the Long Residence route are met, the applicant will be considered under the leave to remain rules for a partner, parent or child under Appendix FM (family life) and the permission to stay requirements of Appendix Private Life, and where the relevant requirements are met, the applicant will be granted under those rules.

LR 15.7. If the decision maker is not satisfied the requirements for settlement or permission to stay on the Long Residence route are met, and the applicant is not granted permission to stay under Appendix FM (family life) or Appendix Private Life, the applicant will be refused settlement on the Long Residence route.