UK’s permanent resident or Indefinite Leave to Remain, or Residence Permit UK Leave to Remain, and eligibility and requirements to obtain British Residence Permit (BRP) card in UK is all I’m going to explore in this article.
Hey! I’m Temmy Samuel and I’ve come to enlighten you about UK residence permit for non EU nationals. Hence, starting with what is permanent residence in the UK, who can apply to get a PR in the UK, requirements to apply for PR in the UK, and easiest way to get BRP card in UK, before I give my last summary.
United Kingdom or UK is one of the popular destinations that accommodate lives. The country has been a good destination for people from all over the world to live in, settle down with a dream job, or explore a promising business opportunity. UK is meant for better life because it provides a great way to harness your potential and enjoy a dynamic new culture concurrently.
Furthermore, talented and creative beings from the UK are recognized/identified globally in the fields of arts, science, business, sports and politics. So it is only natural that you’ll decide to take up residence in the UK permanently, where you will be rewarded with bright prospects.
Settling in the UK with great healthcare, world-class education, and lots of art, history, and culture is something you wouldn’t want to reject, because the United Kingdom is an excellent place to call home.
Hence, I’ll explore what is UK’s permanent resident or Indefinite Leave to Remain, eligibility and requirements to obtain permanent resident status, how to take up permanent residence in the U.K., who can apply, and the online resources you’ll need to start your BRP card application.
What is Permanent Residence Permit in UK?
A permanent resident card in the UK, otherwise known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a British Residence Permit (BRP) card that grants the holder the right to live, work and study in the UK indefinitely without immigration restrictions while still holding a foreign citizenship status.
For instance, I’m a Nigerian living in the UK. I can collect BRP card in UK and still hold a foreign citizenship status as Nigerian. Further your reading to learn how to collect BRP card in UK.
Base on UK immigration rules and obligations, a permanent resident permit is granted exclusively to a person who does not have the Right of Abode naturally in the country. For instance migrated travellers.
Furthermore, having a UK permanent residence permit grants you access to to apply for British citizenship after 12 months. However, this permit can be lapse if you are convicted to a criminal offence or you spends more than 2 years outside the UK continuously.
Why Live in the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom (U.K.) is a vibrant multicultural country. In fact, about 14percent of the population in the UK was born abroad, according to the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, about 35percent of the immigrant population lives in London.
The UK has an excellent healthcare system, too. The National Health Service (NHS) is free for residents and has been ranked among the best in the world for its affordability, safety, and efficiency.
Additionally, living in the UK will grants you access to a broader range of financial services, including enhanced options, which will ultimately strengthens your long-term financial stability and planning. According to one Nigerian and UK startup founder, Dele Bakare shared some of the benefits and opportunities he expects the UK Indefinite Leave to Remain will unlock for him.
As a startup founder in both Nigeria and the UK, acquiring the UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) provides me with the invaluable opportunity to reside and work in the UK without any time limitations or immigration constraints.
In today’s interconnected world, where the global village thrives, having the freedom to travel without concerns of visa extensions or meeting specific requirements bolsters my ability to conduct business and engage in personal and professional travels seamlessly. Also, having ILR grants me access to a broader range of financial services, including enhanced options, which ultimately strengthens my long-term financial stability and planning.
Furthermore, UK countries including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also boast world-class research facilities, universities, and a strong education system in general.
Who can Apply to get a Permanent Residence (PR) in UK?
People who have legally resided in UK for a certain amount of years are eligible to apply for permanent residence in the country. Majorly, you must have lived and worked in the UK for at least five years to be able to apply for PR.
However, if you’re living in the UK with a Tier 1 (T1) Visa, the five years can be reduced to three or two years. Hence, immigrants with an Innovator or Global Talent Visa can apply for permanent residency after three years.
Immigrants with T2 general work visas for five years can apply for residence permit UK Leave to Remain. Meanwhile, your employer must sponsor you and you should be able to prove that you earn at least £25,600 per year unless you work in healthcare or in a profession that’s in short supply in the UK.
However, do note that you will not be able to apply for ILR if you’ve lived in the UK on a Tier 2 ICT work visa (even for five years). T2 ICT work visa are visas given to people who’ve transferred to a UK company branch from abroad to work on a specific project.
Here is a set of people who are eligible for UK Residence Permit and length of time they must spend in the UK on various visas to be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR):
- You’ve lived in the UK for 5 years or more.
- You’re a family member or married to a UK citizen or permanent resident, and have lived for five years.
- You’ve had a general working Visa and have lived for five years.
- You’re one of the UK Ancestry that have lived for five years in the country.
- You’ve had a lawful stay on any basis (long stay), Ten years minimum.
If your reside in the UK fit in to any of the categories stated above, then, you’re eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit and get the British Residence Permit Card.
Requirements to Apply for UK Permanent Residence Permit
With Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) status, you can live and work permanently in the United Kingdom (UK). You’ll stand a chance to qualify for residency and a UK PR is on the BRP cards confidently if you have legally lived in the UK for at least five years.
UK Settlement Visa Requirements
However, while type of Visa does matters, for instance, people with general working visa may also need to meet the salary or other financial requirements to obtain the UK Residence Permit, it’s also important to note that completing the application is one of the last things you will do.
First, you must check your eligibility status and retrieve all the relevant paperwork required. Then, you need to make sure you have access to all details about your immigration history, especially if you have been on various visas since arrival.
The costs of the application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or Permanent Residence (PR), varies according to the various visa type. You can check how much it’ll cost you to obtain a UK permanent residence permit here. Finally, when you put all these documents together, you can complete the application form and submit it to UK immigration confidently.
UK Residence Permit Requirements for Non EU Nationals
Non EU Nationals are foreign countries that’s not among the membership of the European Union. Foreigners residing in the UK that’s non EU nationals must provide these documents as proof of their legal stay in the UK as part of the PR application process.
- Bank Account Statement.
- Proof Of Residential Address e.g Rent or Lease Contract.
- Current Pay Slips; Three Months Maximum
- Council Tax Letters
- Proof supporting the calculation of an applicant’s disclosed other sources of income, if any.
- Appointment letter from employer on company letterhead with signatory authority stamp and date in case the applicant is a job employee.
- For entrepreneurs, relevant materials must be documented regarding registered business addresses, relevant valid permits etc.
Once you compiled these stated above documents, you can submit your UK PR application to obtain BRP card and live in the UK permanently.
The EU Settlement Scheme Requirements
If you’re an EU citizen (i.e citizen in one of the European Union countries e.g France, Germany, and Greece), and don’t have UK’s IRL, you can apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.
Application for the EU Settlement Scheme required zero fee, and with it, you’re granted either “settled” or “pre-settled status.” With settled status, you can stay in the UK permanently. With pre-settled status, you can stay for another five years, and can always apply for settled status later.
With both residence permit status, you’ll get the right to work and study in the UK, access NHS, access public benefits and pensions, leave the UK to travel – and apply for British citizenship after 12 months.
English Requirements
To be eligible for UK Permanent Residence (PR) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), you must have at-least B1 level in English, and must be able to demonstrate your English skills.
Therefore, you must be fluent in English speaking to be able to apply for UK Permanent Residence. For people with working Visa, you must have at least be able to communicate in working knowledge.
UK PR Fees and Processing Time
According to article on the UK Visas and Immigration official website, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) takes about six (6) months to process, and the application fee for ILR costs £2,389.
However, do note that many categories and VISA types have financial requirements, which can make PR application much for expensive in the UK.
How to Apply for Permanent Residence in the UK
The easiest way to get PR in UK is by meeting any of the requirements. For instance, If you studied in the UK, in order to gain PR, you can first apply for a Skilled worker visa. With that, you will be able to apply for PR after 5 years. In general, you live and work in the UK to be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the nation.
To apply for Permanent Residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK;
- First, check your eligibility status and gather all the paperwork that’s necessary.
- Compile all your immigration history details especially if you have been on various visas since arrival.
- Once you’ve gathered all required documents and information, go-to UK Visa and Immigration official website to complete the application form.
- You can also get a Lawyer to help you with the application and further guide you through the process.
These are just the easiest way to apply for UK Permanent Residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the country. With it, you can live, study and work in any of the United Kingdom’s Nations.
How to collect BRP Card in UK
A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is a document issued by the UK Government which shows evidence of the holder’s immigration permissions. The BRP card is given when your Permanent Residence (PR) application is approved.
To collect your BRP card, you may need to contact your Lawyer to help you get it from the UK immigration office. However, if you carry-out your application yourself, you can obtain it in the immigration office.
A BRP card is a similar size to a credit card and holds foreigner’s biographic details (such as name, date and place of birth) and biometric information (facial image and fingerprints).
