You must have lived in the UK for 5 years before you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. There are rules for what counts towards the 5 years if you have: spent time outside the UK had more than one visa If you’ve spent time outside the UK You must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. If you think you’re affected by this rule, the Home Office has guidance about how to calculate your time in the UK (‘continuous residence’). If you’ve had more than one visa In the 5 years you’ve lived in the UK, you can include time you’ve had on any combination of the following visas: Scale-up Worker Skilled Worker or Tier 2 (General) any Tier 1 visa - except Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) T2 Minister of Religion International Sportsperson Innovator Founder Global Talent Representative of an Overseas Business

Financial requirements

You must meet the requirements for both: your current salary your earnings over the past 3 years Your current salary You must be employed and earn a certain salary when you apply. How much you must earn depends on when you got your most recent certificate of sponsorship. If you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024 You must earn a salary of at least £36,300 per year. If you got your last certificate of sponsorship on or after 12 April 2023 and before 4 April 2024 You must earn a salary of at least £34,600 per year. If you got your last certificate of sponsorship on or before 11 April 2023 You must earn a salary of at least £33,000 per year. Your earnings over the past 3 years You must have been earning a certain amount for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before the date you apply. The amount depends on when you got your most recent certificate of sponsorship. You can include salaries from more than one job if you earned a monthly salary equivalent to at least the relevant salary in each job. If you had more than one job at the same time, only include the highest earning salary. You cannot count self-employed earnings towards the minimum earnings requirement. This is because your salary is not paid through PAYE (Pay as You Earn). If you got your last certificate of sponsorship on or before 11 April 2023 You must have earned a monthly salary equivalent to at least £33,000 per year for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before you apply. If you got your last certificate of sponsorship after 11 April 2023 and before 4 April 2024 You must have earned a monthly salary equivalent to at least £34,600 per year for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before you apply. If you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024 You must have earned a monthly salary equivalent to at least £36,300 per year for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before you apply.

You can include your partner and children on your application if they’re eligible. Your partner and children can apply separately at a later date , for example if they’re not eligible yet. They can continue to extend their visa as your Scale-up Worker dependant, even after you get indefinite leave to remain. Eligibility for partners Your partner may qualify if all the following apply: they have permission to be in the UK as your partner (as a ‘dependant’ on your visa) they’ve lived in the UK with you as your dependant for at least 5 continuous years your relationship is genuine you intend to keep living together you have enough income to support yourselves and your dependants you’re not using public funds Your partner can include time they’ve spent as your dependant on another visa to count towards the continuous years they need to qualify. They cannot count any time spent on their own visa (not as your dependant). If your partner is 18 to 64, they must: book and pass the Life in the UK Test meet the English language requirements Eligibility for children You can include your child on your application if: they have permission to be in the UK as your child (as a ‘dependant’ on your visa) they are not married or in a civil partnership they will live with you and be supported by you without using public funds you and your child’s other parent are both currently applying to settle, or are already settled Your child can also apply to settle in one of the following situations: you’re the child’s sole surviving parent you have sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing there are serious or compelling family or other considerations, for example you (if you’re settled in the UK) or your child has a serious illness Extra documents for children over 16 You’ll need to prove: where they live - if they do not live with you, you’ll need to explain why any rent or upkeep they pay you each month that you support them financially if they do not live with you You’ll need to provide documents such as the ones on this list, to prove where they live: bank statement credit card bill driving licence NHS registration document a letter from their current school, college or university, on headed paper and issued by an authorised official of that organisation The documents you provide should not be more than a month old on the date you make your application. If your child lives away from home, you’ll need to provide evidence they are not living an independent live, for example: bank statements for you and your child covering the 3 months before the date you apply (to prove you’ve supported them) confirmation from their university or college on headed paper and issued by an authorised official (if they’re studying) Children 18 and over You can only include older children in your application if they both: were under 18 when they first got permission to be in the UK as your dependant still do not live an independent life - for example, they have not got married or had children They also need to: pass the Life in the UK Test meet the English language requirements If your child is over 18 by the time you apply and does not meet these requirements, they must apply separately .

You must apply online . Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later. You’ll need to pay the fee as part of your application. You may need to provide documents to prove, for example: that you’ve passed the Life in the UK Test - if you needed to take this that you meet the financial requirements To prove that you meet the financial requirements, you can provide documents such as: P45s, P60s or payslips a letter from your employer Get help to apply online You can get help with completing the online form if you: do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device do not have internet access You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK. You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

You’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo). You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can: upload them into the online service have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment Any children aged 6 or over must provide biometric information if you’re applying for them on your form. You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do. Getting a decision You’ll usually get a decision within 6 months. If you paid to use the ‘super priority service’ you’ll get a decision within 2 working days, or within 5 working days if you paid to use the ‘priority service’. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays. You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example: if your supporting documents need to be verified if you need to attend an interview because of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction If your application is approved You can do the following: work run a business study use public services, such as healthcare and schools apply for public funds (benefits) and pensions apply for British citizenship , usually after a minimum of 12 months If you stay outside of the UK for more than 2 years You can lose your indefinite leave to remain if you stay outside the UK for more than 2 years at a time. You may need to apply before you can return to the UK .

Indefinite leave to remain if you have a Scale-up Worker visa

Overview

You may be able to settle permanently in the UK if you have a Scale-up Worker visa.

Indefinite leave to remain is how you settle in the UK. It’s also called ‘settlement’. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship.

Eligibility

You must:

have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years - there are rules for what counts towards your time in the UK
meet the financial requirements

If you’re not eligible using your Scale-up Worker visa, there are other ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Knowledge of language and life in the UK

If you’re 18 to 64 you’ll need to book and pass the Life in the UK Test.

You do not need to prove you meet the English language requirements when you apply to settle using your Scale-up Worker visa. This is because you did this when you applied for your visa.

When to apply

The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you’ve been in the UK for 5 years on a qualifying visa. Check which visas count towards your time in the UK. Your application may be refused if you apply earlier.

Do not wait until your current visa expires. If your visa expires before you can apply for indefinite leave to remain, you’ll need to renew it first.

Fees and how long it takes

It costs £2,885 for each person applying. You can include your partner and children on the same application form, if they’re eligible.

You’ll each need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there’s no fee for this.

You’ll usually get a decision within 6 months if you apply using the standard service.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

Get a faster decision on your application

You can pay an extra £500 to use the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

You can pay an extra £1,000 to use the super priority service to get a decision:

by the end of the next working day after providing your fingerprints and photo (known as ‘biometric information’) if your appointment is on a weekday
2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Indefinite leave to remain if you have a Scale-up Worker visa

Overview

Eligibility

Knowledge of language and life in the UK

When to apply

Fees and how long it takes

Get a faster decision on your application

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Indefinite leave to remain if you have a Scale-up Worker visa

Overview

Eligibility

Knowledge of language and life in the UK

When to apply

Fees and how long it takes

Get a faster decision on your application

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK