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United Kingdom · Indefinite leave to remain

UK Indefinite Leave to Remain: Guide for Pakistanis

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is UK settlement: the right to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit. You cannot usually apply for it from Pakistan: you first move on a route that leads to settlement, such as a Skilled Worker or partner visa, and apply after the qualifying period. The settlement rules are being reformed, so check gov.uk for the rules in force on the day you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
Indefinite leave to remain (settlement)
Decided by
UK Visas and Immigration, part of the Home Office
Where you apply
Usually from inside the UK, at the end of your qualifying period
Common routes from Pakistan
Skilled Worker (including Health and Care) and partner or other family visas
Tests
Life in the UK Test and an approved English test, unless exempt
Proof of status
An eVisa in your UKVI account, not a physical card

Who this is for

  • Pakistanis already in the UK on a work route, such as Skilled Worker, who are nearing the end of their qualifying period
  • Partners of British citizens or settled people who are living in the UK on a partner visa
  • Partners and children who came to the UK as dependants of a main applicant on a settlement route

When another route fits better

  • You live in Pakistan and have no UK visa yet: start with a route that leads to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker visa or a family (partner) visa.
  • You are in the UK as a student or visitor: these visas do not lead to settlement on their own. Look at switching to a qualifying work or family route, or the long residence rules if you meet them.
  • You already have ILR and want a British passport: the next step is British citizenship by naturalisation, which has its own requirements.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Valid passport and access to your UKVI account (eVisa)
  • Life in the UK Test pass reference, unless you are exempt
  • English language evidence at the level required for settlement, such as an approved test or an accepted degree, unless exempt
  • A dated record of every trip outside the UK during your qualifying period

Work routes, such as Skilled Worker

  • A letter from your sponsoring employer confirming they still need you and what they pay you
  • Recent payslips and bank statements that match your salary
  • Tax records, such as P60s, covering your qualifying period

Partner and family routes

  • Evidence you live together, such as tenancy papers, bills or bank letters addressed to you both
  • Your partner's passport or proof of their British citizenship or settled status
  • Your NADRA marriage registration certificate and nikah nama, with certified translations where needed
  • Birth certificates or NADRA Child Registration Certificates for children applying with you

Step by step

  1. 1

    Get onto a qualifying route

    From Pakistan, apply for a visa that can lead to settlement, such as Skilled Worker or a partner visa. For UK visas of more than six months you also need a TB test at a Home Office approved clinic in Pakistan.

  2. 2

    Keep your status clean

    Stick to your visa conditions, stay with your sponsor or partner, and extend before your current leave runs out. Keep a log of every absence from the UK from the day you arrive.

  3. 3

    Check the rules before you apply

    Settlement is being reformed. Read the gov.uk guidance for your route shortly before applying, including the qualifying period and English level that apply on your application date.

  4. 4

    Pass your tests

    Book the Life in the UK Test at a UK centre. If your existing English evidence does not meet the settlement level, take an approved English test.

  5. 5

    Apply online and prove your identity

    Apply on gov.uk before your current visa expires, pay the fee, and give your fingerprints and photo or confirm your identity through the app if you are offered that option.

  6. 6

    Receive your decision

    If approved, your ILR appears as an eVisa in your UKVI account. Keep your passport details up to date there before you travel.

Costs to plan for

  • The ILR application fee for each person, set by the Home Office and reviewed from time to time
  • The Life in the UK Test booking fee
  • An approved English test, plus any retakes
  • Optional faster decision services, where they are offered
  • Certified translations of documents not in English or Welsh
  • Advice from a regulated immigration adviser, if you use one

Why applications get refused

  • Applying before the full qualifying period is complete
  • Too much time outside the UK, which breaks continuous residence
  • Gaps in lawful status, such as applying to extend after a visa had already expired
  • Pay or employment below what the route requires, or a sponsor that can no longer confirm the job
  • An English test from a provider or centre not on the approved list, or at the wrong level
  • Unpaid NHS charges, other debts or undeclared convictions, which raise suitability concerns
  • Partner applications without enough evidence that the couple still live together

Tips before you apply

  • Keep a travel log with dates from your first day in the UK. Rebuilding it years later is slow and error-prone.
  • Do not leave the UK and Ireland while your application is pending without checking the effect first; travelling can mean the application is treated as withdrawn.
  • Book your English test only with a provider and centre on the Home Office approved list.
  • Follow gov.uk announcements. The government has said reforms to settlement would apply to people already in the UK who do not yet have ILR.

Questions people ask

Generally no. ILR is for people who have already lived in the UK on a qualifying route. A few situations work differently, such as former residents returning to the UK, so check gov.uk for your case.

It depends on your route. The government has consulted on an earned settlement model that would make the standard wait longer for many people, with shorter or longer periods for some groups. Check gov.uk for the period that applies to you.

Yes. The Home Office has announced a higher English standard for most settlement applications from 2027. Check which level applies on your application date before you book a test.

Status is now shown as an eVisa in your UKVI account rather than a physical card. You prove it to employers and landlords with a share code.

Many people go on to apply for British citizenship once they meet its own requirements. Pakistan allows dual nationality with the UK, but confirm your position with NADRA before you apply.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.