From Student Visa to Permanent Residency in UK UK is regarded as the land of opportunities. Most of the international students prefer to start their career here after completing their higher education. If you too have plans to settle in UK, then it is better to apply for the permanent residence to the British government. Permanent Residence is a special status granted to a person that authorizes him/ her to stay in the respective country for an indefinite period of time without any restriction. In the UK, permanent residency is referred as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Since the last 10 years, the immigration rules have changed substantially. It has become a little more complicated. However, if you are a resident of European Economic Area (EEA) or a Swiss citizen then you get automatically eligible for ILR after five years of continuous residence in UK. The EEA citizens are not governed by immigration rules rather they are under the purview of EEA regulations 2006. If you do not belong to any of the EEA countries, then you need to follow a definite procedure.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Overview Generally an ILR status is granted to such eligible people who have shown their commitment to the country with their temporary visa. The applicants, if found eligible, are granted a 5-year term residence in the country. It can be extended later. The high school and college students, who are currently residing in the country, can apply for the ILR on specific grounds, either to continue their studies or to start their professional career. When they get the ILR, they get the permission to stay in UK for an indefinite period with a variety of other entitlements. Once granted, there will be no other immigration-related restrictions and you will be free to study or work in any part of the country.
Eligibility All the students must fulfill certain criteria in order to become eligible for the ILR status. Most of the students are given Tier 4 General Visa when they visit UK to complete their studies. If the student is below 16 years of age, they get the Tier 4 General Child Visa. So, when they want to change their student visa to permanent residence, the
mandatory eligibility criteria are as follows: They must be residing in the country for at least 5 continuous years if they are applying for ILR status for work or higher study permit. It is known as the qualifying period. However, this qualifying period will be reduced to 2 years if the concerned student is married to a British citizen. They must be self-reliant and self-sufficient in the country. They should be engaged in any professional or official activities like studying or working. They must exhibit a concrete reason for applying ILR status. In certain circumstances, the applicants may be asked to give a ‘Life in the UK’ test. This is a special evaluation to test the knowledge of the students about UK, its history, geography, government policies and obviously its people. However, these days, it is rarely used and only those students applying for citizenship need to qualify in this test. During the temporary stay with the student visa, the respective applicant should not have violated any rule or regulation bestowed on them by the immigration department of the country. For settling in UK, the applicants must exhibit their proficiency in English. They must qualify in any of the prescribed English level tests like B1, B2, C1 or C2. Any qualification below B1 will not be accepted. However, if you are a citizen of any English-speaking nation, then you automatically qualify and no need to manifest your English knowledge. At the time of the application, the students must be residing in UK. So, if you intend to apply, you should be in the country to apply for the ILR status with a valid visa and passport.
Application At the time of application, all the students need to submit certain documents with their application. The documents may vary according to the nationality of the student. It also depends on the pursuing course and on the reasons to apply for the ILR status. Recent photographs with the necessary evidence to prove the reason for the application is required. When the applicant is eligible they can apply for the ILR status and Permanent Residence Card by downloading and filling the respective application form. The application form is available in the respective UK government website responsible for immigration. The form should be filled properly and appropriately by the applicant themselves. All the supporting documents should be listed and attached with the form. Generally, the applications for the ILR status are received in the Post Office branches, Home Offices or the respective Immigration centers. Every student should remember that the application which are not duly filled or completed can get rejected or they may take longer processing time. Since the year 2003, the fees for ILR status have increased drastically. Before that, it was free. Nowadays, every year, the fees are revised and accordingly the applicants need to pay for it. In the year 2012, the fees crossed £1,000.
These prices are indicative which changes every year. So, it will be better if you verify the ILR charges at the time of application.
Bio-metric Information Collection and Permit It is an important part of the procedure known as Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The applicants, who aspire to reside in UK indefinitely, need to secure the BRP. You don’t need to apply separately for it; this BRP program is inclusive within the application. At an informed time, the students are required to visit the nearby Post Office branch where the biometric
information of the student is collected. In this step, the following details are collected: A digital photo of your face Digital prints of all the 10 fingers Signature
Along with these details, all the applicants are required to provide their: Name Date and Place of Birth Present Immigration Status Present Studying or Working Status. You need to provide proper evidence and supporting documents with each given data about yourself. You may also need to furnish additional details according to the need and requirements. The whole process is completed within 10-15 minutes without the usage of ink or any form of hassles. You need to pay separately for this BRP procedure. You need to pay around £80 pounds within 14 days of receiving the BRP or it becomes invalid. If you are below 18, then you should be accompanied by your parent, guardian or any someone who is authorized for your responsibility. It will be definitely better if you know the location of your concerned Post Office prior to your interview. The BRP card confirms your identity and gives you the exclusive right to study and work in UK. You also become entitled to take any public service or benefit. So, it is an essential proof for all the successful applicants of ILR. It is scheduled to reach you within 10-15 days. Any problem, mistake or issue with the BRP must be brought to notice immediately. You can apply for a replacement if the card is lost or misplaced. All the applicants are awarded Infinite Leave to Remain (ILR) when they successfully complete this whole procedure. Securing the ILR means you get entitled to a variety of opportunities which all the temporary student visa holders are not authorized to do.
Advantages
Some of the main advantages of getting the ILR in UK are as follows: People with ILR can apply for British citizenship through the process of naturalization. If they have held the ILR for more than one year and living in the country for more than five years, then they become eligible for citizenship. Moreover, the procedure to get the citizenship becomes much easier if the ILR holder is married to a British citizen. People with temporary visa including the student visa are prohibited for access to public funds. But people with ILR status in UK are eligible for all forms of public funds and services as is it enjoyed by the citizens of the country. They can get health care services, job seeker allowance and numerous other benefits. Students with ILR status will be counted as home students. In UK, the home students enjoy the special privilege to get education till the tertiary level by paying much lesser tuition fees compared to the international students. Home students refer to the citizens of UK, EEA students and pupils with ILR status.
If the student is a citizen of any Commonwealth nation and possess the ILR status, then they earn the right to vote in the elections held in UK. Not only that, they also gain the right to stand as candidates in these elections and become the representatives of the people. So, if you are thinking to extend your stay in the country for studies or work, the permanent residency or the ILR status is the best option. If you are not eligible for this indefinite residency (reasons: poor English skills or if you don’t have proper admittance in universities), make yourself worthy and then apply for the status. If you are confused with the procedure, do not hesitate to take the assistance of the immigration officers. They are the best source to guide you in every situation. Get this ILR status in UK and make the first step for a prosperous future!
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