ILR for a child after 7 years in the UK

If a child is born in the UK and has lived in the UK continuously for at least seven years can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain on the basis of private life.

Children born in the UK can apply for settlement immediately instead of limited leave to remain, once they have lived in the UK continuously for 7 years. This avoids the need for children to apply for extensions repeatedly.

If you need legal advice or help with your Indefinite Leave to Remain application, our experienced immigration lawyer can provide you with the help you need.

Call Rex Law Chambers on 0161 989 9370 or fill in our enquiry form for immigration advice and help with your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application.

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How to apply for ILR for a child after 7 years?

If a child has lived in the UK continuously for at least seven years and meets certain eligibility criteria, they may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK.

To apply for ILR for a child after 7 years in the UK, you will need to follow these steps:

Check that the child meets the eligibility requirements for ILR
Collect the necessary documents
Complete the relevant application form online.
Pay the application fee
Submit your application
Wait for a decision

It is recommended to seek professional advice from an immigration advisor before making an application for ILR to ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements and have provided all the required supporting documents.

Requirements to apply for ILR for a child (7 years route)

To be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for a child who has lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years, the following requirements must be met:

Continuous residence in the UK for at least 7 years: The child must have lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years, with no more than 180 days of absence in any 12-month period.
Good character: The child must not have any serious criminal convictions or have breached any immigration laws.
Financial requirement: The child does not need to meet any financial requirement, but their parent or legal guardian may need to meet a financial requirement if they are applying for ILR at the same time.

You must also meet all the other eligibility requirements depending on type of application and your personal circumstances. Please contact us for an initial assessment to determine your eligibility, and to discuss the options.

Children born outside the UK

A child who is born outside the UK but who has lived in the UK continuously for 7 years will be able to apply for settlement after 5 years rather than 10 years as is the case at present.

What documents are required?

To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for a child after 7 years in the UK, you will need to provide the following supporting documents:

The child’s passport or travel document, as proof of their identity.
Evidence of the child’s continuous residence in the UK for the past 7 years, such as school records, doctor’s letters, tenancy agreements, utility bills, or council tax bills.
The child’s current biometric residence permit (BRP) or Home Office travel document, if applicable.
Evidence of any parent’s or legal guardian’s immigration status in the UK, if applicable.
Any other relevant documents that may support the child’s application, such as evidence of their education, medical records, or proof of their accommodation.

This is a general list of documents. Depending on type of application and your personal circumstances, you might also need to provide additional documents.

Please contact us for an initial assessment to determine your eligibility, and find out the required list of documents in support of your application.

It is important to provide all the required supporting documents when making an application for ILR for a child after 7 years in the UK, as failure to do so may result in the application being refused. It is recommended to seek professional advice from an immigration advisor to ensure you have provided all the required documents and to prepare a strong application.

ILR application processing time

You should get a decision within 3-6 months if you are applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) using standard service. However, you may be able to use priority service to get a faster decision.

Check the latest information about the ILR application processing time on the GOV website.

How long does the ILR application process take?

Once you have applied online and attended your biometrics appointment, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

3-6 months, if applying using standard service
5 working days, if applying using priority service
24 hours, if applying using super priority service

Super Priority Service

You may be eligible to use the “super priority service” to get a faster decision by the end of the next working day (within 24 hours). You’ll need to pay £1,000 in addition to the ILR application fee.

Priority Service

You may be able to choose the ‘priority service‘ when you apply for a UK visa to get a faster decision within 5 working days. You’ll need to pay £500 in addition to the ILR application fee.

When you apply, you might be eligible to choose the ‘super priority service‘ or ‘priority service‘ to get your visa faster depending on the type of application.

ILR application fees

Home Office (UKVI) fee for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application is £2,885 per applicant if applying using standard service. You do not need to pay the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) if you are applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

Please note that these fees are subject to change, and you should always check the most up-to-date information on the UK government’s official website before applying for a visa.

How much does an ILR application cost?

The cost of an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application varies depending on the type of application you are applying for and the type of service you are using such as ‘standard service‘, ‘super priority service‘, or ‘priority service‘.

Here are some common costs associated with applying for an indefinite leave to remain:

£2,885 Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application fee
£0.00 Biometrics fee (there’s no fee for this)
£50 Life in the UK test fee (unless you are exempt)
£150 approx. English language test fee (unless you are exempt)
£1,000 in addition to the application fee if using the “super priority service” to get faster decisions within 24 hours (optional)
£500 in addition to the application fee if using the “priority service” to get faster decisions within 5 working days (optional)
£800-£1,000 Our immigration lawyer fees (if using our full legal services to maximise your chances of success & avoid mistakes)

Please note that the above is a general list of costs associated with UK visa applications. There may be additional costs such translation fee depending on your circumstances.

Immigration lawyer fees

Our expert UK immigration lawyer will guide you through every step of the UK visa application process including advice about legal requirements and eligibility criteria.

At Rex Law Chambers, our immigration lawyer charges a fixed fee between £800-£1000 for our complete legal services in relation to your UK visa application. The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the matter and the casework involved in the matter.

How can our immigration lawyer help you?

As part of our immigration services for your immigration application, our expert immigration lawyer will:

assess your eligibility for the relevant visa type by fully considering your circumstances;
advise you on the required supporting documents to be submitted in support of your immigration application;
assess all the documents to ensure that the documents you provide are as per the requirements of the Immigration Rules;
advise you on strengths and potential weaknesses in your visa application and how you can overcome such weaknesses if any;
complete the online immigration draft application form to share it with you for cross-checking;
submit your application online and schedule your biometrics appointments with the relevant commercial partner of the UKVI;
prepare a detailed cover letter in support of the immigration application explaining in detail how you are meeting all the requirements of the Immigration Rules so that you have the maximum chances of succeeding in your visa application;
upload all the supporting documents online in support of the immigration application in their correct format and order;
dealing and responding to any caseworker enquiries or correspondence from the Home Office caseworker for any further documents or information concerning your pending immigration application;
do all the follow-up work on your immigration application until a decision is received from the Home Office UKVI.

Need legal advice or help from an immigration lawyer?

Call us on 0161 989 9370 or fill in the enquiry form to get legal advice or help with your UK visa application. Our UK immigration lawyer is ready to assist you.

At Rex Law Chambers, we specialise in a wide range of UK visas and nationality applications and our principal immigration lawyer has a wealth of experience and expert knowledge to deal with all types of UK visas and immigration applications. He has successfully handled many complex and high-profile cases and also represented clients in their immigration matters.

Free immigration advice online

Our immigration lawyer can provide one-off FREE general legal advice online via live chat or through the enquiry form. The FREE advice does not cover the advice in relation to complex legal issues or advice about documents to be submitted in support of the application.

If you would like to get detailed immigration advice then please schedule an in-person, Zoom, or phone consultation by using our appointment request form.

ILR for a child after 7 years in the UK