Indefinite Leave to Remain as a Refugee

ILR as a refugee is a type of immigration status that allows individuals who have been granted refugee status in the UK to stay in the country permanently.

Refugees are individuals who have fled their home country due to persecution, war or violence and have been granted asylum in the UK.

To be eligible for ILR as a refugee, individuals must have completed at least five years in the UK as a refugee or a person with humanitarian protection. They must not have breached any immigration laws or have any criminal convictions that would make them ineligible for ILR, and they must have sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK.

ILR as a refugee allows individuals to stay in the UK permanently, work, study, and access public services. It also provides a pathway to British citizenship, which can be applied for after holding ILR for at least one year.

If you need legal advice or help with your Indefinite Leave to Remain application as a refugee, 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 as a refugee?

Here are the steps you need to take to apply for ILR as a refugee:

Check the eligibility criteria

You must have been in the UK for at least five years, have a valid refugee status, and not have any serious criminal convictions.

Collect your supporting documents

You’ll need to provide evidence of your identity, your refugee status, and your residence in the UK. This may include your passport or travel document, your Home Office-issued refugee status papers, and utility bills or bank statements that show where you have been living.

Fill out the application form

To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a Refugee, you must apply online and you’ll need to fill out the application form SET (Protection Route) or SET(P).

Submit your application and pay the fee

Once the application is completed, you must submit it online and pay the appropriate application fee. You do not need to pay the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS) fee.

Book & attend a biometrics appointment

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll be asked to attend a biometrics appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken.

Wait for a decision

The processing time for ILR applications can vary, but it usually takes around 6 months. You can check the status of your application online.

Requirements for ILR as a refugee

To be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a Refugee, you must meet the following requirements:

You must have been granted refugee status in the UK
You must have completed at least five years in the UK as a refugee
You must not have breached any immigration laws or have any criminal convictions that would make you ineligible for ILR
You must be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK
You must not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period.
You must be able to demonstrate that you are financially self-sufficient or have adequate support from a family member or a sponsor.

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.

It is important to note that the rules and requirements for ILR as a refugee may change from time to time, so it is advisable that you consult the immigration lawyer on applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain as a refugee to ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements.

Read the guidance for the full list of eligibility requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) applications.

Documents required for ILR as a refugee

To apply for ILR as a refugee in the UK, you will need to provide the following supporting documents:

Your valid passport or travel document.
Your biometric residence permit (BRP) or Home Office travel document.
Your police registration certificate, if applicable.
Evidence that you have completed at least five years in the UK as a refugee or a person with humanitarian protection. This could include any letters or documents from the Home Office that confirm your refugee status or humanitarian protection, or evidence of any previous visas you have held.
Evidence of your financial status, such as bank statements, employment contracts, or evidence of any government benefits you receive.
Evidence of your knowledge of the English language and life in the UK, such as your Life in the UK test certificate and your English language test certificate.
Any other documents that may support your application, such as proof of accommodation, evidence of your family relationships, or medical certificates.

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 as a refugee, as failure to do so may result in your 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.

Indefinite Leave to Remain as a Refugee