The United Kingdom is one of the top destination places in the world. It beholds a diverse culture and glorious history. This country provides world-class education, work and healthcare services to its citizens. This is the basic reason why people from all around the globe want to settle in the United Kingdom. Mostly career-oriented individuals, students and business owners want to become a part of the British legacy. However, entering this country is not that easy. It requires a valid visa ILR application fee, and to settle down, you will require to go through the ILR application process. ILR stands for Indefinite leave to remain, and it’s a highly demanded immigration status. It allows you to work and live in the UK permanently. To obtain an ILR, you must be aware of the ILR application fee to plan your immigration pathway effectively.
This comprehensive guide will discuss every necessary step and factors related to ILR. So what are we waiting for? Let’s go through this ultimate piece of knowledge and understand the facts of ILR.
An Overview of ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
To settle or live permanently in the United Kingdom, it is essential to obtain ILR. This specific immigration status allows non-European citizens to live and work in the United Kingdom without restrictions. Once you obtain this immigration status, you will be eligible to access government services and other benefits similar to British citizens. There are several eligibility criteria that are required to meet before applying for ILR. The most important thing during this application process is to consider and know each and every aspect of the ILR application fee. Here in the next section, we will discuss the fee structure of Indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
ILR Application Fee Structure
The most important thing regarding Indefinite leave to remain is to understand its fee structure. This part can be a little complicated to understand. It is as complicated as the essential thing to understand. So what are we waiting for let’s discuss the fee structure of ILR.
- You must know that the ILR fee depends on your visa category to enter the United Kingdom. The UK visas and immigration authorities fees vary for different visa categories. Hence, it is essential to check out what is the applicable fee for your visa category. You can visit the UK government’s official website to check out the application fee that is applicable for ILR on your visa route.
- There are other charges also that are applicable to the ILR application process. It includes a biometric enrolment fee. This fee is also applicable to applicants and their dependent family members. This fee includes the cover cost of providing biometric details, which includes your fingerprints and photographs.
- If you apply for an ILR, you will also be required to pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS). It is one of the mandatory charges to access the national health services of the United Kingdom. You must know that these charges will be calculated on the basis of the time period of the UK visa being applied for. It is essential to pay all the fees for the entire period while applying to permanently live in the untied Kingdom.
- Apart from these fees, you will have to pay additional charges if you wish to expedite your ILR processing time. It is called the premium service fee, which can help you obtain the ILR expeditiously.
These charges can be paid through the UK government’s official website through your debit or credit card. However, if you find it difficult to understand the fee structure of the ILR. It is advisable to get along with an immigration lawyer. In the United Kingdom, there are several immigration law firms, such as A Y & J Solicitors. Their knowledgeable team of solicitors can make it easier for you to understand the fee structure and obtain the ILR.
What are the ILR Application Fees by Category?
As you already know that ILR fees vary depending on your visa category. Here we have mentioned some of those categories to make it more understandable for you.
- Suppose if you are a Tier 2 general visa holder and applying for indefinite leave to remain after staying for five years in the UK. As per the current scenario, you will have to pay £2,389. You also have to pay the biometric enrolment and IHS charges as well.
- If you are staying in the United Kingdom for ten years, you can apply for the ILR under the long residency category. Applying for an ILR through this category, you will be charged £2,389 plus biometric enrollment charges and IHS charges.
- If you are staying in the United Kingdom on a Spouse visa with your British or a person with settled status in the United Kingdom. After five years, applying for the ILR can be easier, but you will have to pay the application fee. The application fee will be £2,389, excluding biometric enrolment and IHS charges.
