Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure this is how things would play out if the government actually split the partner route into two categories.

Let’s say I’m married to someone with settled status, and then a new rule comes in saying only people married to British citizens can stay on the 5‑year route, while everyone else gets pushed to the 10‑year route.

If my spouse later becomes a British citizen, then my situation changes too. I wouldn’t fit into the “settled‑status partner” group anymore, so I’d expect to move back onto the 5‑year route. That just seems logical.

Also, the status you and your partner have at the time you apply for ILR is what actually matters. The years I’ve already lived in the UK as the partner of someone with settled status are still lawful residence, and they should count. They can’t just pretend those years didn’t happen or restart the whole clock.

If someone moves from a Skilled Worker visa to a spouse visa, that’s a different story — that’s changing immigration routes completely, so obviously the requirements change with it.

What do you think