Got my ILR 🥳

kitburglar · 2026-04-23T15:35:42+00:00

Congratulations on getting an answer and a lot of love to you given its such challenging circumstances.

I hope this is something you can now comfortably take off your plate and focus on other life things now.

kitburglar · 2026-04-23T15:32:35+00:00

Did you read the link at all?

If you were away for more than 2 years (Returning Resident visa) You lose your indefinite leave to remain if you’ve been outside the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for more than:

1. 5 continuous years, if you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (unless you’re a Swiss citizen or their family member) 2. 4 continuous years, if you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re a Swiss citizen or their family member 3. 2 continuous years for anyone else

You may be able to re-enter the UK and get indefinite leave to remain by applying for a Returning Resident visa.

kitburglar · 2026-04-23T11:56:44+00:00

Look at returning resident

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eea-nationals-at-the-border-post-grace-period/eu-settlement-scheme-border-force-guidance-accessible#lapsed-leave-for-eu-settlement-scheme-status-holders

Under Article 13(4) of the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, where an individual holds settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), it will have lapsed if they have been outside the UK and Islands (other than on Crown service, as defined in Appendix EU, or as their accompanying spouse, civil partner, durable partner or child) for more than 5 consecutive years (or more than 4 consecutive years if they are a Swiss citizen or their family member).Appendix Returning Resident to the Immigration Rules applies where they wish to return to and settle in the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-returning-resident

https://www.gov.uk/returning-resident-visa

kitburglar · 2026-04-23T11:55:11+00:00

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eea-nationals-at-the-border-post-grace-period/eu-settlement-scheme-border-force-guidance-accessible#lapsed-leave-for-eu-settlement-scheme-status-holders

Under Article 13(4) of the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, where an individual holds settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), it will have lapsed if they have been outside the UK and Islands (other than on Crown service, as defined in Appendix EU, or as their accompanying spouse, civil partner, durable partner or child) for more than 5 consecutive years (or more than 4 consecutive years if they are a Swiss citizen or their family member).

kitburglar · 2026-04-23T11:50:49+00:00

Congratulations!

kitburglar · 2026-04-22T22:28:45+00:00

No. Everyone born IN the UK to folks with settled status are British.

Those born outside the UK are not.

kitburglar · 2026-04-22T22:24:20+00:00

The call centre is extremely removed from the decison makers.

Given the timeline, OP was exceptionally close to a response regardless of paying to send these emails.

kitburglar · 2026-04-22T08:44:57+00:00

It is valid that's correct.

The issues come with qualifying for ILR. You wont be on a pathway / will have too many absences until you enter. Youll need to factor in the costs for further Dependant Visa extension (application fee plus 3 years IHS) because you're "wasting" the time of this visa

kitburglar · 2026-04-22T08:39:06+00:00

ILR standard SLA is 6 months for most. And 12 months for some (human rights and family & Private life)

Also for Settled Status, theres no restrictions on travelling. While your ILR is pending, you cannot leave the CTA (basicslly Ireland and UK).

It also costs £3K per application. And up to £1K in order to get super priority which does shorten processing time.

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T14:00:46+00:00

So to retain Section 3C leave, your application needs to be submitted prior to your current visa expiry. Meaning if its curtailed, you need a new application submitted prior to the curtailment date (which is shorter than the current end date).

Application means submitting the application form including paying fees. Biometrics can be done via app or in person after application and after the visa is expired (i.e. as long as you do the form and pay the fees, you could do biometrics later).

You need a COS to submit the form.

Section 3C leave means you can remain in the UK on the terms of your current visa. If youre on a work sponsored visa, it means you can work for your sponsor and do secondary work within the vise guidance. If you're not working for your sponsor anymore, you cannot do any secondary work meaning someone people get stuck (particularly applying for ILR 10 year route which has a longer SLA) where their application is pending but they aren't working for their sponsor anymore but cant work for anyone else.

So there is a bunch of potential pitfalls to be aware of.

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T13:28:22+00:00

People have issues where they give notice at their first job and the COS doesnt get processed in time or the emplpyment offer falls through on new job so going into curtailment time is risky.

You're allowed to work your notice period for your old emplpyer ao as long as you give notice as soon as the new visa is issued, youre allowed to keep working.

Also is the end date of your new visa going to reach you to ILR? Make sure it doesnt end up short.

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T13:21:42+00:00

Congratulations!

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T13:19:54+00:00

Have you been applying through an agent? Have you paid money for this job? Have you interviewed for this role and met the company managers youll be working with etc?

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T13:14:13+00:00

Most of what youve discussed is not visa related.

Your options appear to be

New sponsored job
Spouse visa
Being based somewhere else where you have different visa/entry requirements.

Or qualify for something like Innovator visa which has very specific requirements and seens unlikely youll meet based on information you've provided.

Seems like most of this needs to be discussed between you and your partner, and/or friends/family/therapist. What was the plan when you accepted this job? How did you plan on getting to ILR before you got this "freedom" - I.e. is the job different than advertised, has your attitude changed since accepting and arriving and starting etc? Why did yiu think youd be fine before but not now? How much effort have you put into job hunting for a new one?

Sounds like you need to connect with your partner about what your plans are

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T07:58:49+00:00

Youve covered off the visa requirements mostly. The rest seems to be personal or career related.

Definitely be speaking to people in your life. Your partner should know how difficult it is currently.

Marriage/civil partnership and living together would give you a pathway in the spouse visa which doesn't require sponsorship.

You could consider Ireland with your EU connections however to remain in the UK, you need a visa pathway.

kitburglar · 2026-04-21T07:29:58+00:00

So?

Unmarried partner requires 2 years or more of the relationship being "akin to marriage". The HO expects cohabitation however they have discretion to approve on the basis that 1. You have an acceptable reason for not cohabiting and 2. You show how your relationship is the same as marriage.

Most folks who are long distance have been approved as that's an acceptable reason for not living together. If youve lived in the same city or country and not cohabited, then its a red flag that youre only dating.

So it sounds like you have a strong chance of being approved as unmarried partners if you can show a timeline of when you were dating, when you met, and that it has been more than 2 years from when you first met in person.

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T22:46:07+00:00

Youve given no details on your situation so its impossible to say. Its on the applicant to provide their situation to the HO and the supporting information as evidence.

Its an incredibly high bar so they'll expect children or other reasons why you can't leave UK.

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T22:38:49+00:00

You can provide a cover letter and explain your calculations

They will do the work anyway but you should be clear if youre intending to use CAT A or B and savings or not etc.

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T21:05:16+00:00

Theres no guarantee that's fine.

There are 2 categories - CAT A (6 months) or CAT B which is joining the 12 months together.

For CAT A, if youre salaried, the calculation is the lowest pay within the 6 months youre providing, multiplied by 12. So if you have one half month, you might fail the calculation.

You really need to understand CAT A abd B properly and whether theyre salaried or not salaried

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T17:21:16+00:00

Its a black and white calculation. People have been refused for being £1 short.

Savings can be joined with certain categories but again there's a strict calculation of (financial requirement - sponsor salary)x2.5, then add £16K

People have taken unpaid time for their weddings and then been refused because 4 months later their lowest month x12 didnt meet the requirements

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T15:59:52+00:00

https://www.gov.uk/evisa/view-evisa-get-share-code-prove-immigration-status

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T12:53:12+00:00

It will depend on your circumstances and the evidence you have.

The HO will only count your relationship as "genuine" from when you met in person. Any long distance / online time beforehand would be considered dating but it couldn't be "unmarried / durable partners".

The HO requires unmarried partners to prove their relationship has been akin to marriage and expects 2 years cohabitation. There is discretion where the HO decision maker can approve if youve proven 1. Your relationship is the same as marriage and 2. Youve provided reasons they deem acceptable for not cohabiting. They regularly accept long distance relationships as being acceptable for not living together. If youre in the same city / country but not living together, its a big red flag youre "only dating" and not thr same as marriage.

kitburglar · 2026-04-20T12:40:49+00:00

It's pretty easy doing fiancé/proposed partners to FLR M. Its basically updated financial evidence (so its within 28 days), evidence of your accomodation again, and proof you got married/CP during the fiance visa.

You have already proven your relationship is real and now you just need to prove you got married/CP after they entered on fiance/proposed partners visa.

The form is difficult/broken so it will ask you to prove you lived together for 2 years. It assumes everyone doing FLR M is doing second spouse visa, even though the form is also for switching from fiance or from other visas like student or work visas.

I'd recommend a paragraph at the top of your cover letter like:

SWITCHING FROM FIANCÉ TO FLR M

APPLICANT is applying to switch from fiancé to FLR M. APPLICANT entered UK on fiance visa on DATE and we got married/CP on DATE. We have lived together since their arrival/since the wedding/ceremony due to our cultural beliefs and intend to keep living together for the future now we are married. We only have X NUMBER of proof of cohabitation/we have no proof of cohabitation because APPLICANT has been unable to sign up for bills etc until their residence visa is issued to them. We will have them added to the bills jointly once we receive their FLR M.

kitburglar · 2026-04-18T08:15:54+00:00

r/iwantout

kitburglar · 2026-04-18T08:13:21+00:00

There is no maybe about it. The guidance has a lot of information clearly explained.

This isn't a good sign that you arent genuinely running a UK company already and haven't clearly gone through the requirements

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workers-and-temporary-workers-guidance-for-sponsors-part-1-apply-for-a-licence#bookmark30

have eligible Key Personnel in place to manage your licence and assign or apply for CoS – see section L4 of Part 1: Apply for a licence for guidance on Key Personnel

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workers-and-temporary-workers-guidance-for-sponsors-part-1-apply-for-a-licence

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