ILR via Long Residence — 10-year route (Appendix Long Residence)

Long Residence (Appendix Long Residence, formerly paragraph 276B of the Immigration Rules) provides a separate ILR pathway for applicants who have 10 years continuous LAWFUL residence in UK, regardless of the specific visa routes used.

For [CLIENT_NAME] with status chain over 10+ years:

§1 — LONG RESIDENCE FRAMEWORK (120-150 words)

Appendix Long Residence requires:
  ▪ 10 years continuous lawful residence in UK
  ▪ Continuous residence per Appendix CR (180-day rolling rule applies)
  ▪ All time was on a valid immigration permission (any route)
  ▪ Includes: Student, Skilled Worker, Tier 2 General, Tier 4, Dependant, Discretionary Leave, Indefinite Leave (if previously lost), etc.
  ▪ EXCLUDES: time as visitor, time as overstayer (with limited 30-day exception per Appendix CR 4.1), time on temporary admission only
  ▪ KOL: Life in UK test + English B1 (same as Skilled Worker ILR)
  ▪ Suitability: no adverse grounds (Appendix FM-SE 8 grounds)
  ▪ Currently in UK with valid leave at date of application

For [STATUS_CHAIN] check:
  ▪ Each visa start + end date
  ▪ Switching dates (typically same day or within 28-day grace)
  ▪ Any overstays / gaps in status
  ▪ Total 10+ years from earliest qualifying entry

§2 — STATUS CHAIN VERIFICATION (150-180 words)

[STATUS_CHAIN] analysis — typical Indian Long Residence pattern:

Years 1-3: Student visa (UG / PG study)
Years 3-5: Graduate Route / PSW (post-study work)
Years 5-7: Tier 2 General → Skilled Worker
Years 7-9: Skilled Worker
Years 9-10: Skilled Worker (Now eligible for both Skilled Worker 5-year ILR AND Long Residence 10-year ILR)

Common Long Residence applicants:
  ▪ Indian Bachelor's-to-PhD-to-Researcher track (Student × 6-8 years + Skilled Worker × 2-3 years)
  ▪ IT services workers on multiple Tier 2 + GBM cycles
  ▪ Family members who have been on Dependant visa for many years

Verify continuous status with NO gaps:
  ▪ Visa A expires 2020-09-30; Visa B starts 2020-10-01 (clean)
  ▪ Visa A expires 2020-09-30; Visa B applied 2020-10-15; Visa B granted 2020-12-01 (Section 3C bridge — continuous)
  ▪ Visa A expires 2020-09-30; Visa B applied 2020-11-15; Visa B granted (overstay > 14 days but < 28 days = grace period applies under Appendix CR 4.1)

§3 — ABSENCES — SAME 180-DAY RULE (100-120 words)

Appendix CR 4 applies to Long Residence:
  ▪ Max 180 days absence per rolling 12-month period
  ▪ Across ALL 10 years of qualifying period

[ABSENCES] analysis:
  ▪ More forgiving than Skilled Worker 5-year (longer qualifying period; more buffer)
  ▪ But STILL must meet 180-day rule in each rolling window
  ▪ Total absences across 10 years can be 540 days (180 × 3 separated by gap years) and meet rule
  ▪ Concentrated absences (300+ days in one year) breaches even if spread over 10 years

For Indian applicants:
  ▪ Long study breaks (between PhD and postdoc) common
  ▪ Family wedding cycles every 2-3 years (10+ days each)
  ▪ Document each absence with boarding passes, passport stamps

§4 — KOL REQUIREMENTS (60-80 words)

Same as Skilled Worker ILR:
  ▪ Life in UK test (45-min computer test; 75% pass mark; GBP 50)
  ▪ English at B1 CEFR (degree-in-English, IELTS UKVI Academic, nationality)

For [CLIENT_NAME] [LIFE_IN_UK_AND_ENGLISH]: confirm both met before application.

If applicant has been on Student visa 6+ years and meets B2/C1: English already evidenced.

§5 — APPLICATION DOCUMENTS (120-150 words)

Documents:
  □ Passport bio page + ALL UK visa pages (from initial entry to current)
  □ BRP / eVisa copies for each visa
  □ Status chain summary table (dates of each visa)
  □ Recent payslips (last 12 months)
  □ Employment letter from current employer
  □ Bank statements (last 6 months)
  □ Life in UK certificate
  □ English language evidence (academic qualifications + ENIC-UK letter if foreign degree)
  □ Police certificates (UK ACRO + every country resided 12+ months in last 10 years)
  □ Absences calendar with supporting documents
  □ Application form SET (Long Residence) [VERIFY current form]

For [CLIENT_NAME]:
  ▪ Compile status chain: visa start/end for each
  ▪ Cross-reference UK entry/exit stamps in passport
  ▪ Note any switching events (Student → Graduate Route → Skilled Worker)

§6 — FEES + PROCESSING (60-80 words)

Application fee: GBP 2,885 [VERIFY]
Priority service: +GBP 500 (5 working days)
Super Priority: +GBP 1,000 (next working day)
Standard processing: 6 months

Long Residence applications can be more complex than Skilled Worker ILR (more status to verify) — sometimes routine cases take 4-8 months.

§7 — WHEN TO USE LONG RESIDENCE OVER SKILLED WORKER ILR (80-100 words)

Use Long Residence (10-year) if:
  ▪ Applicant has 10+ years continuous lawful residence
  ▪ Has been on multiple routes (Student → Tier 2 → Skilled Worker etc.)
  ▪ Has fewer than 5 years on Skilled Worker specifically
  ▪ Wants ILR before reaching 5 years on Skilled Worker
  ▪ Has absences pattern that may breach Skilled Worker 5-year window

Use Skilled Worker 5-year if:
  ▪ Cleanly on Skilled Worker for 5 years
  ▪ Salary meets current threshold
  ▪ Faster route (5 vs 10 years)

Long Residence is the "fall-back ILR route" for those who don't qualify cleanly under any single-route 5-year settlement path.

End with: "DRAFT — for OISC/IAA-registered adviser or solicitor review. Long Residence is route-agnostic but status-chain-strict. Cross-reference every visa stamp + BRP + eVisa record. Even 1-day gaps in status (between visa expiry and switching submission) can break continuity — though Section 3C leave and Appendix CR 4.1 30-day forgiveness often resolve. Engage an OISC/IAA adviser to verify status chain before applying."