Indefinite leave to remain if you have family in the UK

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Apply as a child (dependant on a work visa)

You may be eligible for indefinite leave to remain if your parent is either:

  • settled in the UK
  • applying to settle in the UK using their work visa

You can apply if you were born in the UK before your parent settled, or if you have not applied for permission to be in the UK before.

If your parent is already settled

You can apply for indefinite leave to remain as a dependant on your parent’s work visa even if they settled in a different way. For example because they had been in the UK for 10 years (‘long residence’).

Your parent must have had permission to be in the UK on a work visa when they settled.

There’s a different way to stay in the UK as a child if:

If you’re 18 or over, you must have had permission to be in the UK as your parent’s dependant before you turned 18.

If your parent or relative is applying for settlement

They may be able to include you on their application instead.

If they’ve already applied for settlement and they do not have a decision yet, you can apply as a child separately.

Eligibility

You must usually have an eligible visa. Which visa you need depends on the visa your parents settled on.

You do not need a visa if you were born in the UK and this is your first application to stay in the UK.

The visa your parents settled on What visa you must have
UK Ancestry visa Any visa - except a visitor visa, Short-term study visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, Seasonal Worker visa, or a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa
Any other work visa As a dependant on one of these visas (does not need to be as a dependant of your parent).

If you’re over 18, you must have got an eligible visa before you turned 18.

You must also prove all of the following:

  • you are or will be living with your parent or parents
  • you’ll be supported and accommodated adequately without using public funds
  • you’re not married, in a civil partnership or living an independent life

If you live with one parent who became a British citizen after settling in the UK, you must have been their dependant when they got settlement.

If you’re over 18, you also need to meet some additional requirements.

Your parents’ work visa

Your parents’ last work visa can be any of the following:

  • Skilled Worker or Tier 2 (General)
  • Scale-up Worker
  • International Sportsperson, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
  • T2 Minister of Religion or Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
  • Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent)
  • Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
  • Tier 1 (Investor)
  • UK Ancestry
  • Global Talent
  • Representative of an Overseas Business
  • Domestic Worker in a Private Household, if they came to the UK before 6 April 2012

Your relationship

Your parent can be a biological parent, an adoptive parent, or a step-parent if your biological parent has died.

If you live with 2 parents in the UK, both must be settled here, or currently applying for settlement.

If you live with one parent, they must be settled and have sole responsibility for looking after you.

If they do not have sole responsibility for you, you may still be eligible if:

  • your other parent has died
  • there are serious or compelling reasons why you should be allowed to stay in the UK - for example, you have a serious illness

If you live with a relative who’s not your parent, there must be serious compelling reasons why you should be allowed to stay in the UK.

If you’re 18 or over

You’ll also need to:

How to apply

You’ll be told which documents you need to provide when you apply.

Apply online

You must apply online.

Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

  • do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
  • do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

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