Will the UK ILR Qualifying Period Increase to 10 Years?

The UK government has announced plans to extend the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from 5 years to 10 years for most visa routes. This is one of the most significant proposed changes to UK immigration in a decade — and one of the most frequently asked questions among people currently on the path to UK settlement.

This post explains what has been proposed, what is confirmed in law, what the current timeline looks like, and what it means if you are already in the UK on a qualifying visa.

What has been proposed

The government's Immigration White Paper, published in June 2025, proposed extending the default qualifying period for settlement from 5 years to 10 years for most immigration routes. Under the proposal, most people arriving in the UK on work and family visas would need to complete 10 years of lawful residence before becoming eligible for ILR.

What is confirmed in law right now

As of May 2026, the 10-year qualifying period has not been implemented in law. The current qualifying period remains 5 years for the Skilled Worker route, the family visa route, and most other settlement-leading routes.

The proposal requires primary legislation — an Act of Parliament — before it can take effect. No such legislation has been passed or introduced as of this writing.

What the timeline looks like

The government has indicated it intends to legislate on the qualifying period change but has not confirmed a specific implementation date. Immigration policy observers expect any legislation to include transitional provisions for people already in the UK — it would be legally problematic to retrospectively extend the qualifying period for people who arrived under the existing 5-year rules.

The most likely scenario is that a new 10-year qualifying period would apply to people who arrive in the UK after the legislation comes into force, not to people already here.

What it means if you are already in the UK

If you are already in the UK on a Skilled Worker, family, or other settlement-leading visa, the most important thing to understand is that your qualifying period is determined by the rules in force when you arrived and when you apply — not when the rules change.

If you have already completed 5 years of qualifying residence, you can apply for ILR now under the current rules. There is no benefit to waiting. If you are approaching 5 years, you should apply as soon as you become eligible rather than waiting.

If you have only recently arrived, the position is less clear and will depend on whether and when legislation is passed and what transitional provisions it includes. Monitor GOV.UK for updates and consider seeking advice from an OISC-registered immigration adviser if your circumstances are complex.

Routes not affected

The following routes already have longer qualifying periods and are not affected by the proposed change:

• The 10-year long residence route — remains 10 years of continuous lawful residence
• Spouse and family routes where the sponsor is settled — the qualifying period may differ depending on specific circumstances

Preparing for ILR

ILR applications require a substantial document bundle including evidence of continuous residence, absence records, Life in the UK test pass certificate, and English language evidence. VisaVault's ILR document checklist generates a personalised list based on your specific route and circumstances.

Last verified: May 2026. The 10-year qualifying period is a government proposal only — not yet law. Check GOV.UK for updates before making any settlement planning decisions.