How to get a Permanent Resident in UK: A Complete Guide

Are you living and working in the UK for many years? If Yes, then you need to apply to become a permanent resident of the UK. Permanent resident status in the UK will permit any person with a valid student visa or work visa to stay in the UK without any time limits. PR saves you from the hassles of visa renewal & repeated paperwork to support your legal stay in the UK. This Blog post “How to get a permanent resident of the UK: A complete guide” has all the necessary information & details to show the permanent residency process for the UK step-by-step. Let’s check it out!

Top Reasons to Study Abroad in UK

• Top Ranked Universities in the UK
• Wide Range of Courses to Study
• High quality of Education
• Affordable Education
• Numerous Scholarships Available
• High Employment opportunity
• Vibrant Off-Campus life
• Work while Studying in the UK
• Health/Medical Benefits
• Improve your English Communication

PR (Permanent Resident) in UK

Permanent Resident (PR) status in the UK permits any interested person to live & work in the UK, or even conduct business, without any time limits on their stay. PR status will help an interested person to reside in the UK indefinitely without any immigration restrictions. PR status can expire if the person is spending more than 2 years continuously outside the UK after being granted the PR status in the UK.

ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in UK

ILR is also similar to PR in the UK. ILR grants immigration status to those foreign nationals who want to live, and study in the UK, and want to take up job opportunities without any time limits or restrictions.

Who can apply for PR or ILR?

To be eligible to get UK PR, it is essential to live in UK for 5 years under these categories:

Tier 1

Points-based system – Tier 2 – overseas skilled professional who have a valid job offer

• Businessman
• Investor
• Research Fellows & International Students
• Official representative of an overseas news agency, newspaper, broadcasting organizations, or an PR agency
• Private Servant working in a diplomatic household
• Domestic worker working in a private household
• Overseas government employee
• Lawyer or solicitor (Self-employed)
• People with UK ancestors
• Highly skilled migrant registered under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme
• Retired persons with independent means
• Sole representative of an overseas firm
• One of a family member or partners is a British Citizenship

Eligibility Requirements for PR (Permanent Resident) of the UK

First, to become eligible for PR (Permanent Resident) in the UK, you have to spend a specified amount of time living & working in the UK. This depends purely on your visa. Let’s see the time duration eligibility for PR in the UK:

Category	Duration of time living/working in the UK
Married or unmarried spouse/partner to a UK citizen	2 years
Tier 1 and Tier 2 work permit visa	5 years
Investor, businessman, sportsperson and artist	5 years
Ancestry lineage	5 years
Long Lawful stay in UK on any reason	10 years
Unlawful stay at UK	14 years

Besides this time duration criteria, also if you are between 18 to 64 years of age, you have to appear for the “Life in the UK Test”. Also, you’re earning more than the minimum wage (25,000 GBP/year approx.) or (10 GBP/hour) approx. Also, appear for English language certification tests conducted by CEFR (Common European Framework of References for Languages) for English Language Requirements.

Permanent Resident (PR) of the UK: Application Process

• Once you’ve finished with the studies, study all the criteria for PR in the UK.
• Fill the Online application form.
• You’ve to fill out the PR application form at least 28 days before the end of your course period.
• Fill out the application for Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) also.
• Enter all your personal history details.
• Sign the application form
• PR application processing time is around 6 months.

PR/ILR: Fees & Processing Times

The application fee to apply for PR/ILR costs around 2,400 GBP (approx.). PR takes about 6 months to process.

Permanent Resident (PR) of the UK: Documents Required

• Passport photocopy
• 2 Color photographs (passport-size)
• Digital print of all your 10 fingers
• Signature of yours
• Name of yours
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Current Immigration Status
• Currently studying or working status
• Council tax letters
• Address proof such as rent or lease contract
• Bank account statements (financial status proof)
• An appointment letter from your employer (with a signatory authority stamp & date)

PR of the UK: Application Forms

There are two types of Application Forms for PR: 

1. Set (O) Application form- This Application form has to be filled by those people who are a partner to a British Citizen or are parents of a child who is already settled in the UK. You have to submit a marriage or birth certificate, & documented photo or video with the relative to prove what is the relationship to them.
2. Set (M) Application form- This Application form is for those people who’ve lived & worked in the UK for more than 5 years.

Keep all the required documents ready before the application process.

1. Visit the PR official website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration.  Fill out all the required details and submit the application form. Attach & submit all the required documents. Pay the 2,400 GBP (approx.) application fees.
2. Application processing time is around 6 months. Once you receive a response to your PR application, make an appointment with UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) to submit your biometric details. You have the choice to send biometric details by post also.

Step 3 – You will be informed about your PR application status through email or post.

How to get a permanent resident in UK: The Process

1. Gain admission to a UK university- Take the smartest decision by enrolling at a reputed UK university.
2. Apply for a UK Student Visa- Submit the Student visa application form as soon as you gain admission to any university in the UK.
3. Look for Internships- Another crucial milestone to acquire PR in the UK while you’re studying in the UK is by accepting internships offers. An internship will not provide financial support, but also help in Resume building for future PR applications.
4. Get Employed- After finishing your studies, apply for a post-study work visa (PSW). It will allow them to work for at least 2 years post studies before applying for a work visa.

Final Thoughts!

Permanent Residence (PR) in UK is not an impossible dream to attain provided you satisfy all the eligibility criteria and have a proper plan. If you’ve studied at a UK university, attained good grades & qualifications, and have proved your worth at work, nobody in this world can stop you from getting a PR. How to get a permanent resident in UK – A complete guide has tried to answer all the processes and steps to Study in UK and work your way up to becoming a permanent resident in UK. We hope that you’ve found this complete guide to be useful. Please share this blog! Drop your comments!