UK immigration route hub
Settlement & citizenship
Indefinite leave to remain, long residence, naturalisation and status pathways.
Foundational guides
Understand the main published routes
Choose a guide to see the route’s purpose, important features and current official source. This is not a personal eligibility assessment.
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
Permanent immigration status available after qualifying residence on eligible routes.
Long residence and ILR
A settlement route based on a qualifying period of continuous lawful residence in the UK.
British citizenship by naturalisation
The principal route to citizenship for many adults who already hold settled status.
Returning Resident visa
A route for certain former settled residents seeking to return to live permanently in the UK.
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa
A route for eligible BN(O) status holders from Hong Kong and qualifying family members to live, work and study in the UK.
EU Settlement Scheme
A status scheme for eligible EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their qualifying family members connected to UK residence before the end of 2020.
Private life route
A human-rights route for people whose age, length of UK residence or obstacles to integration meet the published private-life requirements.
Settlement after domestic abuse
A settlement route for certain partners whose eligible relationship permanently broke down because of domestic abuse.
Bereaved partner settlement
A settlement route for certain partners after the death of the British or settled person on whom their permission was based.
Confirm before you act
Requirements, fees and processing times can change
Use our guide to understand the landscape, then read the current official page for the route and application location.
Check official tools →