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ILR As A Spouse (10 Years Route)

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once you have completed 10 years in the UK under the spouse visa (10 years route). Our specialist team of spouse visa solicitors are experts in dealing with applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a spouse of a person present and settled in the UK. The quality of our service is self-evident from the clients’ reviews about the service provided by our spouse visa solicitors. Our expert team of spouse visa solicitors in London, can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee service for your ILR application as a spouse under 10 years route. Ask a question to our specialist spouse visa solicitors for free immigration advice or book an appointment for detailed immigration advice concerning your ILR application as a spouse under 10 years route.

When Can I Apply For ILR As A Spouse Under 10 Years Route?

An application for ILR as a spouse under 10 years route can be made 28 days before completing 10 years. Most of the applicants who have been granted leave to remain as a spouse under 10 years route are likely to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) earlier under the 10 Years Long Residence category as the applicants in such circumstances are likely to complete the 10 years long residence earlier than the 10 years under the spouse visa 10 years route.

The spouse visa under 10 years route was introduced on 9 July 2012 and the very first applicant who will qualify for ILR under the spouse visa 10 years route will be in July 2022 when 10 years would have been completed under this category. Most of the applicants who are granted leave to remain as a spouse under the 10 years route switch from 10 years route to 5 years as and when their circumstances allow the same.

What Are The Requirements For ILR As A Spouse Under 10 Years Route?

The application will be considered in accordance with requirements of the Immigration Rules as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

For the applicant to succeed in the ILR application as a spouse under the 10 years route, the applicant must:

meet the suitability criteria as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules;
show that he/she has been living with the sponsor during the last grant of leave as a spouse and the relationship of the applicant is genuine and subsisting;
demonstrate that the applicant and the UK sponsor intend to live together permanently;
prove that the applicant meets the English language proficiency at CEFR level B1 in listening and speaking only;
prove that the applicant meets the Life in the UK test requirement.

Super Priority Service For ILR As A Spouse Under The 10 Years Route

As one of the expert immigration solicitors based in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners UKVCAS Sopra Steria to provide Super Priority Service (SPS) for your ILR application whereby decision on your ILR application will be made by the Home Office UKVI within 24 hours of the enrolment of biometrics at a designated service centre.

Our specialist spouse visa solicitors can prepare and submit your ILR application to the Home Office, UKVI through Super Priority Service (SPS) and get a decision on your ILR application within 24 hours. This way, you will not have to wait for the decision on your ILR application for months (sometimes years).

English Language Requirement For ILR As A Spouse Under 10 Years Route

The applicant must provide specified evidence that he/she:

is a national of a majority English speaking country; or
has passed an English language test in speaking and listening at a minimum of level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages with a provider approved by the Home Office, UKVI; or
has an academic qualification recognized by UK NARIC to be equivalent to the standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the UK, which was taught in English; or
is exempt from the English language requirement because at the date of application:

- the applicant is aged 65 or over;
- the applicant has a disability (physical or mental condition) which prevents the applicant from meeting the requirement; or
- there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the applicant from being able to meet the requirement prior to entry to the UK.

Life In The UK Test Requirement For ILR As A Spouse Under 10 Years Route

You will have to pass the Life in the UK test in order to apply for ILR as a spouse unless you are over the age of 65 or you are seeking exemption from this requirement due to medical reasons.

Re-Applying For ILR As A Spouse Under 10 Years Route After The Refusal

If your application for ILR as a spouse under 10 years route has been refused by the Home Office, UKVI and you believe that the decision to refuse your application is valid and lawful and therefore cannot be challenged successfully by way of appeal, you have the option to re-apply for ILR as a spouse within 14 days of your section 3C leave ending. We can provide the required legal help and assistance with re-applying for ILR as a spouse under 10 years route through our Super Priority Service.

How Can We Help?

As your legal representatives, our spouse visa solicitors can represent you in your application for ILR as a spouse under 10 years route and carry out all the work on your ILR application until a decision is received from the Home Office UKVI. If instructed to represent you regarding your ILR application as a spouse, the immigration casework to be carried out by our spouse visa solicitors will include the following:

Assessing your eligibility for ILR as a spouse under 10 years route by considering all your personal circumstances;
Advising you on the weaknesses and strengths of your ILR application as a spouse;
Advising you on the relevant documents to be submitted in support of your ILR application;
Assessing your documents to ensure that the documentary evidence is as per requirements of the Home Office UKVI immigration Rules;
Completing and submitting the online application form to apply for ILR as a spouse by gathering all the relevant information from you and your sponsor;
Helping you with paying the ILR application fee online;
Booking your appointment with the application centre for verification of documents and enrolment of biometrics;
Where necessary, preparing detailed witness statement of the applicant and/or the sponsor explaining the background of their relationship and other relevant factors pertaining to the ILR application;
Preparing a detailed cover letter to introduce and support your ILR application;
Uploading online all the relevant supporting documents before you attend your appointment for enrolment of your biometrics;
Liaising with the Home Office UKVI for a timely decision on your ILR application.

Our Fixed Fees For ILR As A Spouse (10 Years Route)

Our fixed fees for ILR as a spouse (10 years route) from inside the UK are as given in the fee table below:

Our Service	Our Fixed Fees Range
Full service for ILR as a spouse – 10 years route from inside the UK to cover all the work until decision by the Home Office, UKVI	From £1,200 + VAT To £2,500 + VAT

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the application for ILR as a spouse (10 years route) and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for ILR as a spouse, the applicant also has to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the application.