UK Permanent Residency from Pakistan

A permanent residence (PR) in the UK is known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in immigration terms, and also often referred to as ‘settlement’. Foreign nationals holding ILR status in the UK can live, work and study in the country for an indefinite period, without the need to renew their visa or obtain a new visa. They can also apply for social benefits in the UK provided they are eligible for the same apply for benefits.

Depending on your immigration circumstances, there are various routes to obtain indefinite leave to remain. It also paves the way to British citizenship eventually, provided you meet the other relevant conditions and requirements.

Apart from ILR, there are certain other ways for foreign nationals to settle permanently in the UK, such as the EU Settlement Scheme, right of abode in the UK, UK Ancestry visa route etc. We have discussed all these options in this article.

Page Contents

• Residency in the UK
• Residency in the UK Through the Family Reunion Route
• Residency Via a UK Work Visa
• Residency in the UK Via Business or Talent
• Residency Through the UK Ancestry Visa
• Residency Through the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK
• Other Ways to Apply for a UK Residency
• Right of Abode in the UK
• Windrush Scheme
• Eligibility Requirements for Residency in the UK
• How to Apply for Residency in the UK
• Residency Application Processing Time and Fees in the UK
• Become a British Citizen
• How Total Law Can Help
• Frequently Asked Questions

Pakistani nationals can apply for permanent residence in the UK if their spouse/partner, parent(s) or child are British citizens or hold the ILR status in the country. The eligibility requirements and application process will vary depending on the UK visa type you currently hold as well as how your family member is settled in the UK.

Widowed spouses/partners of British citizens, EEA citizens with pre-settled status in the UK or persons with ILR in the country are also eligible to apply for settlement.

Moreover, if your relationship with your spouse/partner has ended because of domestic violence, you will be eligible to apply for ILR in the UK, provided your ex-spouse/partner is:

• A British citizen
• Settled in the country, even if as a refugee
• Someone who has served in the UK armed forces for at least four years

Pakistani nationals living and working in the UK for a specified period (depending on their work visa types) may be eligible to apply for ILR. The eligibility requirements and application process will vary depending on the work visas they currently hold.

For example, tier 1 visa holders can apply for ILR after two to three years, while other work visa holders typically have to wait for five years. The salary or financial requirements will also vary depending on the type of visa.

Please note that, however, work visas under the Global Business Mobility route will not qualify for ILR.

Foreign entrepreneurs and people with exceptional talent can also apply for ILR in the UK, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements for settlement in the country. So, a Pakistani national holding any of the following UK visas may be eligible to apply for permanent residence:

• Global Talent visa
• Innovator Founder visa
• Tier 1 (Investor) visa
• Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa

The Global Talent visa and the Innovator Founder visa have replaced the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa and the Innovator visa, respectively. However, if you hold a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa or an Innovator visa, you will still be able to apply for ILR in the UK if you meet the requirements.

Similarly, although acceptance of new applications have been stopped for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa and a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, foreign nationals already living in the UK on either of these visas can apply for permanent residence in the UK.

Pakistani nationals may apply for a UK Ancestry visa if they can prove that:

• One of their grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• Are over 17 years of age
• Have sufficient financial means to support themselves and their dependents without access public funds
• Are eligible to work in the UK and planning to do so

UK Ancestry visa holders can apply for ILR after living in the country for five years.

EEA and Swiss nationals and their eligible family members may be able to apply through the EU Settlement Scheme for settlement in the UK.

Although the deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021, it will not be applicable in case :

• You already have pre-settled status in the UK and are now applying for settled status, or
• You or your EEA/Swiss family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and you meet the criteria for a late application deadline or have ‘reasonable grounds’ for applying after the deadline

So, if you are a Pakistani national married to an EEA or Swiss citizen and meet either of the above conditions, you may be able to apply for permanent residence through the EU Settlement Scheme. You may also be eligible if you are a family member of an eligible person from Northern Ireland.

Foreign nationals meeting any of the following criteria may be able to apply for ILR:

• They hold a refugee status in the UK, or have humanitarian protection or Discretionary Leave
• They have previously had ILR in the UK, and are now returning to the country
• They have served in the UK armed forces
• They have rightfully lived in the UK for at least 10 continuous years (also known as ‘long residence’)
• They have a UK visa on the basis of their private life
• They were born in the UK and have lived in the country continuously up to the age of at least seven years

All these pathways mentioned above come with their respective eligibility requirements, which applicants must meet to apply for ILR.

Since Pakistan is a Commonwealth country, you as a Pakistani citizen may apply for the right of abode, i.e. to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions, if:

• One of your parents was born in the UK, and was a citizen of the UK and colonies when you were born or adopted
• You were a Commonwealth citizen on 31 December 1982, and did not stop being so after that date

Likewise, if you are a female Commonwealth citizen, who has been married to someone with right of abode in the UK before 1 January 1983 and has not stopped being a Commonwealth citizen after 31 December 1982, you may apply for the right of abode.

Foreign nationals who are otherwise settled in the UK but do not have a legal document to prove it, may be eligible to apply to what is known as the ‘Windrush Scheme’, if they meet any of the following criteria:

• They or their parents came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• They came to the UK from any country before 31 December 1988 and are now settled here

If their application is successful, they will receive a document to prove that they are allowed to live and work in the UK.

Similar to all UK visa applications, applying for permanent residence in the UK is also an online process. Please visit the Home Office site to complete the online application form, which will vary depending on the ILR route you have chosen.

You cannot apply more than 28 days before you complete your qualifying period for ILR. You will be able to include your partner and children in your application if they are staying in the UK as your dependents. Your ILR application will also include an application for a biometric residence permit (BRP) and biometric immigration document.

Once you have completed the online form, please submit the same along with scanned copies of required documents and pay the required processing fees. Next, please book an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) office for providing your biometric details.

Typically, an ILR application takes up to six months for processing. However, the waiting time may increase depending on your circumstances.

The costs involved in applying for ILR are:

• ILR application fee – £3,029
• Current biometric enrolment fee – £19.20  per applicant.
• Optional fee for priority service (decision within five working days) – £500
• Super priority service (decision within one working day) – £1000

However, you will not be required to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge.

ILR holders and people with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are usually able to apply for British citizenship after living in the UK for 12 months. You may also be able to apply for British citizenship if you qualify for the Windrush Scheme.

Other scenarios where foreign nationals may be eligible to apply for British citizenship include where:

• They have a British parent, or a parent with British overseas territories citizenship
• They possess another type of British nationality
• They classify as a ‘stateless person’
• They renounced their British citizenship previously etc.