UK permanent residency wait increase 2026
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BBC explainer on planned changes to UK immigration rules
A partner who joins later will need to complete the same qualifying residence period before they are eligible for settlement.
Indefinite leave to remain, also known as settlement, gives someone the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like.
Under the 10-year pathway, applicants must have earned at least £12,571 for five of the seven years immediately before being granted settlement.
UK to double wait for permanent residency
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said settlement should not be automatic and should be earned.
Applicants will be disqualified from permanent residency if they have a criminal record, cannot speak English to a high standard, owe money to the government, or have not made at least three years of national insurance contributions.
The United Kingdom has revised its immigration rules to double the time most foreign workers must wait to qualify for permanent residency to 10 years.