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Extension Of Stay – 20 Years Long Residence  Application

You can apply for renewal of leave to remain which was previously granted for 30 months on the basis of 20 years long residence before your leave expires. A 20 years long residence application for renewal of such leave to remain is made under 10 years route to settlement using application form FLR (FP). You can apply for extension of your leave 28 days before the expiry of your leave.

You cannot apply for extension of 20 years long residence leave from outside the UK and such application can only be submitted from inside the UK. The 20 years long residence route is a 10-year settlement route. There is no 5-year route to settlement for those who seek to rely on their 20 years long residence to remain in the UK.

Eligibility Requirements For Extension Of Leave To Remain On The Basis Of 20 Years Long Residence

Paragraph 276ADE(1)(iii) sets out the criteria to be applied, together with the other requirements of the rules, in assessing whether to grant leave to remain to an applicant on the basis of 20 years’ continuous residence.To meet this requirement, an applicant must have lived continuously in the UK for at least 20 years at the date of application, discounting any period of imprisonment.

To qualify for extension of leave to remain for 30 months on the basis of 20 years long residence, the applicant must satisfy the following eligibility requirements:

  • The applicant must have current leave to remain granted on the basis of his 20 years long residence in the UK;
  • The applicant must meet the suitability requirement as evisaged under paragraph 276ADE(1)(i), and the application of the applicant must not fall for refusal under S-LTR: Suitability;
  • The applicant must have lived continuously in the UK for at least 20 years (discounting any period of imprisonment).

Continuous Residence

Continuous residence’ is defined in paragraph 276A(a) of the Immigration Rules as:“continuous residence” means residence in the UK for an unbroken period, and for these purposes a period shall not be considered to have been broken where an applicant is absent from the UK for a period of 6 months or less at any one time, provided that the applicant in question has existing limited leave to enter or remain upon their departure and return, but shall be considered to have been broken if the applicant:

  • has been removed under Schedule 2 to the 1971 Act or section 10 of the 1999 Act, has been deported or has left the UK having been refused leave to enter or remain here; or
  • has left the UK and, on doing so, evidenced a clear intention not to return; or
  • left the UK in circumstances in which he could have had no reasonable expectation at the time of leaving that he would lawfully be able to return; or
  • has been convicted of an offence and was sentenced to a period of imprisonment or was directed to be detained in an institution other than a prison (including, in particular, a hospital or an institution for young offenders), provided that the sentence in question was not a suspended sentence; or
  • has spent a total of more than 18 months absent from the United Kingdom during the period in question.

‘Lived continuously or living continuously’ is defined in paragraph 276A(c) of the Immigration Rules as:“lived continuously” and “living continuously” mean “continuous residence”, except that paragraph 276A(a)(iv) shall not apply.

Super Priority Service (Decision Within 24 Hours) For Extension Application

As 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 application whereby decision on your application will be made by the Home Office UKVI within 24 hours of the enrolment of biometrics at a designated service centre.

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

How Can We Help For Extension Of 20 Years Long Residence?

Our specialist team of long residence solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your application for extension of 20 years long residence from inside the UK. As your appointed legal representatives for 20 years long residence extension application, our work can include the following:

  • assessing your eligibility for extension of 20 years long residence by considering all the relevant eligibility requirements;
  • advising on relevant documents to be submitted in support of the application;
  • assessing the documentary evidence to ensure that the documents are in line with the Home Office UKVI requirements for extension of 20 years long residence leave to remain;
  • completing online application form for extension of 20 years long residence leave to remain;
  • preparing a detailed cover letter in support of your application to explain in detail how all the relevant requirements for extension of your leave to remain under 20 years long residence have been satisfied by the applicant;
  • submitting the application online, paying the Home Office UKVI fees for 20 years long residence extension application and booking applicant’s appointment with the UKVCAS application centre;
  • uploading all the supporting documents online in support of the application;
  • doing all the follow up work including responding to any queries raised by the Home Office UKVI until decision is reached on your extension application.

Our Fee For 20 Years Long Residence Extension Application

Unless your matter is very complicated, our fees for providing expert legal help and assistance with 20 years long residence extension application from inside the UK are given in the fee table below:

Our Service Our Fixed Fees Range
Complete help with application for extension of 20 years long residence leave to remain to cover all the work until decision by the Home Office UKVI From £1,200 + VAT To £5,000 + VAT

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the application for extension of 20 years long residence leave to remain and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for helping with an application for extension of 20 years long residence leave to remain, the applicant will also have to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the application.

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Abhineet Singh
18 September 2026
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Service for My ILR Application Today I received the news that my ILR application has been granted, and I wanted to take a moment to thank Usman Ahmad and the entire team at Sunrise Solicitors. I have dealt with many professionals over the years, but what stood out about Usman was that I never felt like just another case number. Throughout the process, he was patient, honest, and always willing to answer my questions, no matter how small they seemed. Immigration applications can be stressful because so much depends on getting things right, but having someone knowledgeable and dependable in your corner makes a huge difference. What I appreciated most was the confidence and reassurance he provided from start to finish. Every document, requirement, and query was handled professionally, which allowed me to focus on my family and work without constantly worrying about the application. Receiving my ILR approval today is an important milestone for me and my family, and I genuinely appreciate the support Usman provided in helping me reach it. My wife, daughter, and son will be making their applications in the future, and I already know who I will be instructing. I will definitely be returning to Usman and Sunrise Solicitors for their applications. Thank you once again for your dedication, professionalism, and support throughout my journey. Highly recommended.
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Rosetta Crawford
17 September 2026
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Usman Ahmad was very good for advise on ilr application date. Thank you
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Sunny Ebegbare
11 September 2026
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I recently completed the second 2.5-year extension of my residency with Sunrise Solicitors. Mr Asif Rizwy handled both extensions and was professional, proactive, and genuinely invested in my case. His guidance and attention to detail played an important role in the success of my application. What stood out most was that working with Mr Asif felt like working with someone who truly cared about the outcome. Thank you, Mr Asif and Sunrise Solicitors. I would also like to thank Ritvee at Sunrise Solicitors. Her calm, reassuring manner when speaking with clients made me feel confident that I was in the right place. Thank you, Ritvee. I would highly recommend Sunrise Solicitors to anyone looking for professional, supportive, and reliable immigration legal services.
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megan
10 September 2026
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Usman Ahmad I had a consultation with him and he was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and reassuring throughout. He took the time to listen carefully to my situation, answered all of my questions clearly, and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. I came away from the call feeling much more confident about what I needed to do next. Really professional and approachable — I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for immigration advice.
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Imran Hashmi
10 September 2026
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Usman Ahmad and Miss Jerin at Sunrise Solicitors were efficient, prompt and highly professional throughout a complex case involving past visa refusals. They requested all necessary documents, compiled the case thoroughly and handled everything with confidence. If you have a complex situation or previous refusals, I would highly recommend Sunrise Solicitors. They will also be handling our future visa applications.
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K Gayatri
8 September 2026
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Usman Ahmad was really helpful
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Tharma Kandiah
7 September 2026
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I am very grateful for the support and guidance provided by Mr. Asif during my spouse visa application. The service was outstanding, and everything was handled efficiently. Thank you for your help.
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Maryam
7 September 2026
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I had a consultation appointment with them about some issues in my skilled worker visa application and leave to remain and I received very useful advice. Thank you
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roy
4 September 2026
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Thank you. Very helpful !
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Esha Jameel
3 September 2026
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I had an excellent experience with Sunrise Solicitors. I want to thank Muhammad Maaz for his outstanding work. He was highly professional, listened carefully to all my requirements, and handled my case smoothly. I am very grateful for his support and highly recommend his services.