ILR As A Civil Partner (10 Years Route)

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once you have completed 10 years in the UK under the civil partner visa (10 years route). Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the 10-year route for a Civil Partner Visa is a form of permanent residence granted to applicants who have completed a continuous period of 120 months lawfully in the UK in this category.

This route applies where the applicant was granted leave to remain as a civil partner under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules but did not meet all the requirements for the 5-year route, such as the immigration status, financial, or English language requirement. Leave is granted in 30-month periods and must be renewed until the 10-year qualifying period is completed. To qualify for ILR, the applicant must continue to meet the suitability requirements, demonstrate that the civil partnership remains genuine and subsisting, and comply with the continuous residence requirements. Meeting the Knowledge of Life in the UK and English language requirements is also mandatory unless exempt. Failure to satisfy any requirement will result in refusal of the ILR application.

Free Immigration Advice on ILR as a Civil Partner (10 years Route)

Sunrise Solicitors offers free initial immigration advice for applicants seeking leave to remain as a civil partner under the 10-year route. If you require free legal advice on ILR as a civil partner under the 10-year route, our immigration lawyers can assess your eligibility, review your documents, and guide you through the application process to ensure compliance with all requirements and minimise the risk of refusal. Our immigration lawyers will assess your circumstances, confirm eligibility under Appendix FM, and advise on the evidence required to satisfy the Home Office. We provide guidance on completing form FLR(FP), compiling supporting documentation, and ensuring compliance with the Immigration Rules.

Specialist Civil Partner Visa Solicitors

Our specialist team of civil partner visa solicitors are experts in dealing with applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a civil partner 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 civil partner visa solicitors. Our expert team of civil partner visa solicitors in London can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee service for your ILR application as a civil partner under 10 years route. Ask a question to our specialist civil partner visa solicitors for free immigration advice or book an appointment for detailed immigration advice concerning your ILR application as a civil partner under 10 years route.

What is Civil Partner Visa UK?

A Civil Partner Visa under the Family route permits foreign nationals to enter or remain in the United Kingdom if they are in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person with settled status, meaning lawful residence in the UK without any time limit on stay. Civil partnerships are legally recognised unions in the UK, conferring rights and responsibilities equivalent to marriage. They were introduced under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 for same-sex couples and extended in 2019 to include opposite-sex couples.

Applications may be made from overseas or within the UK. Applicants in the UK may switch to this visa category if they hold valid leave for more than six months, such as a fiancé(e) visa, work visa, or student visa. If granted, leave is normally issued for an initial period of two years and nine months. The applicant may apply for an extension before the expiry of the visa. Upon completing five years of continuous residence in this category and meeting all relevant requirements, an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain may be submitted.

Dependent children under the age of 18 may accompany or join the applicant in the UK, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. Applications for dependants may be submitted concurrently with the principal applicant’s visa application.

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

An application for ILR as a civil partner 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 civil partner 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 civil partner visa 10 years route.

The civil partner visa under 10 years route was introduced on 9 July 2012 and the very first applicant who will qualify for ILR under the civil partner 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 civil partner under the 10 years route switch from 10 years route to 5 years as and when their circumstances allow the same.

Super Priority Service For ILR As A Civil Partner 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 civil partner 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).

What Are The Requirements For ILR As A Civil Partner 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.

• Valid Application: An application for ILR as a civil partner under the 10-year route must be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Appendix Settlement Family Life to the Immigration Rules. The application must be made online, in the prescribed form, and accompanied by the required fee and evidence.
• Qualifying Residence Period: The applicant must have completed a continuous period of 10 years in the United Kingdom under the civil partner visa (10-year route). An application may be lodged no earlier than 28 days before completion of this period, which equates to 9 years, 11 months, and 2 days of residence at the date of submission.
• Immigration Status Requirement: The applicant must hold valid leave to remain as a civil partner at the time of application and must submit the ILR application before the expiry of current leave.
• Relationship Requirement: The applicant must be in a legally recognised civil partnership with a sponsor who is a British citizen, a person with ILR or settled status, an EU national with pre-settled status, a refugee, a person granted humanitarian protection, a Turkish Businessperson visa holder. The civil partnership must be genuine and subsisting.
• Suitability Requirement: The applicant must satisfy the suitability requirements under Appendix Settlement Family Life, including the absence of grounds for refusal such as criminality, deception, or breaches of immigration law.
• English Language Requirement: The applicant must demonstrate competence in the English language to at least CEFR level B1, in accordance with the Immigration Rules, unless exempt.
• Life in the UK Test: The applicant must pass the Life in the UK Test to evidence knowledge of British life and culture, as required for settlement.

English Language Requirement For ILR As A Civil Partner Under 10 Years Route

The applicant must provide specified evidence that he/she:

1. is a national of a majority English speaking country; or
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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 Civil Partner Under 10 Years Route

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

How to apply?

• Complete the prescribed online application form for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a civil partner under the 10-year route via the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website.
• Submit the application electronically and pay the applicable Home Office fee in accordance with UKVI requirements.
• Arrange a biometric enrolment appointment with TLSContact by registering an account on the TLSContact online portal.
• Upload all required supporting documents to the designated UKVI or TLSContact portal prior to the scheduled biometric appointment date.
• Attend the biometric enrolment appointment, presenting the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), a valid passport, and the appointment confirmation letter.
• Await the Home Office decision, which is ordinarily issued within a standard processing timeframe of three to six months from the date of biometric enrolment.

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

If your application for ILR as a civil partner 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 civil partner 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 civil partner under 10 years route through our Super Priority Service.

When can a Civil Partner Apply for ILR?

An application for ILR as a civil partner under the 10-year route may be submitted up to 28 days before completion of the qualifying 120-month residence period and must be lodged before the expiry of current leave. Failure to do so may result in overstaying and potential removal from the United Kingdom. An application for Indefinite Leave to Remain may be refused if the applicant has overstayed beyond the expiry of their last period of leave. In limited circumstances, a short period of overstaying may be disregarded where the application is submitted within 14 days of leave expiring, and the applicant can demonstrate a good reason beyond their control for not applying within the permitted time.

How Can We Help?

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

• Assessing your eligibility for ILR as a civil partner under 10 years route by considering all your personal circumstances;
• Advising you on the weaknesses and strengths of your ILR application as a civil partner;
• 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 civil partner 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 Civil Partner (10 Years Route)

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

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