Indefinite Leave To Enter (ILE) As A Partner Of Member Of HM Forces

You can apply for entry clearance for Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) as a partner of a member of HM Forces who is a foreign or Commwealth citizen. The immigration solicitors at Sunrise Solicitors are experts in dealing with entry clearance applications for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces. The quality of our service is self-evident from our clients’ reviews about the service provided by our immigration lawyers. You can contact us if you are seeking legal help from immigration lawyers in London in relation to your application for entry clearance for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces and our immigration solicitors will provide you fast, friendly, reliable and professional immigration service.

Requirements For Indefinite Leave To Enter (ILE) As A Partner

According to paragraph 25 of Appendix Armed Forces of the Immigration Rules, an entry clearance and indefinite leave to enter as the partner of a member of HM Forces will be granted to an applicant who:

• is outside the United Kingdom;
• has made a valid application for entry clearance and indefinite leave to enter as the partner of a member of HM Forces;
• has a partner who:
  • is a foreign or Commonwealth citizen who is a member of HM Forces with at least 5 years’ reckonable service in HM Forces; or
  • has been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain under paragraph 13 or 16 of Appendix Armed Forces or paragraphs 276E-Q of the Immigration Rules and is in the United Kingdom; or
  • is a British Citizen;
• does not fall to be refused on the grounds of suitability under paragraph 8 or 9 of Appendix Armed Forces;
• meets the general eligibility requirements in paragraph 20 of Appendix Armed Forces;
• can demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language and sufficient knowledge about life in the UK in accordance with the requirements of Appendix KoLL to the Immigration Rules;
• meets the financial requirements in Part 12 of Appendix Armed Forces; and
• has completed a continuous period of 60 months with leave under Appendix Armed Forces as the partner of the same member of HM Forces, excluding any period of entry clearance or limited leave as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner.

General Eligibility Criteria

According to paragraph 20 of the Appendix Armed Forces of the Immigration Rules, the general eligibility requirements to be met by the partner (P) of a member of HM Forces are that on the date the application is made:

• P’s sponsor is a member of HM Forces (as defined in paragraph 2(d) of Appendix Armed Forces) who:
  • is exempt from immigration control; or
  • has leave to enter or remain under paragraphs 13-19 of Appendix Armed Forces of the Immigration Rules or paragraphs 276E-QA of the Immigration Rules or under the concession which existed outside these Rules whereby the Secretary of State exercised her discretion to grant leave to enter or remain to a member of HM Forces who has been medically discharged; or
  • is being granted leave to enter or remain under paragraphs 13-19 of Appendix Armed Forces of the Immigration Rules or paragraphs 276E-QA of the Immigration Rules at the same time as P; or
  • is a British Citizen;
• P and P’s sponsor:
  • are both aged 18 or over;
  • must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship;
  • must intend to live together permanently; and
  • must have met in person;
• the relationship between P and P’s sponsor is genuine and subsisting; and
• any previous relationship of P or P’s sponsor must have broken down permanently, unless it is a relationship which falls within paragraph 278(i) of the Immigration Rules.

According to paragraph 20A of the Appendix Armed Forces, a reference to a member of HM Forces includes a former member of HM Forces who was discharged more than 2 years ago if that member of HM Forces:

• is a British citizen; or
• was granted leave under Appendix Armed Forces; and
• the applicant had leave under these Rules as the partner or child of a member of HM Forces prior to the sponsor’s discharge.

If P and P’s sponsor are married or in a civil partnership, it must be a valid marriage or civil partnership as specified in Appendix FM-SE. If P is the fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of P’s sponsor, P must be seeking entry to the UK to enable their marriage or civil partnership to take place.

Residence Requirement

The amendments to the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000 in relation to HM Forces’ families makes sure that any time spent accompanying the sponsor on an overseas posting would count towards the qualifying probationary period of 60 months. This is a requirement for settlement under Appendix Armed Forces.

This means any family members who have valid leave as a dependant of a member of HM Forces will not automatically lose their permission to stay if they remain on an accompanied posting overseas for a period longer than 2 years.

Family members of HM Forces personnel granted leave outside the Immigration Rules are not covered by this amendment and will need to apply for entry clearance under Appendix Armed Forces if:

• their leave has expired
• they have remained outside the UK for longer than 2 years

Limited Leave Instead Of Indefinite

According to paragraph 26 of Appendix Armed Forces, an entry clearance and limited leave to enter as a partner (excluding as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) of a member of HM Forces for a period of 30 months may be granted:

• where an applicant fails to meet the requirements of paragraph 25 of Appendix Armed Forces by reason only of failing to meet the requirements of paragraph 25(c)(i) or (ii), provided that the applicant’s sponsor has been granted leave to enter or remain under paragraph 15 or 19 of Appendix Armed Forces; or
• where an applicant fails to meet the requirements of paragraph 25 of Appendix Armed Forces by reason only of failing to meet the requirements of paragraph 25(f).

Entry clearance and limited leave to enter granted under paragraph 26 will be subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds.

Application Process  

The step-by-step application process for ILE as a partner of member of HM forces is given below.  

Check eligibility under Appendix HM Armed Forces to confirm that the settlement requirements for Indefinite Leave to Enter are met at the date of application. 

Submit an online entry clearance application for ILE from outside the UK in accordance with UKVI requirements. 

Provide supporting documents to evidence the relationship, sponsor status, and compliance with the Immigration Rules. 

Attend a biometric appointment at a visa application centre to enrol fingerprints and a photograph. 

Await a decision from UKVI, following assessment of the application against Appendix HM Armed Forces and relevant caseworker guidance. 

How Can We Help?

We can represent you in your entry clearance application for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces and do all the work until decision by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) on your application. Our work will include:

• Assessing your eligibility for entry clearance for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces by considering all the relevant information;
• Discussing your application for entry clearance for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces in detail with you and advising you about the weaknesses and strengths of your entry clearance application;
• Advising you about the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of your entry clearance application for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces;
• Assessing the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of the entry clearance application and discussing the same with you;
• Completing the online application form for entry clearance for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces and discussing the same with you;
• Preparing a cover letter to introduce and support the entry clearance applicationfor indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces;
• Booking your appointment with the visa application centre for you to enrol your biometrics and submit your passport;
• Uploading all your supporting documents online to be considered in support of the application;
• Doing all the follow up work including responding to any queries raised by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) until decision is reached on your entry clearance application for indefinite leave to enter as a partner of a member of HM Forces.

How Much We Charge?

Unless your matter is extremely complicated, our fixed fees for partner visa entry clearance application for indefinite leave to enter as a partner are given in the fee table below:

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the entry clearance application and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for entry clearance application, the applicant also have to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the entry clearance application.