Further Leave To Remain – 10 Years Long Residence
Individuals who have completed ten years of continuous lawful residence in the UK may apply for Further Leave to Remain under the 10-year long residence route. This enables them to remain lawfully where they do not yet meet the requirements for settlement. The application is made from within the UK using the specified online form, “Application to extend your stay in the UK on the basis of long residence”. Where granted, further leave is issued for a period of two years, enabling applicants to remain in the UK while they continue to meet the remaining settlement requirements.
Sunrise Solicitors provides clear, legally accurate guidance throughout the application process, ensuring the correct route is followed and supporting evidence is properly prepared. Get free immigration advice from our expert solicitors to understand your eligibility and next steps or book an appointment today to receive tailored legal support with your Further Leave to Remain application.
What are the Requirements for Further Leave to Remain Based on 10 Years Long Residence?
To qualify for Further Leave to Remain on the basis of 10 years’ long residence, the applicant must have completed at least ten years of continuous lawful residence in the UK. The residence must not have been broken by excessive absences or periods of unlawful stay, unless specific exceptions apply under the Immigration Rules
The applicant must meet the suitability requirements under the Immigration Rules. This includes an assessment of criminality, conduct, and compliance with immigration laws. An application may be refused if the applicant falls for refusal under Part Suitability or does not otherwise meet the suitability requirements.
Further Leave to Remain under the long residence route applies where the applicant is not eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) at the time of application. This includes situations where settlement requirements, such as the English language requirement or the Life in the UK Test, have not yet been met. These requirements are not applicable when applying for Further Leave to Remain but must be satisfied before a future settlement application can be made.
Application Process for further leave to remain
The step-by-step application process for further leave to remain 10-year long residence is given below.
Complete the online long residence application
The applicant must apply from within the UK using the specified online form, ‘Application to extend your stay in the UK on the basis of long residence’. The applicant should normally submit the application before their current permission to stay expires, although limited exceptions for overstayers may apply under the Immigration Rules.
Pay the required fees
As part of the online application, the applicant must pay the relevant application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge in accordance with Home Office requirements.
Provide biometric information
After submitting the application, the applicant will be required to enrol biometric information, including fingerprints and a photograph, as directed by the Home Office.
Submit supporting evidence
The applicant must provide supporting documents to demonstrate continuous lawful residence and compliance with the long residence requirements, in line with the information requested in the online long residence application.
Await a decision from the Home Office
Once the application is submitted, the applicant must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until a decision is made, as doing so will result in the application being withdrawn. The Home Office will assess the application and notify the applicant of the outcome.
How long does it take?
You will usually be informed of the outcome of your Further Leave to Remain application within 8 weeks when applying under the long residence route. The Home Office may contact you if your application is considered complex and requires additional time to process, for example where supporting documents need to be verified, an interview is required, or due to your personal circumstances, including matters relating to criminal convictions.
How We Can Help?
If instructed to represent you regarding your FLR (LR) application on the basis of 10 years long residence, the casework carried out by our expert team of immigration solicitors will include the following:
- We will assess your eligibility for further leave to remain on the basis of 10 years long residence by fully considering all your personal circumstances including your past immigration history, any previous gaps in between periods of leave, your absences from the UK, any issues surrounding good character requirement etc.
- We will advise you on all the relevant requirements for further leave to remain 10 years long residence, ;
- We will discuss your immigration case in detail with you and advise you about the weaknesses and strengths of your immigration case;
- We will advise you about the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of your FLR (LR) application;
- We will assess the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of your FLR (LR) application and discuss the same with you;
- We will complete the FLR (LR) form online, submit the same online, help you pay the application fee online and book your appointment with the UKVCAS application centre for the enrolment of your biometrics;
- We will prepare a cover letter to introduce and support your FLR (LR) application;
- We will upload all the supporting documents online on UKVCAS online portal;
- We will liaise with the Home Office, UKVI for a timely decision on your FLR (LR) application;
- We will protect your interests while your application is pending with the Home Office and respond to any enquiries made by the Home Office UKVI in relation to your pending FLR (LR) application;
- Where necessary, we will make further representations or provide further documentary evidence in support of the pending FLR (LR) application;
- We will do all the follow up work until decision is reached on your FLR (LR) application.
How Much We Charge?
Unless your matter is extremely complicated, our fees for further leave to remain on the basis of 10 years long residence are as given in the fee table below:
| Our Service | Our Fee |
| Full service for FLR (LR) application to cover all the work until decision by the Home Office UKVI | From £1,000 + VAT To £2,000 + VAT |
The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of your FLR (LR) application and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for further leave to remain on the basis of 10 years long residence, the applicant will also have to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the FLR (LR) application.
