Application On the Basis of Very Significant Obstacles to Integration (Private life)

You can apply for leave to remain in the UK if you are aged 18 or over and can show that there are very significant obstacles to your integration into the country where you would have to live if required to leave the UK. A person who is aged 18 or over and has not lived continuously in the UK for more than 20 years can apply for leave to remain on the basis of his private life in the UK if he can show that there would be very significant obstacles to his integration into the country to which he would have to go if required to leave the UK. 

A ‘very significant obstacle to integration’ means something which would prevent or seriously inhibit the applicant from integrating into the country of return. 

As specialist immigration solicitors dealing with private life applications, we provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for following applications on the basis of very significant obstacles to integration into the country where the applicant would have to live if required to leave the UK. Ask a question to our expert solicitor or book an appointment to get detailed advice on your immigration matter. You can call us today and get free initial advice from our specialist team of UK immigration solicitors and lawyers. 

What Does Very Significant Obstacles to Integration Mean? 

Under the UK Immigration Rules, an applicant may qualify for leave to remain on the basis of private life if they can demonstrate that there would be very significant obstacles to their integration into the country where they would have to live if required to leave the UK. The Home Office applies this assessment strictly and sets a high threshold. Caseworkers begin with the assumption that an applicant who has lived outside the UK as an adult will be able to integrate into their country of proposed return, unless the applicant demonstrates that there would be very significant obstacles to that integration.

A very significant obstacle is defined as something that would prevent or seriously inhibit the applicant from integrating into the country of return. It must be more than the usual difficulties associated with relocation, such as adapting culturally, learning a language, or securing employment. The applicant must show that they would be unable to establish a private life in the country of return or that establishing a private life there would involve very serious hardship, assessed considering their individual circumstances and the relevant conditions in the country of return. 

UKVI normally expects independent and verifiable documentary evidence to support claimed barriers to integration, where it is reasonable for such evidence to be provided. UKVI will assess the applicant’s ability to establish and maintain a private life by the standards and conditions of the country of return, rather than by the standards of the UK. 

What Factors Are Considered When Deciding Very Significant Obstacles to Integration? 

When assessing very significant obstacles to integration, the Home Office considers whether the applicant would face obstacles that would prevent or seriously inhibit integration into the country of return. The burden of proof rests with the applicant.

The assessment is based on the applicant’s personal circumstances, including their cultural background, length of time spent in the country of return, availability of family or social support, and whether factors such as faith, political or sexual orientation, or gender identity would create very significant obstacles to their integration, including any real risk of prosecution or significant harassment or discrimination.

The Home Office may also consider the impact of any physical or mental disability on the applicant’s ability to integrate. Where the requirements of the Private Life route are not met and Article 8 is considered, a physical or mental disability or serious illness requiring ongoing medical treatment may also be relevant, particularly where a lack of adequate healthcare in the country of return would result in very serious hardship. 

The Home Office considers each factor individually and cumulatively, as several factors which are insufficient on their own may together amount to a very significant obstacle to integration.

What Does the Home Office Consider to Be Common Claims? 

The Home Office considers that certain factors are commonly raised in applications relying on very significant obstacles to integration and, when considered alone, will not normally meet the required threshold. 

Claims based on having no family members or social ties, having never lived or having spent only their early years in the country of return, or being unable to speak any language spoken in that country will not, by themselves, normally establish very significant obstacles. Consideration must be given to whether there are specific factors that would prevent the applicant from integrating or from reasonably acquiring the language. 

A lack of employment prospects is very unlikely, on its own, to amount to a very significant obstacle to integration. In addition, less weight is given to generalised claims about country conditions that are not particularised to the applicant’s individual circumstances. 

These factors are not exhaustive and may still be relevant when assessed cumulatively with other factors. The Home Office must consider the overall impact of all relevant circumstances on the applicant’s ability to integrate. 

What About My Private Life in the UK? 

When assessing whether there are very significant obstacles to integration, the Home Office does not take into account the nature or strength of the applicant’s private life in the UK. Instead, the focus is solely on whether the applicant would be able to integrate into the country of return. An applicant’s private life in the UK becomes relevant only if the application does not meet the Immigration Rules and the Home Office then considers whether refusal would breach the applicant’s rights under Article 8. 

Integration involves a practical assessment of whether the individual would be able to function and participate in everyday life in the country of return, including understanding how society operates, building relationships, and establishing a private life within a reasonable period. The threshold is high, and ordinary hardship, inconvenience, or disruption will not be sufficient. All relevant factors must be considered together, and the decision maker must assess whether the obstacles relied upon are sufficiently serious to amount to very significant obstacles to integration.

How Can We Help?

At Sunrise Solicitors, we provide specialist legal support for applications based on very significant obstacles to integration under the private life rules. We understand the high threshold applied by the Home Office and offer clear, practical guidance at every stage of the application process. Our team is committed to helping clients present strong and well-prepared applications in line with UKVI requirements. 

We can help by offering: 

• Free immigration advice to explain your options and eligibility; 

• Expert legal guidance tailored to your personal circumstances; 

• Professional preparation and submission of your private life application; 

Our solicitors work closely with you to ensure your case is clearly presented and supported by appropriate evidence. Whether you are making an initial application, applying for an extension of leave, or seeking ILR, we will help you understand your options and take the appropriate legal steps in line with the UK Immigration Rules.

As specialist immigration solicitors dealing with private life applications, we can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for following applications on the basis of very significant obstacles to integration in the country of origin or nationality of the applicant: