ILR As A Sole Representative

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a sole representative of an overseas business once you have completed 5 years in the UK with leave to remain as a sole representative. Your qualifying period can include time from the date your initial application (for entry clearance or leave to remain) was approved. You can apply for ILR as a sole representative of an overseas business 28 days before completing the 5 years qualifying period. An application for ILR as a sole representative of an overseas business is made by completing an online application form.

Our expert team of ILR solicitors are specialists in dealing with ILR application as a sole representative of an overseas business. As specialist ILR solicitors, our immigration lawyers have wealth of knowledge and experience to provide high quality legal services for sole representative ILR applications. Our ILR solicitors have helped hundreds of applicants with their Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) applications. The high quality of our legal services is self-evident from the reviews of our clients for excellent immigration services provided by our highly experienced and qualified immigration lawyers.

Need help and assistance with ILR as a sole representative of an overseas business? Contact our expert team of ILR solicitors in London for fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your ILR application as a sole representative of an overseas business. Ask a question to our ILR solicitors for free immigration advice or schedule an appointment for detailed legal advice concerning your ILR as a sole representative.

Eligibility Requirements For ILR As A Sole Representative

You can apply for ILR as a sole representative of an overseas business if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You have completed 5 years in the UK with UK visa as a sole representative of an overseas business;
• You have met the requirements of a representative of an overseas business throughout the 5 year period and you should still meet all the requirements – this includes being employed throughout the period, for example by providing P60s for the last 5 years and pay slips for the last 3 months;
• You should provide evidence to show you have established a branch registered as a UK establishment or subsidiary and generated business;
• You should provide evidence to show that your employer is still be actively trading and remains centred overseas;
• You have no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months (known as ‘continuous residence’);
• You provide proof that your employer still needs you to do your job;
• You must not be in breach of immigration laws, except that any period of overstaying allowed under the Immigration Rules will be disregarded.

You should also:

• pass the Life in the UK Test
• meet the English language requirements

Absences From The UK

You cannot have had more than 180 days’ absences from the United Kingdom during any consecutive 12 month period within the 5 year period. You will need to list details of your absences from the United Kingdom, including the reasons for those absences, on your application form for ILR as a sole representative. You can include the time between your entry clearance being granted and you entering the United Kingdom as part of your continuous period. Absences between the date entry clearance is granted and the date you enter the United Kingdom are treated as an absence from the United Kingdom and will form part of the 180 days allowed within a continuous 12-month period. You do not need to provide evidence to demonstrate a period of absence between obtaining entry clearance and entering the United Kingdom.

For ILR application as a sole representative made after 11 January 2018, Home Office would consider absences from the UK on a rolling basis, rather than in separate consecutive 12-month periods. If your qualifying period includes leave granted before this date, any absences during that leave will be considered under the previous rules – in separate 12-month periods, ending on the same date as you make your ILR as a sole representative application.

For example, you apply for ILR as a sole representative on 30 June 2020. Your continuous period includes the following grants of leave:

• One grant of leave from 1 July 2015 to 28 July 2018 – Any absences during this grant of leave will be considered in separate 12 month periods, ending on 30 June each year.
• One grant of leave from 29 July 2018 to 30 June 2020 – Any absences during this grant of leave will be considered on a rolling basis. Home Office UKVI will not include any absences from the previous grant of leave when they assess this.

Work Related Absences Or Absences In Line With Annual Paid Leave

If any of your absences are in connection with employment or in line with annual paid leave you will need to provide a letter from the relevant employer detailing the purpose and period of absences, including periods of annual paid leave. You will need to provide this information for the full 5 year continuous period.

Absences Due To Serious Or Compelling Reasons

If any of your absences are due to a serious or compelling reasons, you must provide a personal letter which includes full details of the reason(s) for the absences and all relevant supporting documents in relation to those reasons – e.g. medical certificates, birth/death certificates, other information about the reasons which led to the absence from the United Kingdom.

Whatever the reason for absences from the United Kingdom, they will still be counted towards the maximum 180 days unless they fall under a specific exemption. This includes any absences for work reasons, or serious and compelling reasons.

Exemption Where Absences Are Not Considered

Your absences are not considered as part of the maximum 180 days where you have been absent from the United Kingdom assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis.

How Can We Help With Your ILR As A Sole Representative?

Our expert team of ILR solicitors specialize in ILR sole representative visa applications. If instructed to represent you regarding your application for ILR as a sole representative, we will carry out all the work on your ILR application until a decision is made by the Home Office UKVI on your ILR application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our expert team of ILR solicitors will include the following:

• Assessing your eligibility for ILR as a sole representative by considering all your personal circumstances including any absences from the UK, any adverse immigration or personal history etc;
• Advising you on the weaknesses and strengths of your ILR application as a sole representative of an overseas business;
• 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 sole representative by gathering all the relevant information from you;
• Helping you with paying the ILR application fee for your application and booking your appointment with the application centre for verification of documents and enrolment of biometrics;
• Providing you with templates of certain documents e.g. a letter from your employer to be submitted in support of your 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 Sole Representative Of An Overseas Business

Our fixed fees for ILR as a sole representative of an overseas business from inside the UK are as given in the fee table below: