My ask is if i want to apply for IRL through 10 Year route. Can I apply now or wait until 19 January 2027.
My immigration history is as follows:
- Entered the UK on 15 October 2015 under a Tier 2 ICT visa( till 25th September 2020).
- Switched to a Dependant to Student visa on 24 September 2020.
- Switched to a Skilled Worker visa on 19 January 2022, which I currently hold(valid until June 2027).
Time spent under Tier 2 ICT and Student visas does not count towards the 5-year Skilled Worker ILR route.
However, I will complete 10 years of continuous lawful residence on 15 October 2025, and therefore may be eligible to apply for ILR under the Long Residence (10-year) route.
My wife’s immigration history is as follows:
- She arrived in the UK on 30 August 2017 on Tier 2 PBS dependant( till 25th September 2020).
- She held her own Student visa between 24th September 2020 and 18th January 2022.
- She became my Skilled Worker Dependant on 19 January 2022, and her current visa is valid until June 2027.
Her 5-year qualifying period as a Skilled Worker Dependant runs from 19 January 2022 to 19 January 2027.
She will therefore become eligible for ILR as a dependant in January 2027, which is before her current visa expires.
She will complete 10 years of continuous residence in August 2027, but the dependant route allows her to apply earlier.
My questions are:
- Is my understanding correct that I can apply for ILR under the 10-year Long Residence route in October 2025?
- After I obtain ILR under the 10-year Long Residence route, can my wife continue toward ILR on her existing Skilled Worker Dependant visa—without needing to switch visa categories and will my becoming settled have any impact on her 5-year qualifying period (including any risk of her time not being counted, needing a category switch, or unintentionally breaking continuity)?
- Are there any additional requirements or steps we should be aware of for either my ILR application or my wife’s subsequent ILR application?
