ILR Eligibility

Hello Experts,

My Question - When will I be eligible to apply for an ILR application as per the current rules?

VISA confirmation letter received on 25/03/2021 - Vignette - 25-March-2021 to 23-June-2021

Didn't able to travel due to COVID travel restrictions, new vignette transfer applied - Letter received - 18/07/2021

Date of Entry to UK - 19/09/2021

Total days spent outside UK from March 2021 to March 2022 in a consecutive 12-month period - 177 Days - Due to COVID travel regulations (From 25 March 2021 to 18 September 2021)

COS Work dates - Start Date 01 March 2021 and End Date 01 March 2026
Job is on the current shortage occupation list

See: https://www.immigrationboards.com/viewt ... 4#p2195107

zimba wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:58 pm

See: https://www.immigrationboards.com/viewt ... 4#p2195107

Thank you, I read "Continuous residence guidance Version 7.0" got reference from GOV.UK and also consulted with an immigration advisor but he is suggesting to apply 28 days priort to Date of arrival.

Issue - my existing visa is valid till March 2026, so i have to apply for extension and then for ILR - Double expense.

If I go with the document - Continuous residence guidance - then the date of entry clearance can be considered but in my case i got 2 Vigennetes / entry clearance letters.

The advisor is talking nonsense. Those people do not know what they are talking about at all. This is a common point of confusion.

The vignette was simply issued so that you can enter the UK as the BRPs were only printed inside the UK. So while they issued you a visa, there was no way for you to enter the UK and collect your BRP. The embassy had to put a new entry sticker in your passport so that you can board the plane to the UK. Note that a visa vignette cannot be backdated and its issue date is always the day it was printed. This does not mean your initial visa issue date was actually moving, your visa was in fact first issued as per date on your first visa/letter/BRP.

This is why you use the first visa approval date to calculate your qualifying period for ILR.

See the same advice and ILR success here: https://www.immigrationboards.com/viewt ... 2#p2191269

zimba wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 07, 2025 11:48 pm

The advisor is talking nonsense. Those people do not know what they are talking about at all. This is a common point of confusion.

The vignette was simply issued so that you can enter the UK as the BRPs were only printed inside the UK. So while they issued you a visa, there was no way for you to enter the UK and collect your BRP. The embassy had to put a new entry sticker in your passport so that you can board the plane to the UK. Note that a visa vignette cannot be backdated and its issue date is always the day it was printed. This does not mean your initial visa issue date was actually moving, your visa was in fact first issued as per date on your first visa/letter/BRP.

This is why you use the first visa approval date to calculate your qualifying period for ILR.

See the same advice and ILR success here: https://www.immigrationboards.com/viewt ... 2#p2191269

Hi Zimba, Many thanks for your reply and sharing the post to read advice and ILR success. It was very helpful.

Coincidentally, the case mentioned by another user, Makeh05, is exactly the same as mine - except for the year. Even the dates are same. Its seems like brother from another mother

Is there any way i can connect with the person directly through DM or email or something ? This would be really helpful.

Its says "You are not authorised to view the member list or profiles"

New members are not allowed to send DMs to other members. Please just follow the advice and you will be fine

I am posting this again as my previous post of July 2025 has been locked -

VISA confirmation letter dated 08 March 2021 with permission 25-March-2021 to 15 March 2026 (Got letter scanned available to proove)

Couldn't travel due to COVID restrictions - NO BRP Collected

New vignette applied - Letter received - Dated 29 June 2021 with permission 18 July 2021 to 15 March 2021 (End date same)

Date of Entry to UK - 19/09/2021 - After 177 Days from start date.
All other years have less than 10 days of absence.

BRP Collected - Date on BRP is 05/07/2021

CHECKED UKVI Account showing VISA Status today = valid from 18 July 2021 and Valid until 15 March 2026

COS Work dates - Start Date 01 March 2021 and End Date 01 March 2026 - Same employer

I believe i can apply for ILR from 25 March 2021 + 5 years - 28 days = 25 February 2026.

Can you please advise? Will this UKVI status affect anything as it shows a valid date from 18 July 2021?

So, what part of the advice given before is that you have trouble with ? The advice has not changed since you asked this before

Hi Zimba,

Everything remains the same.

I checked my UKVI Account today that shows VISA Status = valid from 18 July 2021 and Valid until 15 March 2026

I believe it should have been 25-March-2021 to 15 March 2026 which is the first date in the letter / visa received.

Will this affect the eligibility criteria ?

I believe i can apply for ILR from 25 March 2021 + 5 years - 28 days = 25 February 2026.

Again, nothing changes. Your eligibility is as you were told above. UKVI account seems to shows the date of first BRP it, NOT the very first visa issued

zimba wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 13, 2026 11:10 am

Again, nothing changes. Your eligibility is as you were told above. UKVI account seems to shows the date of first BRP it, NOT the very first visa issued

Thanks, Zimba.

But the UKVI account showing the VISA valid from the 2nd date (18 July 2021), not the 1st date (25 March 2021) when the first visa was awarded.

I am not sure if I should reach out to them to get this corrected or if it is not needed.

Ignore the UKVI account. This has now been repeated several times. The qualifying period is not calculated based on that date

zimba wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 13, 2026 11:26 am

Ignore the UKVI account. This has now been repeated several times. The qualifying period is not calculated based on that date

Thanks, Zimba. Much appreciated.