ILR 'Employer Letter' Issue Date

Dear Community,

I have a question in relation to ILR application. I first entered UK in September 2019 on student visa and then I switched to skilled worker visa in October 2022. On the ILR application, there is the following question:"When did you first enter the UK? This is the date you entered the UK when the period of stay you are basing this application on started".

Do I enter my first entry date to UK as September 2019 when I was on student visa or as October 2022 when I switched to skilled worker visa?

As noted by others: The same question appears on the British Citizenship application, where the qualifying date might be different from skilled worker visa - as 5 years residency will be connected to time while on student visa. Would it be an issue to enter two different dates on ILR application, and then on British Citizenship application? or just enter date of first visa (student visa) on both applications?

Any advise from experienced members of the community will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks
DrUni

This has been answered many times before. The date you put on your application has NO bearing on calculation of your qualifying period for ILR. Your qualifying period for ILR is determined according to the rules, not the date you put on the form.

Also, the ILR and nationality applications are two totally separate systems under separate legislation. They are NOT related at all. Do not mix them up

Hi @Zimba,

Thanks very much for your response. Much appreciated.

Regards
Dr Uni

Hi Forum,

Does anyone knows how far in advance (how early) can the employer issue an Employer letter to support ILR application? I read somewhere about letter shouldn't date more than 28 days from application date, but does anyone has applied to ILR and provided employer letter with longer date than that?

Many thanks

DrUni

Hi @zimba

Thanks very much for your response. Is a any posts in this forum that can reference your answer?

Many thanks

DrUni

Correction, I do not see such requirement under the rules now. So as long as you have a letter from your sponsor, you should be good. Make sure just that it is reasonably recent

All you need to know about the sponsor letter for Skilled Worker route

zimba wrote: ↑

Sat May 24, 2025 7:08 pm

Correction, I do not see such requirement under the rules now. So as long as you have a letter from your sponsor, you should be good. Make sure just that it is reasonably recent

All you need to know about the sponsor letter for Skilled Worker route

Thanks very much @zimba for your update on your answer.