ILR Application guidence required for main applicant and dependents

[raghuvamshig]

Hi,
Here are my details
Enetered UK on Student Visa in 10 Oct 2009 exp: 15 Feb 2011
Extended Student Visa in 17 January 2011 exp: 17 April 2011
Extended Student Visa again in May 2011 (applied for this on 03 May 2011 and got visa appointment on 11 May 2011 and I got my Visa sometime in May 2011 valid for 1.5 years approx. I do not have the copy of this BRP)
Switched to PSW in 11 August 2012 exp: 11 August 2014 (application submitted before expiring my previous visa)
Switched to Tier 2 General on 28 August 2014 exp: 22 August 2017 (application submitted before expiring my previous visa)
Changed sponser to another Tier 2 General on 30 March 2016 exp: 11 April 2019
Changed sponser to another Tier 2 General on 20 March 2017 exp: 16 April 2020

Questions:
1) I am planning to apply for ILR via 10 years long residence in September 2019 but the only problem is in May 2011 I applied for my visa after my current Visa was expired though it was withing 28 days. Would this affect my application?

2) I can also apply ILR on the basis of 5 years stay on Tier 2 (as I got my first Tier 2 visa in August 2014), but I heard that 10 years long residence ILR is a better option as we do not need much paper work

3) Which route is better and what are the documents required for each route (5 years and 10 years)

4) Is it better to go through Solicitors? If yes, can anyone suggest one reliable, successful and with reasonable fee?

5) My Wife has been a dependent of mine since February 2013 when she first came to UK after our marriage and then been switching as dependent everytime I switched my Visa. Will she be able eligible to get ILR or will I have to apply as a dependent along with my application? The question arises as she hasnt been in the UK for 10 years

6) My son was born in the UK in June 2014 and he has been my dependent since and been switching to the relevant dependent visa along with my wife. Should I apply for ILR for him or can I skip it and apply for his citizenship? If applying for citizenship when can I do that? I guess it will be possible after I get my ILR and so in that case his current dependent visa will be expired (As I move from Tier 2 to ILR, my Visa will be invalid and so his dependent visa will be invalid as well?)

Would really appreciate if I can get some help and guidance by answering these questions

Thanks in Advance

Regards
Raghu

[CR001]

2) I can also apply ILR on the basis of 5 years stay on Tier 2 (as I got my first Tier 2 visa in August 2014), but I heard that 10 years long residence ILR is a better option as we do not need much paper work

Tier 2 ILR means your spouse can apply with you.

3) Which route is better and what are the documents required for each route (5 years and 10 years)

10 years has less documents, but your spouse cannot apply with you for ILR.

4) Is it better to go through Solicitors? If yes, can anyone suggest one reliable, successful and with reasonable fee?

Members are NOT permitted to post names and details of solicitors on the forum!! Please do not ask for such detail.

5) My Wife has been a dependent of mine since February 2013 when she first came to UK after our marriage and then been switching as dependent everytime I switched my Visa. Will she be able eligible to get ILR or will I have to apply as a dependent along with my application? The question arises as she hasnt been in the UK for 10 years

She will have to switch to 2.5 year FLR(M) spouse visa meeting the financial and English requirement. Her clock for ILR based on 5 years residence will be reset to zero.

6) My son was born in the UK in June 2014 and he has been my dependent since and been switching to the relevant dependent visa along with my wife. Should I apply for ILR for him or can I skip it and apply for his citizenship? If applying for citizenship when can I do that? I guess it will be possible after I get my ILR and so in that case his current dependent visa will be expired (As I move from Tier 2 to ILR, my Visa will be invalid and so his dependent visa will be invalid as well?)

Skip it and apply for citizenship once you have been granted ILR.