ILR timing question: form in Feb, biometrics in March?

[mnabaci]

Hi everyone,

Bit of a confusing one and hoping someone’s been through something similar.

I applied for a Skilled Worker visa on 26 February 2021 switching from ECAA visa, and it was granted on 7 April 2021 (so during that COVID concession period). I didn’t start working until after the visa was approved.

According to the Skilled Worker appendix, if you applied between 24 Jan 2020 and 30 Jun 2021, your 5-year ILR clock starts from the application date, not the grant date.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration ... led-worker

I’ll be applying for ILR with priority service, and planning to submit the application on 29 January 2026, which is 28 days before the 5-year point from my first SW application date.

Does the usual “apply up to 28 days early” rule still apply in this case, since the 5-year period is counted from the application date? So, did I calculate my ILR application date as 29 January 2026 correctly, considering that I will be using priority service?

Also, my wife applied as my dependent on the same date - would her 5-year period start from that same day (26 Feb 2021) or from when her visa was granted (7 Apr 2021)?

Would really appreciate if anyone who’s been through this could share what happened with theirs

[zimba]

There is no such a thing as “apply up to 28 days early” rule. This is a misconception held by many. There is 28-day concession when it comes to calculate the qualifying period for ILR. The date you apply for ILR is largely irrelevant.

Read --> All you need to know about applying early, the application date, 28-day concession and more

The COVID concession only applies to the main applicants as per the rules, however many reported that when applied together, they got ILR

[mnabaci]

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation, that really helps!

Just to make sure I’ve got this right — based on the calculation below, would it be fine if I apply with priority service aiming for a decision date around 29 January 2026?

1. Assume the ILR decision date (or biometrics date if using priority service).
2. Subtract (5 years – 28 days) from that date.
3. The new date should be on or after the first visa approval date.

In my case:
• Decision date: 29 Jan 2026
• Qualifying period: 5 years
• First visa approval: 7 Apr 2021
• Application submitted: 26 Feb 2021 (during COVID concession)

So by that logic, my qualifying period started from 26 Feb 2021, meaning I should be fine to apply with a decision date around 29 Jan 2026, right?

Also good to know about the COVID concession being for main applicants.

Thanks again for the clarification!

[zimba]

Correct

[mnabaci]

Thank you!

[mnabaci]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about timing for my wife’s ILR application and possible rule changes. Her 5-year qualifying period completes on 6 April 2026, and the earliest she could actually be granted ILR is 9 March 2026 because of the 28-day rule/concessions.

There is also the consultation going on now which ends on 12 February 2026, and honestly I’m a bit worried this could affect her. So my idea is to submit her ILR application as early as possible, basically around 12 February or maybe a week after, and then book the biometrics appointment for 9 March 2026 so the grant date falls on or after the earliest allowed date.

My questions are:
1. If she submits the online form around 12 February (or a bit later) but waits for the biometrics appointment on 9 March, and if any rule changes happen in between, will she be affected? Or would she be considered under the rules in force at the date she submitted the application?
2. Is this whole plan even ok to do? Meaning: is it fine to submit the form early and then choose a biometrics slot that is 3–4 weeks later?

Would really appreciate any advice or past experiences. Thanks a lot!

[zimba]

1. The immigration rules on the 'day of ILR application' will apply

2. Read the advice already given

There is no such a thing as “apply up to 28 days early” rule. This is a misconception held by many. There is 28-day concession when it comes to calculate the qualifying period for ILR. The date you apply for ILR is largely irrelevant.

Read --> All you need to know about applying early, the application date, 28-day concession and more

The COVID concession only applies to the main applicants as per the rules, however many reported that when applied together, they got ILR

[mnabaci]

Thank you zimba!

This time the question is about my ILR application. I’ve been through a TUPE transfer in my previous job, and now again in my current job as well, so I just want to make sure I handle this part correctly.

1) Do I need to provide any documents related to these TUPE transfers?
Especially for my current employer, because any letter they’ll give me will be on the new company name, and the payslips are also from the new company. I’m not sure if I’m expected to upload anything explaining why the sponsor name changed.

2) In my previous employment I travelled abroad multiple times, but since joining my current employer (around 6 months ago) I haven’t travelled abroad at all. I only took annual leave that I spent inside the UK.
One of my previous trips was actually a business trip for the company I worked for at that time. I know I don’t need a letter confirming absences from a previous employer anymore, but do I still need something to cover the business trip?
I have letters that I used when applying for Schengen visas where the employer confirmed the travel, but obviously they’re not addressed to the Home Office. If I need to show evidence for that business trip, would those letters be enough?

3) Do I need my current employer to mention that I didn’t travel abroad during my time with them, and that any annual leave I took was inside the UK?

Any insight would be really appreciated.

[zimba]

1. This is not something you should be concerned with. This is part of the duty of your sponsor. You do not need to do anything.

2. You do not need to provide any evidence to the UKVI for your travels. Such a thing is not required.

3. You are confused about this whole thing. Your employer is NOT expected to know when you left the country. This is a misconception. The only need to say that any absence from WORK was approved by them. How do they know you left the country or not when you were away from work ?? They are NOT expected to know. Also the rules do not expect them to know or say anything about this.

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

[mnabaci]

Thank you, zimba!

[mnabaci]

Hi,

I was reviewing my wife's documents this morning to calculate the ILR eligibility date. I noticed a 7-day discrepancy between the visa approval email and the BRP start date of our first skilled worker and dependent applications, which we submitted simultaneously while in the UK. So, the dates are as follows;

Visa application date: 26 February 2021
Visa approval email date: 07 April 2021
BRP start date: 14 April 2021
Visas valid until: 14 March 2024

The dates are the same for both of us, and I know I can benefit from the COVID concessions, so I can calculate my ILR eligibility date from the visa application date, which is 26 February 2021.

My question is, which date should we calculate my wife's ILR eligibility from? Would it be from the visa approval email date or from the BRP start date, given that we were both in the UK at the time of the application?

Thank you!!

[lolo2]

The same timing applies to your wife so you both should be eligible for ILR at the same time.

[mnabaci]

Thank you!

I've done some research about the COVID concessions and dependents. There are some people who applied together with the main applicant and got the ILR with no issues, and there are others who had problems with dependent applications. It looks like a grey area and a bit risky.

[lolo2]

Perhaps the existing guidance doesn't make it clearer in regard of dependants but it doesn't mean it's not applicable.

The immigration rules are equally applicable to everyone. You're clarifying your own concern, you've seen applications that proceeded with no issues. It's very likely there were other reasons for the problematic cases you saw.

[mnabaci]

Yeah, that’s true actually. It is very possible that other applications that failed to have issues and I think we will apply together

Thank you for your help!

[mnabaci]

Hi everyone,

I’d appreciate some advice regarding the documents for our ILR Set(O) (Skilled Worker) applications.

My wife (dependent) and I will be applying for ILR at the same time. Her surname changed after we got married, and we declared her previous surname in the online form.

1. Do we need to upload our marriage certificate to prove the name change, or is declaring it in the form normally enough?

I also have a couple of questions about additional documents:

2. Life in the UK test
Do we need to upload the test result certificates, or does the Home Office automatically verify them from their system?

3. English test (for my wife)
Do we need to upload her English test certificate, or is it usually fine that it’s entered in the form and already linked to the Secure English Language Test system?

4. Old visa refusals
Both of us had refusals several years ago (before we moved to the UK), all for minor reasons like missing documents or lack of evidence of cohabitation. We declared these refusals in the ILR form.
Do we also need to upload the refusal letters, or is the declaration alone enough?

If anyone has experience with similar situations or knows what the caseworkers expect, I’d be grateful for your guidance.

Thanks in advance!

[zimba]

1. Using either your name or the married name in the UK is legal. You do not need to do anything
2. You do not need to upload anything for this
3. You do not need to upload anything for this
4. You do not need to upload anything for this

[mnabaci]

Thank you, zimba!