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

[mnabaci]

Thank you, zimba!

Apologies, I know you've answered this question before, but in my mind, there's still something unclear after reading the section below from the continuous residence guidance.

You must count backwards from whichever of the following is most beneficial to the
applicant to see whether they meet the qualifying period:
• the date of application
• any date up to 28 days after the date of application
• the date of decision
• if the applicant is applying for settlement on the UK Ancestry route, and their
last grant of permission was not as a person with UK Ancestry, the date their
most recent permission as a person with UK Ancestry expired

I would really appreciate help to calculate the earliest date for the application and biometrics! Here are all the dates;

- 20/03/2020 - Entry to UK on ECAA route (I know this date is irrelevant)
- 26/02/2021 - First Skilled worker visa application form submission date while inside the UK, and this is where I start calculating my 5-year period from, because of the Covid concessions (Leave to remain)
- 07/04/2021 - First skilled worker visa application approval date (Irrelevant due to Covid concessions)
- 29/01/2026 - Earliest date I can submit the ILR application(?) 5 years - 28 days is substracted from the date below
- 26/02/2026 - Exact 5-year completion date from 26/02/2021

So, my question is;

Can I submit my application any date after today, book my biometrics for 29/01/2026 with a Priority service and aim for a decision date on or around 02/02/2026?

The thing that confuses me is the bullet point below. I understand it as I can apply on 29/01/2026 at the earliest for this to be applicable, otherwise neither the date of application nor the date of decision would make me eligible when a decision is made on 02/02/2026. I might be confusing myself though, so as I said, I would really appreciate your assistance on this!

• any date up to 28 days after the date of application

[zimba]

You will be eligible for ILR on or after 29/01/2026, that is 28 days from completing your 5 years.

You said:

The thing that confuses me is the bullet point below. I understand it as I can apply on 29/01/2026 at the earliest for this to be applicable, otherwise neither the date of application nor the date of decision would make me eligible when a decision is made on 02/02/2026. I might be confusing myself though, so as I said, I would really appreciate your assistance on this!

If your ILR date of decision will be on 02/02/2026, what made you to say the highlighted bit above ????

[mnabaci]

The reason I said that is because if I submit my ILR application on 29/01/2026 with the priority service, I will get the result within 5 days, so around 02/02/2026. This date is 24 days before my exact 5-year period is completed.

In this situation, neither 02/02/2026 (the decision date) nor 29/01/2026 (the application date) completes the full 5 years.

The only third case is if the caseworker counts 28 days after my application date, which would be 26/02/2026, and that date is the exact 5-year point. However, in this scenario I am not sure whether this date must have already passed, or if they are allowed to use a future date.

[zimba]

You do NOT need to have 5 full years for ILR. It appears that you still do NOT understand what is the 28-day concession, after all that discussion above. Just like many who come here, you show no interest to read anything that is advised at all

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

What is the 28-day concession ?

The 28-day concession means you will be eligible for ILR (i.e. ILR can be granted) within 28 days of completing your qualifying period.
In a nutshell, this means you can get ILR without fully completing your full qualifying period.
This is a procedural concession offered by UKVI that applies to all ILR applications. It is not part of the immigration rules.

[mnabaci]

Ok got it, thanks again zimba. I can’t help my overthinking much sometimes.

Following my other regarding TUPE, I just wanted to clarify a few things related to sponsor letter, based on my situation.I know there is a “Everything you need to know about employment letter” post but I couldn’t see anything related to TUPE.

So, after the TUPE, the new entity (LLP) still does not have a sponsor licence. They actually applied before the TUPE (application in August, TUPE in September), but the application is still pending. Because of this, my CoS is still with the old sponsor (LTD), as the LLP cannot issue a CoS yet.

My employment has transferred to the LLP under TUPE, and my payslips are now from the LLP. However, my role, salary, SOC code and day-to-day duties have not changed at all.

For my ILR application, I will include a sponsor letter and I’m not sure how much detail it should contain. In particular:
1. Should the sponsor letter mention that the LLP sponsor licence application is still pending, including the application date, and explain that this is why the CoS is still under the old LTD sponsor?
2. Should the sponsor letter mention the TUPE transfer date or TUPE at all, or is it better to just explain the interim situation while the licence application is pending?
3. Since the licence application is still pending, should I include payslips and bank statements from both before and after the TUPE, or is providing only the most recent ones still enough?

I just want to avoid any confusion for UKVI, especially as the CoS is still under the old sponsor.

Thanks again, really appreciate the help.

[zimba]

None of the things you mentioned regarding TUPE are relevant to your application. You do not need special letter, etc. A transfer is your sponsor's problem, not yours.

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

As long as your sponsor handles the transfer as per the sponsor duties and requirements of the home office, then there is nothing special that you need to do or provide at all. You were transferred to a new employer, they take over, your SOC remains the same, now you have a new sponsor/employer and you provide the evidence issued by your new sponsor as per the rules. You do not need to do anything special or extra

[Sudha12]

Dear Applicant,

I am in same situation, as my Skilled worker VISA first application submission date is on 13th Apr 2021 and decision date is on 10th May 2021.

I hope I am eligible for ILR application submission on or after 16th March 2026 (as per the COVID consession as discussed in above comments), as I am on same situation where my Dependents applied with me on same time and granted the visa also on same date, as we all switched from ICT Tier2 VISA with in the UK to Skilled Worker VISA)

Could you please update on your application status - as you might got approval or waiting for approval, could you please confirm here once you got an approval and required documents for Spouse please.

It could be great help if someone also clarifiy who already applied or know the rule.

Thanks

[Sudha12]

Hi,

Could you please reply on my above queries please, as I am close to my application to submit with details.

Along with above details, can you please confirm what are the documents required for my Spouse as Depedent application for ILR.

Please reply earliest, It could be great help

[mnabaci]

Hi,

Sorry I have not been looking at this post recently. Here’s my application’s status so far.

- Application submitted on 29th January 2026
- Biometrics appointment on 30th January 2026 9am

Haven’t received a result yet.

We have uploaded the documents below for my dependent;

- Last two years cohabitation evidence
- Marriage Certificate
- Passport
- BRP Latest (Expired on 31st December 2024)
- e-Visa
- Declaration

These were not required but we uploaded anyway.
- National ID from our original country
- Previous refusal letters
- LIUK Test Result
- English Test Result
- BRP Dependant before first SW dependent

Will update you as soon as I get an update. Hope yours goes well!

[Sudha12]

Thank you so much for your details, It helps lot for me.

Please update here once you get an update.

[mnabaci]

Hi,

Got an update from my application today, which I think is a mistake.

We applied on 29th January 2026, and the ILR rules say a B1 English certificate can be used, so we used a B1 certificate for my wife (dependent). The mail says;

Thank you for your settlement application for permission to stay in the UK.

Although we would normally decide your application within 5 working days from the date of biometrics, unfortunately this is not going to be possible in your case.

Please can you provide further evidence of English as on or after 8 January 2026 you are required to meet the new B2 requirement.

If we do not receive anything within 10 days we will make a decision on the information we already have.

As far as I know, the new B2 English language requirement is for Skilled Worker visa route not for ILR.

How should we approach this? Is this a mistake or am I missing something?

Any help would be really appreciated!

[zimba]

The UKVI is wrong to demand a level B2 for a skilled worker dependant ILR as this contradicts paragraph SW 44.1 of the immigration rules:

English language requirement for settlement as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Skilled Worker
SW 44.1. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1.

SW 44.2. The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement as specified in Appendix English Language.

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

[mnabaci]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your support so far. This morning I got the approval for my application!

The request for a B2 English certificate for my dependent was a mistake. Yesterday, I responded to them by referring to SW 44.1 and SW 44.2 in the Skilled Worker Appendix, asking them to check the correct rules. They then approved our application using the B1 certificate.

Wishing everyone else here the best of luck

[zimba]

Congratulations

[Sudha12]

Congratulations

Do we need to upload any cover letter for Covid recession rules for counting 5 years from my first Skilled worker VISA application instead of Approval date ?

Please clarify.

[zimba]

Congratulations

Do we need to upload any cover letter for Covid recession rules for counting 5 years from my first Skilled worker VISA application instead of Approval date ?

Please clarify.

You do not write a cover letter to UKVI to ask them to follow their own rules. They know the rules

[Sudha12]

Thanks, sorry thought to check.

[Sudha12]

Dear Applicant/Anyone

Can you please suggest, I can apply for my dependents along with my application I hope by following the Covid Concession, (counting ILR 5 years from first Skilled worker VISA application submission date not from approval date) as its approved for you it looks.

As my family also same they switched from ICT VISA to Skilled worker Dependents while they are in UK.

Thanks