10 Year Route with Mixed Visa History and Child Custody Questions

Hello admins and members,

I'm preparing to apply for ILR based on 10 years of long residency in the UK. I arrived in October 2014 and have the following immigration history:

October 2014 - 2018: Student visa
2018 - 2020: Family Life Private visa (2.5 years granted, Parent route, due to British-born daughter, her mother is British)
2021 - present: Skilled Worker visa

I have a few questions regarding my application:

1, Does the 2-year period on a Family Life Private visa (2018-2020) count towards the qualifying 10 years for long residency ILR?

2, My daughter now lives with her British mother, who is the sole carer. In the ILR application form:

a) There's a question asking, "Why do they not live with you?" Will my answer to this affect the outcome of my ILR application?

b) There's an optional evidence section for the same question, requesting:

-Evidence of my access to my daughter, such as a written agreement between both parents or a child arrangement order

-Evidence of my parental relationship with my daughter, such as a birth or adoption certificate, proof of financial contributions to the child’s well-being or general evidence demonstrating concern and interest in the child

Unfortunately, I don't have these documents. Will the lack of this evidence negatively impact my application?

Thank you very much!!!

1. Yes
2. Those are not relevant at all. You do NOT need to provide any evidence for your family or children under long residence. This has been a known issue with the form and the document list so Ignore the document list for those items. The long residence has nothing to do with your family as you must apply on your own and qualify on your own

Thank you zimba! I didn't tick the boxes for the two options regarding child-related evidence. However, when I reached the end of the application form, the document checklist asked for:

- Evidence to prove the relationship with your child/children (e.g., full birth certificates)

- Document(s) showing your child/children's immigration status, such as passports, biometric residence cards, or vignettes

My questions are:

1) Do I need to upload these documents even though I didn't select the options earlier?

2) I only have a scanned copy of my daughter's birth certificate (the original is with her mother). Will this be sufficient?

3) My daughter has never travelled outside the UK, so she doesn't have a passport. Will just uploading her birth certificate be enough?

4) Lastly, in the application, they asked, "Why do they(as in my daughter) not live with you?" Is this a trick question, could it be intended to reveal inconsistencies in my application?
Can I answer honestly that it's due to a relationship breakdown? Could this negatively impact the outcome of my ILR application?


Thanks again for your help!!!

Did you read my advice above ???
Again, you do NOT need to upload any of them. Your family circumstances are irrelevant and have no impact at all. Answer any questions on the form as they are

Thank you for your reply, zimba!

My first Tier 4 student visa was valid from 3rd September 2014, but I first entered the UK on 18th September 2014. Am I safe to submit my ILR application on 22nd August (which will be 28 days before I first entered the UK)?

The reason I ask is that I want to book a super priority service, but I read some other posts suggesting it might not be a good idea. Like this one viewtopic.php?p=2174251#p2174251

Thanks for your help!!! I am really confused.

Yes, you should be ok. The OP in the thread you posted did not understand the 28-day concession at all.

Applicants can benefit from the date of the ILR decision

Many thanks, zimba! I plan to submit the application on the 23rd August (18th Sept 2014, so 10 years minus 28 days) and hopefully it will be fine?

For the question, “Do you have any other reasons for wanting to stay in the UK?” I wrote something generic like, “I’ve made the UK my home and I feel settled here,” but I’m not sure what kind of evidence I will need to supply. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you!

boots012 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 20, 2024 5:15 pm

Many thanks, zimba! I plan to submit the application on the 23rd August (18th Sept 2014, so 10 years minus 28 days) and hopefully it will be fine?

For the question, “Do you have any other reasons for wanting to stay in the UK?” I wrote something generic like, “I’ve made the UK my home and I feel settled here,” but I’m not sure what kind of evidence I will need to supply. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you!

Your response to the question has no impact on your application so if not answered not an issue. Can leave it as it is, no evidence provided and won't be an issue.

Thank you AmazonianX!

I was also asked to sign the consent form, but there are three pages. As the sole applicant, I will sign the first one. What should I do with the other two pages? Many thanks!

Leave them empty. The are not relevant

boots012 wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 1:24 am

Thank you AmazonianX!

I was also asked to sign the consent form, but there are three pages. As the sole applicant, I will sign the first one. What should I do with the other two pages? Many thanks!

Part 2 to be signed by your partner or someone you share account with.
Part 3 write Not Applicable.

Thanks both! This is my checklist to upload to UKVCAS. Could you please tell me whether this is sufficient? Many thanks for your help!

University graduation certificate (as proof of English language proficiency)
P60s
Bank statements
My daughter’s birth certificate
Passport scans
Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) scans
Police registration certificates
Tenancy agreement
Consent form
Table of time spent outside the UK
Life in the UK pass email

Do I need to upload more? Did I forget anything?

You were advised that no family-related evidence is needed.
Police registration certificates ?? That requirement has been gone for several years now !!!

It is just Passports, LIUK, English language and consent form. That is all