Private life applications

If you have resided in the UK for a period of time, you may, depending upon your age and other circumstances, be eligible to make a Private Life application for leave to remain under the Immigration Rules. 

There are four general categories of applicants who can apply under the private life Immigration Rules. They are as follows:

• Applicants who have lived continuously in the UK for at least 20 years. Applicants do not need to have held any form of immigration status throughout this 20-year period, although the period does exclude any time spent in prison;
• Applicants who are under the age of 18 and have lived continuously in the UK for at least 7 years (discounting any period of imprisonment), providing it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave the UK; or
• Applicants aged between 18 and 25 years old who have spent at least half of their life living continuously in the UK (discounting any period of imprisonment); or
• Applicants aged 18 years or above, who have lived continuously in the UK for less than 20 years (discounting any period of imprisonment) who would face very significant obstacles to their integration on return to their home country. 

We can advise you on the requirements of making a Private Life application and assist you in preparing your application. 

Complex Private and Family Life Applications 

If you have established significant ties to the UK, for example, through your work, your community, your activities, your personal relationships, or if there are exceptional, compelling or compassionate reasons for you needing to remain in the UK, you may be eligible to make an application for leave to remain relying upon those factors. Such an application is likely to be made outside of the Immigration Rules and therefore rely upon the discretion of the Home Office and / or your rights under the European 

Convention of Human Rights

These types of applications typically result in grants of leave for 2.5 years and will not usually entitle you to access public funds (benefits). 

Those granted leave under this route will be eligible to apply for settlement / Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once they have spent 10 years residing in the UK in this category. Extension applications must therefore be made every two and half years until ten years continuous residence in the UK has been accrued. 

We can advise you on the requirements of making a discretionary / outside of the Immigration Rules application and assist you in preparing your application.