https://preview.redd.it/p8heao2mgozg1.png?width=499&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e241c0c1eba9e943a21cfc549460734376f785f

After stressing over every trip abroad and rule change conversations last I dunno how many months... I got that big email this morning. Approved!! Sharing my details in case it helps anyone else in the queue.

• Route: Skilled Worker
• Applied: 24 April 2026
• Service: Priority
• Biometrics: 01 May 2026
• UKVI Confirmation: 01 May 2026
• Decision received: 07 May 2026

I worked with a solicitor and I provided them with these documents:

• Passport(s)
• Entry clearance temporary vignette
• BRPs
• Life in the UK test result
• Full list of absences
• Authorised Absences Letter from the company (categorized them into work-related travel, paid annual leave, and remote working abroad)
• UK NARIC certificate + degree in an English-speaking country (not UK), transcript
• Bank statement of last 5 years (only main account where salary comes in)
• Council Tax bills of last 5 years
• Employment contract, CV, assigned CoS, ILR Employment letter
• P60s of last 5 years
• Payslips of last 5 years
• Tenancy agreements of last 5 years
• Utility bills of last 5 years (minimum 2 bills from each year) - electricity, gas, internet, water didn't matter

Another note is that I have a tool called ilrtracker.com - built it for myself initially because I travel a lot and tracking absences manually was painful, then it turned into a project when people on reddit found it useful. The reason I'm mentioning this is that I used it throughout my own application: absence tracking, Life in the UK test prep, organising the documents for my firm, and watching processing times for the same route. There's a bunch of free tools on there too. Genuinely think it might save you some stress if you give it a try.

Lastly, I wish best of luck to everyone who is going through the same process as me. You'll get it!

In the ILR form, one of the mandatory document is mentioned as:

If you have added a spouse or civil partner to this application form who is applying at the same time as you, please provide documentary evidence of cohabitation since you were last granted leave (up to a maximum of two years). Evidence provided should cover the whole period and be in the form of official letters or documents, addressed to yourself and your spouse.

How I read this is , I only need to provide cohabitation proof since we were last granted leave(visa) which was May 2025 (when we extended my skilled worker visa and her dependent visa). That means I need to provide proof of cohabitation of last year only.

Is my understanding correct?

The reason I ask is because, I only have joint name document for the last 2 years.
I dont have any joint document with my wife's name on it. All utility bills prior 2 last 2 years are on my name.

Additionally, I have requested council to give a letter confirming the residency since Aug 2022, which they have given now. are these documents enough?

Period of ILR is:

June 2021 - July 2022 at Address-A
Aug 2022 - till date 2026 at Address-B

This is the list I intend to provide, would this be enough for Wife's case?

1. Council bill with joint name (both mine and hers) for 2026-2027 for Address-B
2. Council bill with joint name (both mine and hers) for 2025-2026 for Address-B
3. Council letter confirming both of our residency for Address-B since Aug 2022
4. Electoral CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION for me - confirmation that I am on the roll at the Address-B since Aug 2022 and my electoral registration number.
5. Electoral CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION for my wife - confirmation that my wife is on the roll at the Address-B since Aug 2022 and my electoral registration number.
6. Mortgage letter on joint name for Address-B since Aug 2022.
7. Council bill with joint name (both mine and hers) for 2021-2022 for Address-A

For an individual who initially entered the UK on an ICT visa and later switched in-country to a Skilled Worker visa, and is applying for ILR under the 5‑year Skilled Worker route, what should be the correct response to this question?

 

ILR questions:

 

Question 1:

“When did you first enter the UK?

This is the date you entered the UK when the period of stay you are basing this application on started.”

 

Question I have: Should I enter my ICT visa entry date Feb 2018, or my Skilled Worker visa start date of June 2021?

 

Question 2:

“Since you first entered the UK, have you had any absences from the UK?

This includes any absences however short. Do not include travel to Crown Dependencies. Add Absence details”

 

Question I have :  Should I declare absences from February 2018, when I first entered the UK on my ICT visa, or only from June 2021, when my Skilled Worker permission commenced?

Hey reddit people,

I just got my ILR approved today and this subreddit community have really helped me in the whole process and saved lot of money (immigration lawyer) so would like to share my process which can be helpful to someone .

I came for my PhD in May 2023 on UKRI project so was granted fast track route and applied for ILR after 2 years and 11 months

Application Timeline

• Eligibility route: UKRI endorsed funder path

• Service (Standard/super priority): super priority (GTV usually get either standard or super priority option

• Application Date: 29 april 2026 (2am)

• Biometric Date: 30 april 2026 (11 am)

• Approval/decision Date: 30 april (1.30 pm)

I was bit skeptical specially as my contract finishes next month and as of now I dont have an offer in my hand and other I had like 280 days absence from UK (due to research work of project).Though for continous any 12 months had max 179days leave.

For my employment, my university and supervisor letter were really helpful, I uploaded all my Uni contracts, endorsement letter, current letter and letter of support from my supervisor.

For my absences I made a neat table with each entry exit date and countries visited also I did attach proof for each travel trip. Mine were 11 and since it was booked by Uni travel agent I had etickets for all and attached them.

Also wrote separate cover letter with projects requiremennts to travel and my research output so far (publications, major conferences etc).

I also had to give english test since ECCTIS was taking long time verifying my degree documents but it was all smooth.

So from my Life in UK test, english test, doing application process and approval all took exactly 40 days.

Happy to help someone.

Thanks Reddit.

I applied for my Innovator Founder ILR in March 2025 after completing biometrics, and I am still waiting for a decision.

At one stage, I was asked to provide some additional information, and the last communication from the Home Office described my case as “complex”. Since then, there has been no meaningful update.

I have also raised a PAP through my solicitor and contacted my MP, who followed up with the Home Office parliamentary team. However, I have not received any clear update on progress or timing.

The uncertainty has made it very difficult to plan both business and personal commitments, as I cannot make long-term decisions while the application is still pending.

I previously had an Innovator visa decision processed much faster, so I was not expecting this stage of the process to take this long.

Has anyone else experienced similar delays or cases being labelled as “complex” at ILR stage?

Wondering if anyone has had a similar experience or advice regarding this.

For context, my wife and I are applying for ILR in a couple of months. I have a skilled worker visa and my wife will be applying as my dependent.

My wife, is a medical professional and has recently got her general medical council registration and has started working as a doctor but still as my dependent.

She has already taken an English language exam in the form of the OET test to prove her language competency. This is obviously a much higher level than that needed for an ILR application.

My question is, my partner having passed an OET exam and having been registered as a doctor in the UK and practically working as one, will she still need to book another english language test for the ILR application?

I appreciate this is a very specific case and I feel like she should not require further proof of English language competency but would like to know what other people think or share your experiences perhaps?

Many thanks

I am about to apply for the ILR next week on Skilled worker visa route. I got the below documents:

1. Passport and brp

2. Declaration form

3. Letter from current and previous employer

4. Last month payslip and bank statement

5. Absence list

6. Cover letter

7. FPN payment email

Am I missing something?

Also, I had 2 FPNs for littering,which was paid on the spot. Will it impact the application? I'm planning to use super priority

Thanks

Hey reddit 👋

I prepared an infographic for April for those on the path to ILR or Naturalisation/citizenship, pulling together community-reported timelines from public sources + ILR Tracker user data.

Goal is to share data with the UK ILR & citizenship community - monthly reports, free tools, no fluff.

UK Citizenship median wait has grown from 76 days (Nov 2025) to 116 days (Apr 2026). A 53% slowdown in 5 months.

Full breakdown in the image - premium service ROI, citizenship-by-route myth-buster, the CS→Atlas email gap, refusal rates, and methodology.

If people find this useful, I can share it each month. Let me know in the comments!

https://preview.redd.it/r78sfd0ppjyg1.png?width=2160&format=png&auto=webp&s=4f418f1694a04a4104698f8db36279c714ef9e45