UK Shares 1 Type of Visa That Can Fast Track Permanent Residency Status

• The UK government has outlined how holders of a specified visa type can qualify for indefinite leave to remain after just three years
• Applicants must meet specific requirements including spending no more than 180 days outside the country annually
• The application costs £3,226 per person, and successful applicants gain the right to live, work, study, and eventually apply for British citizenship

The UK government has identified the Innovator Founder visa as a pathway to permanent residency that requires just three years of residence.

This timeframe is significantly shorter than that of many other immigration routes to permanent residency.

According to official guidance published by the UK Home Office, holders of the Innovator Founder visa can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after living in the country for three years on that visa.

ILR grants the right to live, work, and study in the UK without any time restriction, access benefits where eligible, and ultimately pursue British citizenship.

What the Innovator Founder Visa Is About

The Innovator Founder visa replaced the older Innovator visa, though holders of the original Innovator visa remain eligible to apply for ILR under the same conditions.

To qualify, applicants must have spent their three years in the UK specifically on one of these two visa types; time accumulated on any other visa category does not count towards the residency requirement.

Travel restrictions are a key consideration. Applicants must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any single 12-month period. Crucially, once an ILR application has been submitted, the applicant cannot travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man until a decision is reached.

Any travel during that window will result in the application being automatically withdrawn.

Fees and Processing Timeline

Each person applying for ILR through this route must pay a fee of £3,226. Processing can take up to six months from the date of submission or from the date biometric information is collected at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre.

Applications involving complex circumstances, such as a criminal conviction, outstanding document verification, or a required interview, may take longer.

The Home Office advises applicants not to wait until their current visa expires before applying. Anyone whose visa lapses before they become eligible for ILR will need to renew it first, adding both time and cost to the process.

Applications can be submitted up to 28 days before the eligibility date, but submitting any earlier risks an outright refusal.

UK mentions long-term visa route for foreign graduates

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that UK government posted a publication about different visa applications and their duration for applicants.

Graduate visa allows foreign graduates to remain in the country for at least 18 months after completing an eligible degree.