ILR Calculator GOV UK
ILR calculator â check when you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK
Use this independent ILR calculator to estimate your earliest Indefinite Leave to Remain application date and flag common continuous residence absence issues. It is based on published UK immigration guidance, but it is not an official GOV.UK or Home Office service.
Select your ILR route
Choose the route that best matches your current UK visa. Qualifying periods, absence checks, and evidence requirements can vary by route.
5-year work route
Skilled Worker, Global Talent, and other work visas
5-year family route
Spouse, partner, parent, or family visa routes
10-year long residence
Continuous lawful residence for 10 years
Other / Custom
Specify your own qualifying period
How this ILR calculator works
This ILR eligibility calculator helps UK visa holders estimate when they may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain and whether their travel history may create continuous residence issues. Select your visa route, enter your key dates, add absences from the UK, and review the estimated earliest application date with route-specific absence warnings.
Understanding the ILR qualifying period and the 28-day rule
The ILR qualifying period is the continuous time you must usually live in the UK before applying for settlement. Skilled Worker and many family routes are commonly 5 years, while long residence is 10 years. This calculator estimates the end of your qualifying period and applies the 28-day rule where it is commonly used, but your exact route should always be checked on GOV.UK.
What ILR routes does this calculator support?
This independent ILR calculator UK tool supports:
- 5-year work route: Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, and other work-based visas
- 5-year family route: Spouse, partner, parent, and other family visa routes where a 5-year qualifying period applies
- 10-year long residence route: Continuous lawful residence for 10 years
- Custom routes: Other ILR routes where you want to enter your own qualifying period
Frequently asked questions about ILR eligibility
Your ILR qualifying period usually starts from the date your relevant visa was granted or the date you first entered the UK on that visa, depending on the route. Most work routes and many family routes use 5 years, while long residence uses 10 years. This calculator gives an estimate, so check your exact route before applying.
Yes. Select "5-year work route" and enter your relevant start date. The calculator estimates your 5-year qualifying period and checks whether your entered absences may go over 180 days in any 12-month period.
For many routes, the rule looks at whether you were outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period. This calculator counts whole days outside the UK, so the day you leave and the day you return are not counted as absent days.
Yes, but use the result as a careful estimate. Long residence has transitional absence rules for time before 11 April 2024, including older 184-day single absence and 548-day total absence checks. From 11 April 2024, the 180 days in any 12-month period rule is also important.
No. This is an independent ILR Calculator GOV UK guide and calculator, not an official Home Office or GOV.UK service. Always check the official GOV.UK guidance before making an application.
Going over 180 days in a 12-month period can create a continuous residence issue. Some absences may be treated differently where a permitted exception applies, so check the official guidance and get advice if your travel history is complex.
Yes. Select "5-year family route" if your spouse or partner route uses a 5-year qualifying period. Family route applications can also involve relationship, financial, English language, Life in the UK, and suitability requirements, so the calculator result is not enough on its own.
In many ILR routes, you can apply up to 28 days before the end of your qualifying period. This calculator subtracts 28 days from the estimated qualifying period end date. Applying too early can lead to problems, so check your route before submitting.
Consider advice if you have long absences, gaps between visas, overstaying, mixed visa routes, refused applications, criminal issues, or uncertainty about which route applies. A qualified immigration adviser can review your evidence and circumstances.
This calculator uses the dates and trips you enter to produce an estimate. It can flag common continuous residence issues, but it cannot check every document, exception, route rule, or Home Office discretion point.
If you enable "Remember my trips on this device," the calculator saves your data in your browser's local storage. Your data stays on your device and is not sent to this website's server.
You may also need the Life in the UK test, English language evidence, valid current leave, route-specific financial or employment evidence, and suitability checks. The exact requirements depend on your ILR route.