How to Get PR in the UK: Meaning, Application, Eligibility & Other Criteria

Undoubtedly the UK offers a promising livelihood to the residents of the country. So, many individuals plan to migrate there after completing their studies. However, people who want to live and work in the UK need to get a permit for permanent residency in the UK. Remember, there are several lengthy procedures to apply for a PR in the UK, and if you don't know which approach to follow, it can even take five years for a settlement.

So, to help you with that, we have curated a guide on how to get a PR in the UK. Read through to know about its eligibility criteria, application procedure and document requirements.

If you are wondering how to get citizenship in the UK, you can choose different pathways depending on what situation you are in. They include:

• Living in the UK for More Than 5 Years: You fulfil the eligibility criteria for acquiring the UK PR if you have lived there for more than five years.
• Family of a Permanent Resident of the UK: If you have married a citizen of the UK, have a parent, or have a dependent relative who is a permanent citizen of the UK, you can apply for ILR. In some cases, people can get citizenship even within two years, depending on the visa they hold.
• Work Visa of 5 Years: Another way of applying for the PR process in UK is to have a work visa of five years. However, some additional terms are involved, like your employer needs to sponsor you. Moreover, you must earn at least £ 25,600 and have enough documents to prove it. Here, the country allows an exception if you are a healthcare provider or work under the short supply profession.

By following the steps mentioned below, you can apply for the PR process in UK:

Step 1: Check if you qualify for UK citizenship by going through the eligibility list.

Step 2: Apply by submitting an individual application, taking the help of an agent, or applying through national checking services. However, if you choose to do it yourself, remember to fill the Form AN. For this, you can take the assistance of Immigration Direct. Lastly, submit the form.

Step 3: Complete the biometric process by submitting your photo and fingerprints.

Step 4: Wait for the decision. It takes six months for the UK Visas and Immigration to pass the order.

Step 5: Once the officials approve your application, attend a citizenship ceremony to make an Oath of Allegiance to the UK and promise you will abide by their rules, laws and rights. Lastly, officials will deliver you a certificate of British Citizenship.

The documents necessary to acquire PR in the UK from India is another critical discussion. They include:

1. Proof of Exercising Your Treaty Rights

If you feel you are qualified for permanent citizenship in the UK, then make sure to present evidence to support your application. One such document involves proof of the activity you have been undertaking in the last five years. Like, show whether you have been studying, working, looking for work, self-employed or self-sufficient.

2. Proof of Your Relationship

If you are applying as a family member of a UK citizen, then you need to prove your relationship and under which category it falls.

• Document supporting the fact that you are living with your EEA national sponsor. Also, you are related to them by blood, marriage or are in a durable relationship.
• You have not left the UK for more than 180 days in any year, which falls under the qualifying period.
• You have been staying in the UK for a continuous period of five years. Also, you hold a treaty of rights for the five years you have been staying.

3. Proof of Residence

The evidence of residency that you are supplying regarding your five-year stay should be from two years ago. In addition, you must also qualify for the fact that you have not stayed outside of the UK for more than two years since that period. If you have stayed for more than two years, the right becomes invalid, and you have to prove the subsequent five years of stay.

The following are different conditions that people may fall under. Remember the eligibility and application process will vary depending on which category you fall. So, select it by going through their details thoroughly:

1. As a Non-EU Citizen
2. As a Family Member of a UK Citizen
3. As a Partner of Someone Settled in the UK

If you want to know more about these pathways read its details below:

1. As a Non-EU Citizen

If you are a non-EU citizen but wish to settle in the UK, then the process of applying for permanent citizenship can be complex for you. However, your chances to qualify for citizenship are positive if you have lived in the UK for more than five years. In this case, the last thing you want to do is make a mistake in applying. So here is an explanation of how an Indian can get UK citizenship:

Set O: Filling up this application is necessary if you are the partner of a UK citizen or parent of a child living in the UK.

Set M: If you qualify for the citizenship of the UK, fill this form supporting it with documents like council tax letters, payslips, bank account statements, and a letter from the employer.

How to Apply for a PR in the UK as a Non-EU Citizen?

Upon fulfilling the above eligibility criteria, each family member should submit an application form in their own capacity. However, for those below 18 years, the guardians can submit a form on their behalf. Moreover, if you fall under Visa 1 or Visa 2 category, you can take your family with you to the UK.

2. As a Family Member of a UK Citizen

Another common pathway of settling in the UK is as a family member of someone already a UK citizen.

Eligibility to Apply As a Family Member of a UK Citizen

If you have a spouse who is a citizen of the UK and wishes to settle with him/her, you can apply for permanent citizenship using three routes, i.e., 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year routes. The individual usually has a visa for the respective term if they have lived for those years. Once you meet the time criteria, look for an appropriate application and submit it for further processing. Make sure you also meet the following criteria:

• Marriage

You have a visa under the partner category. This includes either being married to your British partner or in a subsisting relation or civil partnership but not married.

• Living Together

The system may also require you to prove that you live with your UK partner and intend to stay once you get citizenship. A joint account at a reputed bank, joint tenancy contract, and other official agreements is considerable evidence.

• English Test

Another eligibility criterion for UK PR is officials will check if you can understand 'English Language' and are fluent in it even though it's not your first language. For this, if you have an educational qualification certificate from a recognized institution, it will act as enough proof.

• Other Test

To discover how much you understand British Life, you must pass the 'Life in the UK' test under this category.

• Proof of Finances

If you are taking a 5-year route, be ready to prove you can support your family. The breakage of expected income is as follows:

• Minimum of £ 18,600 if you have zero dependent children
• Minimum of £ 22,400 if you have one dependent child
• The amount adds £ 2,400 every year for each child

Some important points to remember here are children who are European or British citizens will not be counted under annual earnings. Also, the total revenue will include the income of both partners.

For the 2-year route, there is no minimum earning requirement. However, you must ensure that you have enough funds to support your family, excluding public funds. In contrast, for the 10-year route, there is no minimum earning requirement, but you have to present proof of income.

3. As a Partner of Someone Settled in the UK

The step to apply for UK PR is different if you are a partner of someone who has settled in the UK through a work visa, i.e., Tier 1, 2, or 5 visas. In other words, this category is applicable for you if you are married or in a relationship or civil partnership with a UK partner for two years at least.

Eligibility to Apply As a Partner of Someone Settled in the UK

The following are the criteria that decide whether you are eligible for UK citizenship:

• You have a partner’s dependent visa. Also, the permit was applied by you after your partner had already become a permanent citizen of the UK.
• Suppose the officials have issued your visa before 9th July 2012, then you must have lived with your partner for two years. However, the term requirement increases to five if your permit was granted on or after 9th July 2021.
• Another essential requirement of UK officials is when you apply for permanent citizenship, you must be living with your partner and have a long term relationship goal. In addition, the applicant must not claim any benefits when applying.
• Also, one must fulfil requirements involving proficiency in the English language and the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

How to Apply For PR As a Partner of Someone Settled in the UK?

There is an application available for the PR process in the UK online that you can access. But it usually takes six month period for officials to respond. However, you can apply for the premium processing service too. In the premium process, an appointment is set where officials look into your application in person and decide on the same day.

As per the UK visa and immigration officials, the processing time for permanent residency in the UK extends up to 6 months. However, the cost for applying includes £ 2,389. However, a couple of financial requirements in specific applications may make the process a little expensive.

You can track your application status for PR in the UK in just three steps. It includes:

Step 1: Visit the link.

Step 2: The site may require the following information:

• Case ID or Case Identification Number
• Payment Reference Number (PRN)
• Unique Application Number (UAN)
• Immigration Health Surcharge Number (IHS)
• Biometric Residence Permit Number (BRPN)

Step 3: Provide these details correctly. Using this information, applicants can track their application status.