UK visas: "Settlement" term and 2 confusing meanings of it

By 1st 4Immigration - #1 UK Immigration Experts -
You may have heard “Applying for a Settlement visa” or “Apply to settle in the UK”, or Priority fast-track service being offered for a “Settlement” category. What does it all mean? 

If you are outside the UK, the term “Settlement visa”  does not refer to a permanent visa. It refers to a category that will lead to Settlement (permanent residency) in the UK, eventually, usually after 5 years. Examples: spouse or partner of a UK citizen. Visas like Skilled Worker are considered “temporary”, even the they also lead to Settlement after 5 years. Just how it works. So, if you are applying for an entry visa as a Partner and wish to choose the Priority service, you need to choose "Priority -  Settlement".

If you are inside the UK, the term “Settlement” refers to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). It is a permanent residency status, hence the word “Settlement”. In fact, the most recent sections of the UK Immigration Rules do not even refer to ILR anymore, instead they say ‘Settlement”, as can be seen on the picture or on the link here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-skilled-worker 

This could be because Indefinite Leave is not “indefinite”. In most cases, it can be lost after leaving the UK for more than 2 years; or 5 years if you were granted a settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You can read more in our separate post including on dual nationality: https://1st4immigration.wordpress.com/2024/05/27/indefinite-leave-is-not-indefinite/ 

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