Key Overviews
- Every ILR applicant must evidence identity, lawful residence, absences, English at CEFR B1, and Life in the UK. Route-specific evidence is added on top.
- SET(M) is for partners and parents. SET(O) is for work and most other routes. SET(LR) is for the 10-year long residence route. Each form has its own evidence rules.
- Continuous residence is proven by a pattern of evidence across the qualifying period.
- Digital status (eVisa) through the UKVI account is now the primary proof of permission to current immigration status.
- The 2026 ILR application fee is £3,226 per person from 8 April 2026. ILR applicants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Introduction
The documents required for an ILR application depend on the applicant’s route and personal circumstances. That said, almost every ILR submission includes the core identity, residence and knowledge evidence listed in the section below, with route-specific evidence layered on top. This post sets out the working checklist for SET(M), SET(O) and SET(LR) applications in 2026.
Documents Required For Every ILR Application
Every ILR application, regardless of route, must include the same core set of identity, residence and knowledge documents. The items below form the baseline for SET(M), SET(O) and SET(LR) and should be gathered first.
- Current passport, valid at the date of application
- Any expired passports covering the qualifying period
- UKVI account share code and date of birth for digital status verification (eVisa)
- Previous Biometric Residence Permit cards
- Life in the UK test pass notification
- English at CEFR B1 certificate, or an accepted alternative
- Proof of current UK address (tenancy agreement, mortgage statement, council tax bill)
- Full dated list of every absence from the UK during the qualifying period
Evidence of Identity and Status
Identity and status documents confirm who you are and that your current leave is valid. The Home Office cross-references the passport and share code before considering the substantive route requirements.
- Current passport with all data pages
- All previous passports held during the qualifying period
- UKVI account share code, generated within 90 days of application
- Biometric Residence Permit, if you had one
- Change of name evidence (deed poll, marriage certificate) where the name on the application differs from the passport
Evidence of Continuous Residence
Continuous residence must be proven for every year of the qualifying period, usually, with no more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12 months.
- P60s for every full UK tax year in the qualifying period
- Payslips covering the qualifying period
- HMRC tax summary printed from your personal tax account
- Tenancy agreements, mortgage statements or title deeds
- Council tax bills and utility bills (gas, electricity, water, broadband)
- UK bank statements showing salary credits and direct debits
- GP and dental registration confirmation, NHS correspondence
- Employer letters confirming continuous employment
A precise list of absences is also required. Include the date of departure, date of return, country visited and reason for travel for every trip out of the UK. Our continuous residence guide sets out the permitted absence categories under Appendix Continuous Residence.
Evidence of English Language
ILR applicants aged 18 to 64 must hold an approved English at CEFR B1 qualification, unless an exemption applies. The certificate must come from a Home Office approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) provider. Evidence includes:
- SELT certificate at CEFR B1 or above from LanguageCert, Trinity College London, PSI Services UK, IELTS SELT or Pearson PTE
- UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree taught in English, with Ecctis statement of comparability where applicable
- Evidence of nationality of a majority English-speaking country listed in the Immigration Rules
- Doctor’s exemption form for medical exemption, completed by a GP, NHS hospital consultant or qualified psychologist
A B1 or higher certificate obtained for an earlier UK visa application is normally accepted at ILR stage. Seek professional advice if you are unsure whether you meet the English language requirement.
Evidence of Life in the UK test pass notification
The Life in the UK test must be passed before submission and the pass notification uploaded with the application. The test consists of 24 questions; 18 correct answers are required to pass.
- Life in the UK pass notification email with the unique reference number
- Physical Life in the UK pass letter, where issued
- Exemption evidence for applicants under 18 or over 65
- Medical exemption evidence where the applicant is unable to take the test for a long-term physical or mental condition.
Documents Required For SET(M): Partners And Parents
SET(M) is the ILR application for partners and parents settled under Appendix FM, typically after five years on the partner route. The pack must evidence the genuine and subsisting relationship, the financial requirement, adequate accommodation and a clean NHS debt record in addition to the core ILR requirements.
Relationship evidence required:
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of durable cohabitation
- Joint correspondence covering the qualifying period (joint tenancy, joint bank statements, joint utility bills, joint council tax, joint insurance)
- Separate correspondence sent to the same address for each partner where joint documents are not available
- Photographs, travel records and family event evidence where relationship history is questioned
Financial evidence required:
Financial evidence will vary depending on the type of your income and savings, this may include:
- Six months of payslips for the sponsor (and applicant, where combining incomes)
- Current employer letter confirming role, salary and start date
- Six months of personal bank statements matching the payslips
- Up-to-date contract of employment
- Self-assessment tax returns, SA302s and business bank statements for self-employed sponsors
Accommodation evidence required:
- Tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or property title deed for the current address
- Recent utility bill in the applicant’s or sponsor’s name
- Letter from the property owner where the applicant lives with family, plus a utility bill in the owner’s name
- Confirmation that occupancy does not exceed the statutory overcrowding limits under the Housing Act 1985
The minimum income threshold at settlement stage in 2026 is £29,000. However, if you were granted leave as a partner before 11 April 2024, and are applying with the same partner, the transitionary threshold will apply to your case, i.e. £18,600 plus the child elements. Cash savings can be used to substitute for shortfall income.
For a complete guide, visit Indefinite Leave to Remain (Family).
Documents Required For SET(O): Work And Other Routes
SET(O) is the most widely used ILR form. It covers Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, International Sportsperson, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Representative of an Overseas Business, UK Ancestry, Domestic Worker and several other categories.
Skilled Worker and other sponsored work routes:
- Current Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
- Up-to-date employer letter confirming the role is genuine and the salary meets or exceeds the going rate
- Last 12 months of payslips
- P60s for each full UK tax year in the qualifying period
- Confirmation that the sponsor still holds a valid sponsor licence
Global Talent and Innovator Founder:
- Endorsement letter from the relevant endorsing body
- Confirmation that the endorsement has not been withdrawn
- Innovator Founder business evidence against at least two of the settlement criteria under Appendix Innovator Founder
UK Ancestry:
- British-born grandparent’s full birth certificate
- Parent’s birth certificate linking applicant to the British grandparent
- Applicant’s own birth certificate
- Evidence of economic activity or intention to work across the qualifying period
Skilled Worker applicants should review the ILR Work Route for route-specific evidence rules before assembling the SET(O) pack.
Documents Required For SET(LR): Long Residence
SET(LR) is the ILR application based on 10 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK. Evidence demonstrating Long Residence should include:
- Full travel history covering all 10 years of the qualifying period
- Every page of every passport held during the 10 years
- Decision letters for every grant of leave covering the period
- Annual residence evidence (tenancy agreements, bank statements, employer letters) for each calendar year
- Evidence of any 3C leave protection or in-time application where leave was extended
- Evidence supporting any short gap in status (illness, exceptional circumstances)
Documents Required For Dependants
Dependants applying alongside the main applicant must submit their own document pack. Each dependant pays a separate £3,226 application fee and a separate biometric enrolment fee.
- Current passport for each dependant
- UKVI account share code and BRP (where previously held) for each dependant
- Full birth certificate for each child
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate for partner dependants
- School letter confirming attendance for school-age children
- Life in the UK and English at CEFR B1 evidence for adult dependants
Children under 18 are exempt from the knowledge of language and life requirements. Adult dependants on a SET(M) or SET(O) pack must meet the standard requirements in their own right.
ILR Application Fees 2026
The Home Office ILR application fee from 8 April 2026 is £3,226 per person. Optional priority services and biometric enrolment costs are charged separately.
- Standard ILR application fee: £3,226 per person
- Priority Service: £500 per person, decision within 5 working days
- Super Priority Service: £1,000 per person, decision by next working day
- Biometric enrolment fee: charged at the UKVCAS appointment
- Life in the UK test fee: £50 per attempt
- Secure English Language Test fee: typically £150 to £200, depending on provider
ILR applicants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. The application fee is non-refundable if the application is unsuccessful.
How Whytecroft Ford Can Help
Whytecroft Ford prepares ILR applications under SET(M), SET(O) and SET(LR) end to end. The settlement team reviews the qualifying period, audits absences against Appendix Continuous Residence, checks English and Life in the UK evidence, confirms route-specific requirements such as the financial requirement under Appendix FM or the sponsor letter under Skilled Worker, and assembles the document pack to Home Office standard before submission.
Where the document pack has gaps, the team advises on acceptable alternative evidence and whether the application should be delayed to strengthen the case.
Call 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form to start your ILR application or request a settlement document audit.
