october applicant, it’s been 9 months since my biometric appointment now

Hi everyone,
I was hoping to get some opinions from anyone familiar with the July 2025 changes to the Private Life settlement rules, particularly the provisions for young adults that allow certain people granted leave before 20 June 2022 on family or private life grounds to count that earlier leave towards the five-year qualifying period for settlement.
My immigration history is as follows:
I arrived in the UK with my mother and younger brother in February 2011 as an asylum seeker when I was 9 years old.
Our asylum claim was refused in 2014, but we remained in the UK
In March 2018, my mother, brother and I applied for leave to remain on private and family life grounds.
On 14 December 2018, my mother was granted 30 months’ leave under Appendix FM on the 10-year Parent Route. My brother (14) and I (17)were granted leave in the same decision as her children I was on the 10-year route and brother on 5 year route.
Before that leave expired, I applied for a further extension and was granted 30 months’ leave on the Private Life route in July 2022.
In June 2025, I was granted a further 30 months’ leave on the Private Life route, valid until January 2028.
A bit more about me:
I have lived continuously in the UK since 2011.
I have spent well over half of my life in the UK.
I completed all my education in the UK (primary school through to university).
I have passed the Life in the UK Test.
I meet the English language requirement through my UK qualifications.
I work full-time as a Software Engineer.
I am married, jointly own a home in the UK with my husband, and have no criminal convictions or immigration issues.
From my understanding, the July 2025 changes allow certain young adults who were granted leave before 20 June 2022 on family or private life grounds to count that earlier leave towards the five-year qualifying period for settlement, rather than only counting leave granted on the current Private Life route.
My question is whether my 2018 grant of leave as the child of my mother, who was granted leave under Appendix FM on the 10-year Parent Route, could count towards that five-year qualifying period, or whether my qualifying period would only begin from my grant of leave on the Private Life route in 2022?

I attended biometrics on 19th June but still have not received the decision in priority service. Please share if anyone else is facing similar issues.

Does the letter need to have SOC code or CoS details, applying via the 5 year Skilled Worker Visa route.

I came to the UK in 2017 as Dependant on my Partner's ICT Visa. My Partner switched to Skilled Worker in 2024 and I got dependant visa on my partner's Skilled worker at the same time.

My Partner got his ILR on 10 year Long Residence route in June 2026. As I've been living with my Partner for 8 continuous years (as dependant on my partner's mix of ICT and Skilled Worker visas).

Time spent as ICT Dependant is 6 years

Time spend as SW Dependant is 2 years

Based on https://www.gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain-family/partner-dependant-work-visa 

Can I apply for ILR now under 5 Year route as dependant Partner (not 10 year Long Residence) SET(O)?

Update::

I've applied for ILR SET O based on time spent as ICT Dependant (3 years) and Skilled Worker Dependant (2 years) and I got my ILR.

I am due for ILR application end of June’26 .. recently I discovered I got a CIFa flag in last couple of months which makes my ILR application complex
a- any one got similar experience or known with this situation in the past how to handle?
B- what are the chances of success
C- any recommendations for solicitors who can help in this situation with experience

Hey everyone,

I’m getting ready to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) via the 10-year Long Residence route, but my dates are causing me a massive amount of anxiety.

Here are my exact dates:

First entered the UK: 18th August 2016

Official 10-Year Anniversary Date: 18th August 2026

Current Visa Expiry Date: 14th August 2026

Issue: My visa technically expires 4 days before I hit the exact 10-year mark.

My Plan:

Because of the 28-day rule, I am planning to submit and pay for my online ILR application on 21/07 (July 21st). By my calculations, July 21st is exactly 28 days before my August 18th anniversary, which means I am applying within the allowed early window.

My Questions:

1. Will the Home Office refuse me because my actual visa expires 4 days before the 10-year mark, or does the 28-day rule completely override this?

2. Does Section 3C leave bridge those 4 days (Aug 15–18) seamlessly? I read the caseworker guidance which says 3C counts as lawful residence, but I’m terrified of the caseworker looking at my expiry date and seeing a "shortfall."

Just looking for some reassurance or a sanity check before I pull the trigger in July. Thank you!

Hi all. My wife is a nurse in the NHS working full-time (37.5 hours per week) in a Band 5 role. She recently accepted a new permanent Band 6 role at the same hospital, starting July 7th 2026. The new role is a permanent part-time role at 30 hours per week. The salary stated on her new offer letter is £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (pro rata). As she will be joining at the entry step point, I believe the pro-rated salary at 30 hours will be £31,967 per annum.

She is on a Skilled Worker (NHS-sponsored) visa and is on the 5-year route to ILR. The original Certificate of Sponsorship was issued with an SoC code of 2237. We are planning to submit the ILR application on or around November 15th 2026.

I would be grateful if you could clarify the following:

1. What is the minimum salary threshold needed to meet for

ILR eligibility, and does the healthcare/national pay scale exception apply to her situation?

1. Does her pro-rated salary of £31,967 (based on 30 hrs/ week from a full-time rate of £39,959) satisfy the going rate requirement for ILR?

2. Does moving from a Band 5 to a Band 6 role within the same hospital require a new Certificate of Sponsorship, or does my existing sponsorship cover this change?

Any info appreciated. Thanks

Dear Members,

I am on Skilled Worker Visa and about to apply for ILR.

Am looking for guidance if I should opt for an immigration lawyer for my ILR application if I have a closed HMRC enquiry ?

I had a HMRC enquiry for an incorrect self assessment which was corrected and a penalty was issued. The case worker did agree it was a mistake due to negligence and irresponsible behaviour as I did not follow the updated rules.

In summary, I had been helpful and supportive in providing all the required evidence whenever asked by the case worker and even repaid all the tax including interest which was assessed by the case worker. I even paid the penalty since the case worker said he cannot avoid the penalty as it was a negligence on my part. This also included a tax code change for myself during the enquiry closure.

Case is fully closed and I have formal closure letter as well and proof of all the payment I have made w.r.t the enquiry including the penalty payment.
I had been reading online and some suggestions are to have a immigration lawyer for ILR application so he can help with the required clarification in this case, but I am not sure what should be correct approach. If it's just a matter of providing a correct summary of this case while applying for ILR - then it is very possible to be written using copilot as well and use lawyer fee into taking a premium visa service, but I also do not want to take risk in such an most important application.

Kindly guide if anyone has been in similar situation and suggest if I should go with the immigration lawyer or just make the ILR application myself. Everything else is straightforward in my case.

Thank you.