Family Migration

What is the Appendix FM relationship requirement?  Appendix FM of the UK Immigration Rules is designed to provide a route for family members of British citizens and settled persons, such as partners and children, to live together in the UK.  For a partner application to succeed, the Home Office requires unmarried partners to demonstrate that […]

Children born to parents with status under the EU Settlement scheme (EUSS) will need to apply for status unless they are British or Irish. When your child needs to apply and what kind of application they need to make depends on your status and whether they are inside or outside the UK. It is important […]

In November 2025, the UK Government published A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, a consultation setting out significant reforms to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also referred to as settlement. Building on the May 2025 Immigration White Paper, the consultation proposes an “earned settlement” model that would extend qualifying periods, introduce income thresholds and penalties linked […]

What does ILR mean? Very simply, ILR means indefinite leave to remain in the UK. If you hold indefinite leave to remain it gives you the right to live in the UK permanently.  You may have heard indefinite leave to remain referred to as permanent residence in the UK. Both terms are used interchangeably, however […]

What is ILR? Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of permanent immigration status in the UK. It allows someone to live, work and study in the UK without time restrictions, and it is often the last step before applying for British citizenship. Many migrants work towards ILR after years of living in the […]

Applying for a UK family visa can feel overwhelming, but knowing the basics makes the process much clearer. Below we answer the most common questions about family visas, eligibility, and costs. Who qualifies for a family visa? You can apply for a family visa if you want to live with a close family member in […]

The latest last-minute announcement on Monday represents a marked shift in cruelty of the Labour Government. In Yvette Cooper’s latest move, she has announced that Family Reunion applications under the scheme would be paused after 4 September 2025 at 3pm, with possible new restrictions introduced in 2026. Applications submitted before that date and time will […]

If you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR), you may already be thinking about the next step: how to get UK citizenship. But once you’re eligible, the process isn’t automatic. It involves planning, document gathering, and getting the timing right. You may also wonder if becoming British is the right thing for you. You can […]

One of the core principles of the rule of law is that the law is accessible to everybody and that it should be intelligible, clear and predictable. Unfortunately, the immigration system is not built to those standards. We as immigration lawyers often support and advise those who have made applications themselves and then get caught […]

If you are working towards your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) UK immigration status, you may already know that time spent outside the UK—even for a holiday or a business trip—might affect your ILR eligibility. The qualifying period for ILR (often 5 years but sometimes 10, depending on your route) requires a certain amount of […]

Understand how to decide between indefinite leave to remain and British Citizenship in 2026.  For many long-term residents the choice between indefinite leave to remain (also known as ‘ILR’ or ‘settlement’) and British citizenship is crucial. At Seraphus, we understand the uncertainties of immigration statuses. This guide explains the differences, highlights the benefits and limitations of […]

As immigration solicitors, we are frequently asked to untangle difficult legal situations which have significant consequences to those who have requested our help. This is particularly apparent in UK family applications, where we are tasked with making applications that bring loved ones together.  One of our recent clients was trying to do just this. They […]

Becoming a British citizen can open doors for your child, giving them access to a world of opportunities and the full rights that come with British citizenship. There are several pathways to becoming British, including by birth, descent, or naturalisation. However, if you are not born a British citizen, one of the ways to obtain […]

Are you a parent in the UK on the 10-year route to settlement or indefinite leave to remain (ILR)? Find out if you can switch to the five-year route in this article. If you are in the UK as the parent of a child settled in the UK and are on the 10-year route to […]