Private Life Route
The Private Life Route allows a person to obtain permission to stay in the UK on the basis of the private life they have established in the country. This route is intended for people who are already living in the UK and have strong ties to the country, particularly children and young adults who have spent a significant part of their lives here, as well as adults for whom returning to their country of origin would involve very significant obstacles. The Private Life Route is a route leading to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Who Can Apply
Eligibility for the Private Life Route depends on the applicant’s age and the length of their residence in the UK.
In particular:
• children under the age of 18 who have lived continuously in the UK for at least 7 years may qualify where it would be unreasonable to expect them to leave the country;
• young adults aged between 18 and 24 who have spent at least half of their life in the UK;
• adults who have lived in the UK unlawfully and continuously for more than 20 years. An adult who has lived in the UK for less than 20 years may also qualify if there are very significant obstacles to integration in the country to which they would have to return.
Children and Young Adults
More favourable rules apply to children and young adults. A child who was born in the UK and has lived here continuously for at least 7 years may, in certain circumstances, qualify for ILR directly, without first completing the full period of temporary permission under the Private Life Route. For other children and young adults who have been granted status on the basis of their private life, the route to ILR may normally take 10 years.
Length of Permission and ILR
Permission under the Private Life Route is normally granted for 2 years and 6 months.
The qualifying period for ILR depends on the applicant’s circumstances: for eligible children and young adults it may be 5 years, while most adults are subject to a 10-year route to settlement.
Private Life Application Costs
The current Home Office application fee for permission to stay under the Private Life Route is £1,407 per applicant. In addition, applicants are normally required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), currently £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per year for applicants under the age of 18.
Applicants who cannot afford the application fee and/or Immigration Health Surcharge may, in certain circumstances, be eligible to apply for a fee waiver.
The current Home Office fee for an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain is £3,226 per applicant. The Immigration Health Surcharge is not payable when applying for ILR.
Westland Mark Assistance
Applications under the Private Life Route require a detailed assessment of the applicant’s individual circumstances, the length and nature of their residence in the UK, their family and social ties, and any obstacles to returning to another country. Westland Mark immigration specialists can assess the prospects of an application, identify the most appropriate immigration route, and prepare an application for permission to stay, an extension, or Indefinite Leave to Remain.
