Private Life permission

The Private Life route is a route to settlement.

PL 18.1. If the decision maker is satisfied the suitability and eligibility requirements for settlement on the Private Life route are met the applicant will be granted settlement.

PL 3.1. Where the applicant is aged under 18 at the date of application the following requirements must be met:

(a) the applicant must have been continuously resident in the UK for at least 7 years; and

(b) the decision maker must be satisfied that it would not be reasonable to expect the applicant to leave the UK.

PL 4.1. Where the applicant is aged 18 or over and aged under 25 at the date of application and arrived in the UK before the age of 18, the applicant must have spent at least half their life continuously resident in the UK.

(a) the applicant must have been continuously resident in the UK for more than 20 years; or

(b) where the applicant has not been continuously resident in the UK for more than 20 years, the decision maker must be satisfied there would be very significant obstacles to the applicant’s integration into the country where they would have to live if required to leave the UK.

PL 14.1. An applicant who has, or last had, permission to stay on the private life route as a child, or young adult who met the half-life test under PL 4.1, must have lived in the UK for a continuous qualifying period of 5 years with permission as set out in PL 14.3 or 14.4.

(a) have lived in the UK for a continuous qualifying period of 10 years with permission set out in PL 14.3. or 14.4.; or

PL 13.2. The applicant must have lived continuously in the UK since their birth and for at least 7 years at the date of application.

PL 7.1. The period of continuous residence at PL 3.1, PL 4.1. or PL 5.1. may include time spent in the UK with or without permission.

PL 7.2. The period of continuous residence at PL 3.1, PL 4.1. or PL 5.1. does not include any period of imprisonment or detention where the applicant was convicted of an offence and sentenced to a period of imprisonment or was directed to be detained in an institution other than a prison.

PL 14.3. Permission on the following routes (or any combination of those routes) counts towards the qualifying period in PL 14.1, PL 14.2 or PL 14.2A: (a) entry clearance or permission granted as a partner or parent under Appendix FM (except for permission as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner); or (b) permission described in the Home Office grant letter as “family permission as a parent” or “family permission as a partner”; or (c) permission on the private life route under paragraph 276ADE or 276BE(2) before 20 June 2022 or Appendix Private Life; or (d) entry clearance or permission as a child of a person with limited leave as a partner or parent under Appendix FM; or (e) permission granted outside the rules as a partner, a parent or child or because of private life on the basis of Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention.

PL 14.4. Permission on any other route that includes rules allowing an applicant to qualify for settlement also counts towards the qualifying period in PL 14.1. or PL 14.2, if the applicant: (a) did not enter the UK illegally (unless they have permission to stay on the private life route as a child or young adult); and (b) has had permission either under paragraph 276ADE or 276 BE(2) before 20 June 2022 or Appendix Private Life for at least one year at the date of application.

PL 7.3. The period of continuous residence at PL 3.1, PL 4.1. or PL 5.1 is broken (i.e. is no longer continuous) if any of the following apply:

(a) the applicant has been absent from the UK for more than 6 months at any one time; or

(b) the applicant has spent a total of 550 days or more absent from the UK during the period of continuous residence at PL 3.1, PL 4.1 or PL 5.1; or

(c) the applicant has been removed, deported or has left the UK having had an application for permission to enter or stay in the UK refused; or

(d) the applicant left the UK with no reasonable expectation at the time of leaving that they would lawfully be able to return.

PL 15.1. The applicant must meet the continuous residence requirements as set out in Appendix Continuous Residence for the qualifying period for settlement, unless they are a child born in the UK.

(b) the applicant has spent a total of 550 days or more absent from the UK during the period of continuous residence at PL 13.2.; or

PL 1.1. A person applying for permission to stay on the Private Life route must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form: “Application to remain in the UK on the basis of family life or private life”.

(a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid (unless the applicant has been granted a fee waiver in whole or in part); and

(b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required

PL 10.1. If the applicant is under 18 at the date of application (or was under 18 when first granted permission on the private life route), they will be granted permission to stay for either: (a) 30 months, where the applicant has applied for a period of 30 months; or (b) 60 months, where the applicant has applied for a period of 60 months. PL 10.2. If the applicant is a young adult who has spent half their life in the UK at the date of application (or was previously granted as a young adult on the private life route), they will be granted permission to stay for either: (a) 30 months, where the applicant has applied for a period of 30 months; or (b) 60 months, where the applicant has applied for a period of 60 months. PL 10.3. In all other cases the applicant will be granted 30 months permission to stay.

PL 10.4. Where a person is seeking to extend their permission to stay, any remaining period of permission at the date of application will be added to their next grant of permission, up to a maximum of 28 days.

PL 10.5. The grant of permission will be subject to the following conditions: (a) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) permitted; and (b) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and (c) if the decision maker is satisfied that: (i) the applicant is destitute, as defined in section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, or is at risk of imminent destitution; or (ii) there are reasons relating to the welfare of a relevant child which outweigh the considerations for imposing or maintaining the condition (treating the best interests of a relevant child as a primary consideration), or (iii) the applicant is facing exceptional circumstances affecting their income or expenditure, then the applicant will not be subject to a condition of no access to public funds. If the decision maker is not so satisfied, the applicant will be subject to a condition of no access to public funds.

(a) Where the date of application is before 26 March 2027, the applicant must, unless an exemption applies, show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1; or

(b) Where the date of application is on or after 26 March 2027, the applicant must, unless an exemption applies, show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B2.

PL17.1. Unless an exemption applies (for example where the applicant is aged under 18), the applicant must meet the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement as specified in Appendix KOL UK.