A majority of the population that migrates from India to the UK for job purposes, chooses to stay there, and settle as a citizen. This is usually due to extended job offers. New opportunities for establishing independent businesses can also be another reason.

Can I Become A Resident In The UK ?

Absolutely! There are many people who choose to stay in the country.  Foreigners are allowed to become residents under various circumstances which we will be discussing in the next section. 

If you too want to become a permanent resident of the United Kingdom, here is a quick guide to becoming a resident in the UK. As we proceed along, we will look at ways of settling permanently in the UK.

How To Become A Permanent Resident In The UK?

There are various other ways that one can permanently shift to the UK apart from the UK work permit visa. Here are some ways you can apply for citizenship in the United Kingdom:

• Having an ILR [indefinite leave to remain] or ILE [indefinite leave to enter]:

ILR is issued by the UK home office to the people who wish to remain in the country for a long duration of time due to various reasons. If you have an indefinite leave to remain in the UK, it means that there is no time limit to how long you can stay there. You can use your ILR to apply for UK citizenship. 

The ILR is also called a settlement since once you have an ILR, your status is changed to settled in the UK once you have it. There are several ways one can apply for an ILR:

1. If you work in the UK. You should have been working in the UK for 5 years. This criterion depends on what type of work visa you have. For example, a tier 1 visa requires 2-3 years of residence and employment in the UK
2. If you have family members who are British citizens or already have an ILR. Your process and criteria of application depend on how the said member is living. If you have had a settled status or an ILR for 12 months or more, you can easily apply for UK citizenship. There are some other requirements for which you can consult the concerned authorities via various online as well as offline mediums. 

• You were born in the UK:

Although being born in the UK does not automatically make you a citizen, you can apply for citizenship in the UK under the following circumstances:

1. If you were born after 1st January 1983.
2. You are still under 18.
3. If you lived in the UK until 10 years of age and above.

Now, let us say that one of your parents had a “settled” status or was a British citizen when you were born. And you were also born in the UK after 1^st January 1983, you need not apply for citizenship. However, you may want to ask for a confirmation of citizenship or get a UK passport instead.

• You are married to someone eligible to stay and settle:

If your spouse is a current citizen of the UK or has an Indefinite Leave to Remain you can apply by naturalisation under any of these conditions:

1. You have also lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years or above. 
2. You have an indefinite leave to remain.
3. You have settled status. 

• One of your parents is a citizen:

Naturally, if your parents or one of your parents is a citizen of the UK or has an indefinite leave to remain, you can apply for citizenship. It also makes getting citizenship easier for the other parent. 

Yet, it depends on where and when you were born. If you fit the above criteria, you can apply for UK citizenship easily and can settle in the country. Apart from these, there are some ways through which you can settle in the UK permanently. All the procedures for these applications and the eligibility for them are mentioned on the website of the UK government. 

Applicants can apply for the procedure according to the stated guideline. But it is important to consider that, due to COVID-19, the applications may take longer to process than usual. However, this delay does not have any effect on the decision-making. Now that you are aware of the process of applying for citizenship in the UK, here are some reasons why you should consider moving to the UK.

Benefits Of Moving To The UK:

1. To settle in the UK, one does not need to learn any new language. English is a language spoken in every part of the world. Hence, we find it easier to settle there.

2. The industrial and economic growth of the UK has been significantly rising in the past few years. Especially around big centres of trade like London, Edinburgh, Peterborough, Oxford, Birmingham, etc., the growth of the economy is highly accelerated.

3. The UK is all about trying something new. Newer professions, better ways and scope for development make it a hot spot for employment opportunities.

4. The labour laws of the country are very favourable and hence make it an even better place for business. 

5. The UK is home to the world's best colleges and universities. Which makes the country a great combination of quality education and job opportunities.

These colleges usually have placement programs due to which the students decide to stay in the country and settle.

6. The jobs pay very well. The maximum working hours on average are limited to 48 hours per week. The minimum wage for workers in the age category of 23 and above is £9.50 per hour.

Seek Assistance From Expert Professionals

To know about the UK visa application process all the instructions and important documents need to be in order. If you need professional assistance during the process, it is recommended that you consult Work Permitz UK Visa services!