About UK Residence Permit

The type of visa obtained for residing in the UK for more than 6 months is called a UK residence visa. Foreign nationals who wish to reside in the UK for more than 6 months with the relevant visa type for purposes such as work, education, family reunification and starting a business are required to obtain a UK residence permit.

A biometric residence permit, which grants temporary residence status, is issued to long-term visa holders within 10 days of entering the UK. The right to apply for indefinite leave to live in the UK varies according to visa type.

Foreigners who want to live in the UK need immigration permission, sometimes known as a residence permit. The UK immigration system is complex and there are many different types of residence permits. A UK residence permit allows people to live in the UK for specific purposes based on professional experience, family ties and background. The requirements for living in the UK vary depending on the type of visa a person wants to obtain.

What types of visas can be used to obtain a residence permit in the UK?

The types of visas that can be obtained with a residence permit in the UK are listed below.

• UK work visas: UK work visas have sub-types such as skilled worker visa, temporary work visa, new graduate visa and internship visa, and these long-term work visas grant the holder a residence permit for between 12 months and 5 years.
• UK student visas: UK student visas are obtained for language school purposes and are short-term education visas that grant the holder the right to reside for 11 months for the duration of the relevant education program.
• UK family visas: The sub-types of the UK family reunification visa, the dependant visa, marriage visa and partner visa, generally grant the person permission to reside in the UK for 2 years and 9 months.
• UK business establishment and investment visas: Global talent visa, innovator and startup visas are types of visas obtained for business establishment and investment purposes and allow holders to reside in the UK for between 2 and 5 years.

Depending on the type of visa applied for to obtain a residence permit in the UK; the visa application process, application fee, documents required for the visa, the rights granted to the holder in the UK and the validity period of the visa vary.

How to Get a Residence Permit with a UK Work Visa?

In order to obtain a residence permit with a UK work visa, a job offer and a COS document must be obtained from a company in the UK, and after the necessary documents are obtained, an application for a work visa is made. A work visa grants the holder the right to reside in the UK for 5 years. A biometric residence permit must be obtained from the post office notified to the applicant or from the sponsoring institution within 10 days after entering the UK with a work visa.

If a person with a work permit has lived and worked in the UK for at least 5 years, they can apply for permanent residence in the UK. Once the 5-year stay requirement has been met, they can first be granted indefinite leave to remain and then begin the UK citizenship process.

How to Get a Residence Permit with a UK Student Visa?

In order to obtain a residence permit with a UK student visa, the applicant must obtain a CAS document, i.e. an educational acceptance confirmation, from an educational institution with an approved sponsorship license in the UK and then apply for a student visa.

Students who have a student visa in the UK have permission to reside in the UK for the duration of their studies. Students must obtain their biometric residence permit from the post office or educational institution notified to them within 10 days of entering the UK.

Those who have a student visa and have completed their studies in the UK can apply for a new graduate visa before their student visa expires and have a residence permit in the UK for another 2 years. If a job is found in the UK at the end of the 2 years spent with the new graduate visa, an application for a work visa must be made, if no job is found, it is necessary to leave the UK.

How to Get Residence Permit with a UK Marriage Visa?

To obtain a UK marriage visa, you must be married to a UK citizen or have a demonstrable relationship with someone who has a UK residence permit. UK marriage visa applications are made online at Gov.Uk and applicants must make a choice about where they will receive their biometric residence permit during the application process.

Those who are approved for a marriage visa must collect their biometric residence permit from their chosen post office within 10 days of entering the UK. A marriage visa allows the holder to reside in the UK for 2 years and 9 months, and as a partner, a family visa allows you to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK after living in the UK for 5 years.

How to Get a Residence Permit with a UK Investor Visa?

In order to obtain a residence permit with a UK investor visa, it is necessary to make an investment of at least 50,000 British pounds in the UK and apply for a UK innovator visa after receiving approval for the investment plan from the relevant institutions. Visa applications are made online via Gov.Uk with the approval document and documents proving the investment. The innovator visa grants holders the right to reside in the UK for 3 years and at the end of the 3-year period, citizenship can be applied for.

What are the UK Residence Permit Requirements?

UK residence permit requirements vary depending on the type of long-term UK visa to be applied for.

Common conditions for UK residence permits are listed below.

• Have a valid UK visa
• Having sufficient source of income or financial savings
• Having sufficient knowledge of English language
• Having a clean criminal record

How to Apply for a UK Residence Permit?

To apply for a UK residence permit, you must apply for a visa online from the UK government website Gov.Uk and then complete your biometric data registration at the intermediary institution visa application centre. For applications for a residence permit for study and work purposes, you must obtain a sponsorship certificate from the relevant institution in the UK.

UK residence visa application is made by completing the visa application form completely online at Gov.Uk, paying the visa fee and making a visa appointment. The necessary documents for the visa must be prepared by the visa appointment date, submitted in person on the appointment date and biometric procedures must be completed. In addition to submitting the documents in person, there is also the option of uploading the necessary documents online and those who will use this method only need to go to TLS Contact, the intermediary institution, for biometric procedures and passport delivery.

For UK residence visa applications made with rsscanadaimmigration.com consultancy, firstly the applicant’s situation and the necessary visa documents and supporting documents are evaluated by the expert country consultant, if the application is found suitable, the process is started with document upload and visa appointment procedures.

What are the documents required to obtain a residence permit in the UK?

The documents required for a UK residence visa are listed below.

• Passport: A passport that is not older than 10 years, has at least 1 blank page, is valid for 3 months after the return trip, along with photocopies of the passport’s photo page and any visas obtained in the past, if any.
• UK residence visa application form: The visa application form must be filled out online in English, with complete and accurate information. The appropriate visa application form is filled out according to the type of work visa, student visa, investor visa and marriage visa requested. The system automatically directs the applicant to the relevant form according to the visa type they are applying for.
• Biometric photo: 2 biometric photos, 35 mm wide, 45 mm long, with a white background, with a clear face, taken within the last 6 months, are required.
• Proof of financial means: The applicant must provide evidence of financial means, such as bank statements, that demonstrate that they can support their personal needs in the UK. Those travelling to the UK with a sponsor do not need to provide proof of financial means.
• English language proficiency certificate: The applicant’s proficiency in English must be proven through academic education documents or an exam result at least at B1 level.
• Criminal record: People working in certain jobs are required to obtain a criminal record showing that they have no criminal record from local authorities, the General Directorate of Criminal Records in Ankara, or via e-government.
• Population registration copy: In UK family reunification applications or in cases where applications are made for other family members in addition to the main applicant, a fully certified population registration copy showing the relationship between the applicant and the spouse or children and including information on all family members must be obtained via e-government with a barcode.
• UK COS document: For work visa applications, a COS document from the employer is required. The reference number on the document must be entered correctly on the application form.
• UK CAS document: For UK visa applications for study purposes, an education approval document must be obtained from the educational institution in the UK. In addition, the applicant must also correctly fill in the reference number of the CAS document in the application form.
• UK residence visa application fee: When applying for a visa online, the visa application fee must be paid by credit card. Depending on the visa requested, the application fee varies between 200 and 1,523 British pounds.
• UK immigration health surcharge: In addition to the visa application fee, a fee of 624 British pounds must be paid for each year of stay in the UK by credit card when applying for a visa online.

Additional documents may be requested depending on the type of UK visa applicants will receive and their purpose of living in the UK. All documents required for the visa must be prepared in English, be up to date, not contradict each other and contain accurate information.

How Much Does a UK Residence Visa Cost?

As of 6 April 2024, UK residence visa fees range from £625 to £1,235 for work visa types; for family visa types, the visa fee per person is £1,523, for short-term study visas of 6-11 months, the fee is £200, for long-term student visas, the fee is £363, for startup investment visas, the fee is £378 and for innovator visas, the fee is £1,036.

How Much is the Health Surcharge for a UK Residence Visa?

The health surcharge for a UK residence visa is £624 per year and is paid by credit card in addition to the visa fee when applying for a long-term UK visa online.

How Many Days Does It Take to Get a UK Residence Visa?

UK residence visas are issued within 12 weeks for applications for family reunification purposes, and within an average of 3 weeks for applications for education, investment and work purposes.

What is a UK Biometric Residence Permit?

The UK biometric residence permit is a permanent residence permit or a residence permit granted after a UK visa application is approved. The biometric residence permit is used to determine and verify a person’s suitability for work, immigration status and identity.

Those who have a UK visa for more than 6 months, those who extend their UK visa for more than 6 months, those who have indefinite leave to remain, those who transfer their visa to a new passport and those who apply for certain UK travel documents are required to obtain a UK biometric residence permit.

The UK biometric residence permit (BRP) image is given below.

How to Get a Biometric Residence Permit in the UK?

There is no need to make a separate application for a biometric residence permit in the UK; UK long-term visa holders can obtain their biometric residence permit from the authority they chose during the visa application process after entering the UK.

Biometric residence permits must be obtained within the first 10 days of entering the UK. Biometric residence permits can be obtained from a post office or, in the case of a sponsored visa, from the sponsor using a passport or appropriate travel document.

What is UK Permanent Leave to Remain?

UK permanent residence permit is a residence permit that gives the right to work, study and live in the UK without any time restrictions. UK permanent residence allows you to become a UK citizen after a certain period of time. After entering the UK with a long-term visa, people who live in the UK for a certain period of time with a temporary residence permit can apply for an indefinite residence permit.

Those who have lived or worked in the UK for at least 5 years, those who have lived in the UK for at least 2 years on an innovator or global talent visa, and those who have a family member such as a parent, spouse or child living in the UK are eligible to apply for a UK permanent residence permit. An indefinite residence permit gives the holder the right to work, live and study in the UK.

When to Get Permanent Leave to Remain in the UK?

The length of time required to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK varies depending on the type of visa held and the applicant’s circumstances. The general legal residence period is not the same for each visa type, but in general there is a requirement to reside in the UK for at least 2 years.

People who have lived in the UK for at least 2 years with an innovator investor visa can apply for indefinite leave to remain. Unmarried partners and fiancé visa holders must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Frequently Asked Questions About UK Residence Permit

The questions most frequently asked to our experts regarding UK residence permits and UK citizenship are answered below.

What is a UK Residence Card?

The UK residence card, also known as the biometric residence card, is a card that shows the right to work and live in the UK and is currently discontinued. The UK residence card or biometric residence card (BRC) is different from the biometric residence permit. People who have a visa for the UK for more than 6 months, indefinite leave to remain or certain Home Office travel documents can have a BRP. The biometric residence card has a residence permit written on it.

Is it possible to get a UK residence permit with the Ankara Agreement?

It is not possible to obtain a UK residence permit with the Ankara Agreement due to the abolition of the practice. New visa applications are not accepted under the Ankara Agreement.

The Ankara Agreement provided that citizens of the Republic of Turkey could establish a new company or start their own business in the UK and obtain a UK residence permit; however, with the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, known as Brexit, on January 1, 2021, the Ankara Agreement UK residence permit was abolished. Turkish citizens who have already gone to the UK and resided in the UK under the Ankara Agreement only have the right to apply for a residence extension.

How Many Years Does It Take for UK Residence Permit Holders to Get a British Passport?

UK residence permit holders generally have the right to apply for British citizenship and a British passport after 6 years. Those who have resided legally in the UK for 5 years can obtain indefinite leave to remain, and one year after obtaining indefinite leave to remain, they can apply for citizenship.

People married to a British citizen can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 years of residence in the UK and then obtain British citizenship. Anyone whose application for British citizenship is approved can apply for a British passport online after attending the citizenship oath ceremony and receiving a citizenship certificate .

Can an EU citizen get a UK residence permit?

In order for an EU citizen to obtain a UK residence permit, the applicant must have a valid long-term UK visa appropriate to their situation.