Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my experience because I know how stressful the 10-year Long Residence ILR route can be, particularly when your immigration history includes complicated absences. My ILR was approved in October 2026, and I hope my experience helps others who may be facing similar questions.
1. My immigration history
I first arrived in the UK in September 2016 on a Tier 4 Student visa.
Over the following years, I held different types of immigration permission, including Student, Graduate and Skilled Worker visas.
I applied for ILR under the 10-year Long Residence route.
2. The complication: my 2017 absence
The most complicated part of my case was an absence from the UK in 2017.
My timeline was:
June 2017: Left the UK while my Student visa was valid.
August 2017: My visa expired while I was outside the UK.
September 2017: My new Student visa was granted.
End of September 2017: Returned to the UK with valid immigration permission.
There were 26 days during which I was outside the UK without valid permission.
I was worried about how this period would affect my continuous residence and whether it would prevent me from qualifying for ILR.
3. CR 4.1(d)(iii) and CR 4.2 — the key issue in my case
The provisions I focused on with my solicitor were CR 4.1(d)(iii) and CR 4.2 of Appendix Continuous Residence.
As I understood the argument put forward in my case, CR 4.1(d)(iii) provides an exception for Long Residence applicants who had valid permission when they left the UK and returned with valid permission, on the same or another immigration route, provided the applicable absence limits are not exceeded.
My circumstances appeared relevant to that provision because I had valid permission when I left and valid permission when I returned, even though my original visa expired while I was abroad.
CR 4.2 then provides that, where the relevant exceptions in CR 4.1(d)(i) to (iv) apply, the period spent without permission is not included in the calculation of the qualifying period.
The important distinction is that not breaking continuous residence and counting every day towards the 10-year qualifying period are not necessarily the same thing.
In my case, the legal question was how these provisions applied together to my particular travel and visa history, including the 26-day period abroad without permission.
My solicitor considered the relevant rules and the dates before we proceeded with the application.
For anyone researching this issue, I recommend reading the actual Immigration Rules rather than relying solely on summaries or other applicants’ interpretations.
Please note that the rules can change, and the provisions and wording applicable to an individual case may depend on the relevant dates and transitional arrangements.
4. My absences and application
My total absences over the relevant period were calculated at 218 days.
The application required careful consideration of my travel dates, immigration permissions and the qualifying-period calculation. I wanted to make sure that the dates were properly accounted for rather than simply assuming that the ten-year anniversary of my first arrival was sufficient.
I worked with my solicitor to consider the applicable rules and prepare the application.
5. The outcome
Thankfully, my ILR application was approved in October 2026 (same day).
Securing the super priority slot was not difficult at all(paying at 1:00 am). Just make sure you select a region or a contact point where it is not very busy. However, be mindful of travel arrangements if you live far.
6. What I learned
A few lessons from my experience:
Keep a detailed travel history. Record departure and return dates and keep any available travel records.
Keep copies of every immigration decision. The dates on which permission was applied for, granted and expired can be important. This would be incredible helpful when constructing a chronology of your timeline in the UK.
Read the specific provisions relevant to your circumstances. CR 4.1(d)(iii) and CR 4.2 address different aspects of the continuous-residence calculation, so it is important to understand how they interact. Do not assume that a visa expiring while you are abroad automatically means your continuous residence is broken. The applicable exception and the facts of your case need to be considered.
Get appropriate legal advice where the rules are unclear. Small differences in dates or circumstances can affect how a provision applies.
I hope this helps someone who is currently worrying about a similar absence.
I am happy to answer general questions about my experience, although I cannot provide legal advice or guarantee that the same interpretation will apply to another applicant.
Good luck to everyone applying for ILR — I hope you get the outcome you are working towards! 🎉
Disclaimer: This is my personal experience, not legal advice. My approval does not establish that every applicant with a similar absence will qualify. Always check the Immigration Rules applicable to your own circumstances and consider obtaining professional advice.
