7 Years Child ILR Route | ILR For A Child Born In The UK

The 7 Years Child ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) route applies to children who are born and have spent a continuous period of 7 years living in the UK. This immigration route recognises that after such a significant period of time, a child would have established strong ties to the UK, making it unreasonable for them to leave the country.

What is the 7 Years Child Immigration Rule?

The 7-year child immigration rule allows children to apply for leave to remain, and recent changes have further facilitated the path to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for eligible applicants. This article explores the latest amendments, including the changes introduced on 20th June 2022, the 7-year child private life route to ILR, and the process of obtaining British citizenship after ILR

An application for a stay in the UK under the 7 years child ILR route is made to the Home Office UKVI in accordance with requirements as set out in Appendix Private Life of the Immigration Rules. The 7 years child residence route is for children under the age of 18 who have lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years.

Changes to the 7-Year Child Rule

The key amendment made in 2022 allows children and young people who have been granted leave under the 7-year rule to qualify for ILR after only 5 years, rather than the previous 10-year requirement. This change acknowledges the importance of stability for children who have spent their formative years in the UK and provides them with an accelerated route to settlement.

Additionally, children born in the UK who have continuously lived in the UK for 7 years can now apply for ILR immediately, eliminating the need to go through the limited leave to remain stage first. This provision greatly benefits families seeking long-term security in the UK.

7-Year Child Private Life Route to ILR Requirements

To qualify for ILR under this route, the following criteria must be met:

  • The child must have been continuously living in the UK for at least 7 years.
  • It must be unreasonable to expect the child to leave the UK.
  • The applicant must not fall under any general grounds for refusal, such as criminality or deception.

The decision-making process considers various factors, including the child’s best interests, their level of integration into UK society, and their cultural and educational ties.

ILR for a child born & lived in the UK for 7 years continuously

A child can apply for ILR on the basis of his/her birth in the UK and 7 years of continuous residence in the UK. After new immigration rules, a child born and living in the UK for 7 years can apply for settlement rather than limited leave to remain.

Our expert team of immigration lawyers is specialists in dealing with ILR applications on the basis of 7 years of child residence. As specialist long-residence lawyers, our experienced immigration lawyers have a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide high-quality legal services for ILR applications. Ask a question to our ILR solicitors for free immigration advice or schedule an appointment for detailed legal advice concerning your ILR application.

Lawyers for 7 years child ILR route application

Our specialist immigration lawyers are experienced in dealing with 7 years child visa route for indefinite leave to remain. Our immigration lawyers can help you apply ILR for your child under 7 years of residence route for a fixed fee. Under 7 years route after ILR, your child can get British citizenship.

Settlement Under 7 Years Child ILR Route

The 7 years child residence route is a settlement route for children born in the UK and who lived in the UK for 7 years will qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) immediately upon completion of 7 years of continuous residence.

A child who entered the UK as a minor and completed 7 years of residence while still under 18 can apply for limited leave to remain for 30 months or 60 months under 5 years route to settlement.

New Rules for 7 Years’ Continuous Residence by a Child

On 15 March 2022, the UK Government published a new statement of changes introducing major changes to the immigration rules, including significant changes to the rules involving children’s route to settlement.

Paragraph 276ADE(1) of the Immigration Rules, which governs permission to stay on private life grounds, is replaced by a new ‘Appendix Private Life’.

Children born in the UK

  1. A child who is born and has lived in the UK continuously for 7 years will now be able to apply for settlement immediately instead of limited leave to remain. This avoids the need for children to apply for extensions repeatedly.
  2. A child born in the UK who has lived in the UK for less than 7 years may be added as a dependant to a person on a private life route in certain circumstances to allow them to regularise their immigration status.

Children born outside the UK

A child who is born outside the UK but who has lived in the UK continuously for 7 years will be able to apply for settlement after 5 years rather than 10 years as is the case at present.

Family Members Of The Child Who Has Completed 7 Years of Residence

Parents and minor siblings of the child who has completed 7 years of child residence can also apply for limited leave to remain in the either at the same time or after the child has been granted stay under 7 years child ILR route. The family members of the qualifying child will be granted leave to remain for 30 months under 10 years route to settlement under Appendix Private Life of the Immigration Rules. A child born in the UK to a person who has permission on the Private Life route can apply for permission for the same duration as their parent.

Applications Under 7 Years Child ILR Route

Our expert team of immigration lawyers and solicitors can help you with the following applications based on 7 years child residence in the UK:

  1. Visa Application for a child born outside the UK but lived 7 years in the UK
  2. Extension of visa granted under 7 years of child residence
  3. ILR for a child born outside the UK but lived 7 years in the UK

Continuous Residence Requirements

  • The child was born and raised in the UK and resided here continuously for 7 years
  • Applicants have to meet the following criteria if they arrived in the UK as a child
    • They were first given visas based on a private life when aged between 18 and 24
    • They arrived in the UK as a child
    • They have resided in the UK for 5 continuous years with a visa (time spent on any other visas can be included)

Documents Required

Submit the following documentation in support of the ILR application

  • Birth certificate
  • Passport or travel document
  • Evidence of 7 years of continuous residence in the UK
  • An explanation for periods of absence
  • Other evidence relevant to the case

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Are you looking for expert immigration solicitors in Manchester or London to help with your UK visa and immigration matters? At Deluxe Law Chambers, we provide professional, transparent, and affordable legal services to ensure a smooth visa application process.

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7 Years Child ILR Route Application FAQs

How can a child get ILR in the UK after 7 years?

Under the new law from 20th June 2022, a child born in the UK and lived in the UK for continuously 7 years is eligible to apply for immediate ILR on the basis of private life.

What is the 7 years child immigration rule?

Under 7 years child immigration rule, a child who has lived in the UK is able to apply for limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain.

What is the 7 years child ILR route application?

A child born in the UK who has been continuously resident for 7 years may qualify for immediate settlement on this route.

How much is the indefinite leave to remain fee for a child?

The Home Office fee for indefinite leave to remain for a child is £2,408.

Settlement under 7 years route

The 7 years child residence route is a settlement route whereby the child who is born in the UK and lived in the UK for 7 years will qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) immediately upon completion of 7 years of continuous residence and a child who entered the UK as a minor and completed 7 years residence while still under 18 can apply for limited leave to remain for 30 months or 60 months under 5 years route to settlement.