ILR/SET M Timeline Question

Hello everyone, back after a hiatus because it’s that time of life again where I run around like a headless chicken fretting about dates. I hate maths.

Please help me with the following questions:

1) I arrived in UK on July 17, 2017. My Resident Permit (FLRM?) however runs out on January 8, 2023  - do I apply in June 2022?

2) Would a summer vacation in July-August ‘22 be doable, you think? I haven’t been back home (stateside) since before the pandemic.

3) What will it cost? And is it worth it to expedite it with Covid looming?

1) I arrived in UK on July 17, 2017. My Resident Permit (FLRM?) however runs out on January 8, 2023  - do I apply in June 2022?

You can apply at any time between June 19th  2022 and January 8th 2023… so it’s completely up to you to decide when is most convenient for you to apply.

2) Would a summer vacation in July-August ‘22 be doable, you think? I haven’t been back home (stateside) since before the pandemic.

Yep - you can just apply after you get back from your vacation.

3) What will it cost? And is it worth it to expedite it with Covid looming?

ILR is £2,389 plus £19.20 for biometrics. You may also need to pay up to £130 for the biometrics appointment.

There is a Super Priority option for an extra £800 which gets the visa processed within 24 hours of biometrics (by end of next working day) and then the BRP will be delivered within 10 working days.

Or if you don’t use Super Priority, processing for ILR can take up to 6 months.


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You can apply at any time between June 19th  2022 and January 8th 2023… so it’s completely up to you to decide when is most convenient for you to apply.

Yep - you can just apply after you get back from your vacation.

ILR is £2,389 plus £19.20 for biometrics. You may also need to pay up to £130 for the biometrics appointment.

There is a Super Priority option for an extra £800 which gets the visa processed within 24 hours of biometrics (by end of next working day) and then the BRP will be delivered within 10 working days.

Or if you don’t use Super Priority, processing for ILR can take up to 6 months.


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Thank you so much!


While my ILR is processing am I still covered for work permissions? 

And this is a very silly question but do I have to apply for citizenship after the ILR or can I keep it for a while? Does it expire?

While my ILR is processing am I still covered for work permissions? 

Yep - as long as you submit the online application before your current BRP expires, then in the case that your application is still processing after the expiry date, your immigration status and right to work will be automatically extended under Section 3C Leave.

And this is a very silly question but do I have to apply for citizenship after the ILR or can I keep it for a while? Does it expire?

ILR is indefinite (it’s called Indefinite Leave to Remain) so will never expire… unless you leave the UK for more than 2 years, in which case, it will become invalid after 2 years and if you wish to return to live in the UK again in the future, you will have to start over from scratch with 5 years of visas: spousal visa, FLR and ILR again.

Your new BRP card will only be valid until 31st December 2024 though, because the card regulations are changing on 1st January 2025 and so everyone will have to get a new style card by that date. After that, your ILR BRP will be valid for 10 years, and will need to be renewed every 10 years after that (like with UK driving licences).

So, there is no requirement to get UK citizenship, but you may find it is worth doing, as it means:
- never having to worry about UK immigration ever again
- having the right to live in the UK for the rest of your life without any residency restrictions, so you could come and go as you please without needing to worry about ILR becoming invalid after 2 years.
- being able to vote in UK elections


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