ILR fees in 2026: how much indefinite leave to remain costs

The ILR fee in 2026

The fee is £3,226 for each person included in the application, including a partner and children.

The fee went up from £3,029 to £3,226 on 8 April 2026, a rise of £197. The fees table that took effect on 8 October 2026 left it unchanged.

The same £3,226 applies on the main routes to settlement: Skilled Worker, partner and parent, UK Ancestry, British National (Overseas), long residence and discretionary leave.

Not sure when you can apply? Find your earliest date with our ILR calculator →

What a whole application costs

For most people, the bill is the ILR fee for each person plus the Life in the UK Test for each adult.

Children under 18 don’t take the Life in the UK Test. If you fail the test, you pay £50 each time you sit it again.

Add an English test if your route needs one. Partners, parents and UK Ancestry applicants need English at B1 in speaking and listening, and B2 if they apply on or after 26 March 2027. Prices vary by test provider.

Faster decisions: priority and super priority

A standard ILR application is usually decided within 6 months of your fingerprints and photo appointment.

• Super priority: £1,000 extra per person. You usually get a decision by the end of the next working day after your appointment, or 2 working days after it if the appointment is at a weekend.
• Priority: £500 extra per person, on routes that offer it. You usually get a decision within 5 working days.

Both are on top of the £3,226 fee. A faster service doesn’t change the decision itself.

Who doesn’t pay the fee

There is no fee if you’re applying to settle with refugee status, humanitarian protection or section 67 leave, and none for family members included in your application.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their families who qualify for the EU Settlement Scheme apply for settled status there, which is free.

Fee waivers are narrower than many people expect. The Home Office fee waiver guidance covers applications for permission to stay on family, private life and other human rights grounds. Applications for ILR are not on that list, so plan on paying the full fee.

Costs people forget

• An English test, if you need one, and booking it early enough to have the result in time.
• Certified translations of any document not in English or Welsh.
• A paid appointment slot, if you choose one instead of a free standard appointment.
• A second application. If you’re refused, a new application means paying the fee again.

There is no renewal fee for ILR, because ILR doesn’t expire. You can lose it if you spend more than 2 years in a row outside the UK. Coming back to live then usually means a Returning Resident visa, which costs £726.

How earned settlement could change the total

The ILR fee itself hasn’t changed since the government confirmed earned settlement on 2 November 2026.

What could change is the cost of getting there. Under earned settlement, most people will wait 10 years before they can settle, instead of 5. That means more visa extensions first, and each extension has its own application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

The Immigration Rules have not changed yet and no start date has been set. If you can apply for ILR under the current rules, the safest course is to apply as soon as you qualify. Read what earned settlement means for you →

After ILR: becoming British

Most people can apply to become British 12 months after getting ILR. The naturalisation application fee is £1,709, plus a citizenship ceremony and a passport. Our guide to how much British citizenship costs in 2026 lists every fee.

Frequently asked questions

How much is ILR for a family of four?

£12,904 in ILR fees for 2 adults and 2 children, plus £100 for the 2 adults’ Life in the UK Tests: £13,004 in Home Office fees.

Do children pay the full ILR fee?

Yes. Each child included in the application pays £3,226, the same as an adult.

Is there a fee waiver for ILR?

Not usually. The Home Office fee waiver guidance covers applications for permission to stay on human rights grounds, not applications for ILR.

Is there an ILR renewal fee?

No. ILR doesn’t expire, so there is nothing to renew. You can lose it after more than 2 years in a row outside the UK.

How much does the ILR priority service cost?

Super priority costs £1,000 extra per person and usually gives a decision by the end of the next working day. Where a priority service is offered, it costs £500 extra and usually takes up to 5 working days.

Sources

• Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 and 8 April 2026, GOV.UK
• GOV.UK: ILR on a Skilled Worker visa, ILR for family members, Long residence, Settlement: refugee or humanitarian protection, Returning Resident visa, Life in the UK Test
• Applications for a fee waiver: caseworker guidance, Home Office