# Settlement: questions Indian applicants ask

Answers to the questions Indian applicants ask the desk about the Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain), from bank statements to reapplying after a refusal.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/indefinite-leave-to-remain/faq · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

**Can you file my ILR from India?**
No. Settlement is applied for inside the UK and the applicant must be there. We inform and refer you to a regulated UK adviser.

**Is the 5-year rule changing to 10 years?**
The government consulted on an earned-settlement model with a 10-year baseline and shorter periods for people who contribute more. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 and no decision has been announced as of October 2026. We will post the outcome in our updates hub.

**What is the English change in March 2027?**
The required level rises from B1 to B2 for settlement applications from March 2027. If you are close to qualifying, consider applying before that date or booking a B2 test now.

**What does settlement cost?**
£3,226 per person, with no health surcharge. Dependants pay the same fee each. Our fee calculator shows the rupee figure.

**Does time on the Student or Graduate visa count?**
No for the standard 5-year routes. It can count towards the 10-year long residence route.

**Can my parents in Punjab join me once I have ILR?**
Only through the Adult Dependent Relative route, which requires long-term care needs that cannot be met in India. Most parents visit instead on a Standard Visitor visa.

**When can I apply for citizenship after ILR?**
Usually 12 months after settlement, or straight away if you are married to a British citizen, provided you meet the residence and good character tests.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/indefinite-leave-to-remain.md

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.