# Returning Resident visa eligibility for Indian applicants, 2026

Who qualifies for the Returning Resident visa from India, the thresholds that apply in 2026 and the tools to check before you pay.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/returning-resident-visa/eligibility · 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.

- You held indefinite leave to remain or settled status when you last left the UK, and it has lapsed through absence of more than 2 continuous years (5 years for EU Settlement Scheme holders)
- You intend to return to the UK to live permanently, not for a visit
- You have strong ties to the UK, such as family who are British or settled, property you own or rent, a UK job or pension, or children in UK schools
- You have a good reason for the absence, such as caring for a sick parent, a child's education or a work posting, with evidence
- The longer the absence, the stronger the ties must be: absences over 5 years are rarely accepted without compelling reasons
- You did not leave under a deportation or removal order and have no Part 9 suitability issues
- You are not exempt: partners of British armed forces members or of certain government and British Council staff posted abroad do not lose their settlement

## FAQ
**How much does the Returning Resident visa cost?**
£726 on gov.uk as of 8 October 2026. There is no health surcharge because the visa restores settlement. Priority settlement service, where offered, costs £500 extra.

**I was away for 2 years and 3 months. Have I lost my ILR?**
Yes. Indefinite leave lapses after 2 continuous years outside the UK, even by a few months. You need a Returning Resident visa or a new visa on another route. A short absence over the limit with strong UK ties is the easiest case to win.

**What counts as strong ties?**
Family who are British or settled, a home you own or rent, a UK job or business, a pension, bank accounts you kept open, children in UK schools, and regular visits during the absence. Officers look at the whole picture against the length of time away.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/returning-resident-visa.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.