Returning Resident Visa.

Our expert Immigration team assist our clients to enter the UK in several ways: Whether you want to start up a business in the UK, invest in a UK company, visit relatives & loved ones, work as a skilled worker or study as a student, we can help secure your entry into the UK.

Returning Resident Visa

If you have Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and you have been away from the UK for more than two continuous years, you will need a Returning Resident visa to come back to live in the UK.

You will need to show that you:

  • Plan to return to live in the UK permanently
  • Were settled in the UK before you last left
  • Were not given public funds to help you leave the UK
  • Have strong ties to the UK

Furthermore, you must provide evidence to show your current circumstances and why you lived outside the UK.

If you left the UK for less than 2 years you will not be required to apply for a visa to enter the UK.

Case Study*

Mrs Adams is a Turkish national and is married to a British national. She entered the UK in 2000 on a spouse visa and was granted ILR in 2005. The client’s first child was born in 2008 in the UK and is a British citizen. In 2009, the client left the UK with her spouse because he worked as a Humanitarian Aid worker and was required to live in the country he worked in. Mrs Adam returned to the UK every year and gave birth to her second child in 2013 in the UK. Between 2016 – 2018 Ms Adams was not able to return to the UK due to the nature of her spouse’s work. Therefore, her ILR lapsed because she was absent from the UK for more than 2 years.

In 2019, Mrs Adams and her husband decided to return to the UK with their children. Mrs Adams submitted an application for a Returning Residence visa and was granted Indefinite Leave to Enter, travelling to the UK that same month to collect her BRP. Ms Adams was able to demonstrate that she intended to return to live in the UK with her family permanently. She was also able to show her ties to the UK and provided evidence to show why she had been living outside the UK.

*Please note that the client’s name and information have been changed to protect the client’s confidentiality.

Contact our Immigration Specialist

If you require expert advice and assistance with your Returning Resident visa, contact our Immigration Specialists on +4420 3588 3500 or complete our enquiry form below.