Home Office clarifies new 10-Year Long Residency Rules: what applicants need to know in 2025
The new 10-year Long Residency requirements are proving to be quite complicated for many applicants. Our Head of Immigration Partner at Sterling Law, Oksana Demyanchuk, is actively clarifying these rules for our clients.
The Home Office recently issued guidance regarding updates to the 10-year Long Residency route, which have caused widespread uncertainty since their introduction in April 2024. Many applications were paused as officials worked to interpret the new framework.
With the most recent clarification, the Home Office has outlined requirements that, in some respects, are more generous than before—but also more complex to navigate.
Absences during an individual’s 10-year qualifying period are now assessed in two separate segments:
- Before 11 April 2024
- From 11 April 2024 onwards
Applicants must comply with the following conditions:
- Any single absence that began before April 11, 2024, must not exceed 184 days.
- The total of all absences within any 10 years before 11 April 2024 must remain under 548 days.
- For absences from 11 April 2024 onwards, individuals must not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any twelve-month period.
Although the Home Office guidance clarifies their position, the new rules are likely to cause some confusion, especially when compared to previous, more straightforward arrangements.
To assist applicants, the Home Office has published several examples:
Example 1: All qualifying periods before 11 April 2024
An applicant who completed their 10-year stay on 10 April 2024 had two absences of 50 and 120 days, both completed prior to 11 April 2024. Neither exceeded the limit for a single absence, and the combined absences did not surpass 548 days—so continuous residence was not broken.
Example 2: Qualifying period straddling 11 April 2024
One applicant’s 10-year period ended on 20 January 2025, with five absences. Three occurred and were completed prior to 11 April 2024, all within limits. The remaining two began after April 1, 2024, with individual and total absences evaluated separately according to the relevant dates and regulations. Throughout, the applicant maintained continuous residence.
Example 3: Qualifying period starting on/after 11 April 2024
An applicant finishing their 10 years on 30 April 2034 had a single absence—well under the 180-day limit in 12 months—so their continuous residence was preserved.
If your Long Residence application relies on time spent in the UK before 11 April 2024, recall that absences totalling more than 548 days or longer than 184 days at once break your continuous stay. If so, your options are to wait until problematic absences fall outside the 10-year window or to provide proof of exceptional circumstances (such as illness or pandemic disruptions).
Additionally, anyone granted a new visa on or after 11 April 2024 must have held that visa for at least 12 months in the same category before applying under the Long Residence route. This does not apply if you are renewing an existing visa within the same route.
For instance, if you spent seven years on student and graduate visas, then switched to a spouse visa (and renewed it), only the remaining months to reach 10 years count for your application. But if you changed to a different route, such as the Skilled Worker visa, you’ll need to accrue at least 12 months in that category before qualifying for ILR under Long Residence.
If you are considering applying for Long Residence, we strongly advise seeking expert legal guidance to ensure that you meet every requirement. Sterling Law is happy to assist with your case and ensure a smooth process.
