PRIVATE LIFE VISA

The UK Private Life route allows a person who has established a sufficiently strong private life in the UK to apply for permission to stay.

The route is contained in Appendix Private Life of the Immigration Rules and gives effect to aspects of the right to respect for private life protected by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

A Private Life application can only be made from inside the UK. It is not an entry-clearance route for a person who is living abroad.

The eligibility requirements depend substantially upon the applicant’s age, how long they have lived in the UK and, in some cases, the obstacles they would face if required to leave.

The Private Life route is also a route to settlement.

1. What Is the UK Private Life Visa?

Although commonly called a “Private Life Visa”, the legal route is one for permission to stay on the Private Life route.

It is designed principally for people whose residence and personal circumstances in the UK mean that requiring them to leave would interfere with their Article 8 private-life rights.

The route should be distinguished from:

• the Long Residence route;
• family applications under Appendix FM;
• asylum and humanitarian protection;
• general human rights applications on medical or other exceptional grounds; and
• applications based on employment, study or another ordinary immigration category.

In some cases more than one route may appear relevant. Choosing the correct route can materially affect the requirements for permission and the period required before settlement.

2. Who Can Apply on the Private Life Route?

Appendix Private Life contains different eligibility provisions for:

• children under 18;
• young adults aged 18 or over but under 25 who arrived in the UK as children;
• adults aged 18 or over; and
• applicants whose circumstances do not meet the ordinary eligibility requirements but whose refusal would nevertheless breach Article 8 on private-life grounds.

There are therefore several distinct ways of qualifying.

It is important not to assume that every applicant needs 20 years’ residence. That is only one of the adult tests.

3. Private Life Visa Requirements for a Child

A child under 18 may qualify where:

• they have lived continuously in the UK for at least seven years; and
• it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave the UK.

Both requirements matter.

Seven years’ residence does not automatically result in a grant of permission. The decision-maker must also determine whether expecting that particular child to leave would be reasonable.

The assessment must give primary consideration to the child’s best interests.

4. The Seven-Year Child Rule

The seven-year rule reflects the significance that prolonged residence during childhood can have for a child’s development and integration.

Relevant circumstances when considering whether it is reasonable to expect a child to leave may include:

• the child’s age;
• whether they were born in the UK;
• how long they have lived here;
• the stage they have reached in their education;
• friendships and wider social relationships;
• health or additional needs;
• knowledge of the language and culture of another country;
• previous residence or experience overseas;
• the immigration status and circumstances of their parents;
• wider family support in the UK and overseas; and
• the likely practical effect of relocation.

The assessment concerns the child’s real circumstances rather than simply the length of residence in isolation.

A child born in the UK who has lived here continuously for at least seven years may also, in appropriate circumstances, qualify to apply directly for settlement rather than first obtaining further limited permission.

5. Private Life Visa Requirements for Young Adults

A separate test applies where an applicant is:

• aged 18 or over;
• under 25 on the date of application;
• arrived in the UK before reaching the age of 18; and
• has spent at least half of their life continuously resident in the UK.

All aspects of this test must be met.

It is not enough merely to be aged between 18 and 24 and to have lived in the UK for half of one’s life. The applicant must also have arrived in the UK while under 18.

6. The Half-Life Test

The half-life test recognises that a young adult who arrived as a child and has spent at least half of their life in the UK may have developed particularly significant private-life ties here.

The applicant should calculate their residence carefully by reference to their date of arrival, age and absences.

Evidence may include:

• passports and travel records;
• school and college records;
• NHS correspondence;
• tenancy or household records;
• official correspondence;
• employment records;
• bank statements; and
• other dated material showing continuous presence.

An accurate chronology is particularly important where there have been extended periods outside the UK.

7. Private Life Visa Requirements for Adults

An applicant aged 18 or over who does not qualify under the young-adult provision can meet the principal adult Private Life requirement in one of two ways.

They must either:

• have lived continuously in the UK for more than 20 years; or
• if they have lived in the UK for less than 20 years, show that there would be very significant obstacles to their integration into the country in which they would have to live if required to leave the UK.

The second test is not simply a general hardship test.

8. More Than 20 Years’ Continuous Residence

An adult relying on residence alone must have been continuously resident in the UK for more than 20 years.

This is different from saying that exactly 20 years is sufficient.

Residence for Private Life purposes may include periods spent in the UK both with and without immigration permission, although the continuous-residence rules contain specific provisions about absences, imprisonment, removal and other interruptions.

Applicants approaching the threshold should therefore calculate the period precisely rather than relying on an approximate date of arrival.

Some applicants with long periods of lawful residence may qualify more favourably under the separate Long Residence route. The available routes should be compared before an application is made.

9. Very Significant Obstacles to Integration

An adult who has not lived in the UK for more than 20 years may qualify if there would be very significant obstacles to their integration into the country where they would have to live.

This is a demanding test.

The question is not merely whether moving abroad would be difficult, inconvenient or involve a lower standard of living.

The assessment may involve matters such as:

• how long the applicant has been absent from the country of return;
• knowledge of the relevant language;
• cultural and social familiarity;
• family and support networks;
• physical or mental health;
• disability;
• vulnerability;
• ability to obtain essential support;
• previous life and education in the country;
• the practical consequences of return; and
• how different circumstances interact cumulatively.

An applicant who retains some connections with the country of return is not automatically excluded, but the existence and practical value of those connections will be relevant.

Medical problems may contribute to the assessment, although cases principally relying on an Article 3 or medical Article 8 claim require separate legal consideration.

10. Article 8 Where the Standard Private Life Requirements Are Not Met

Appendix Private Life contains an important additional safeguard.

Where the applicant does not meet the usual eligibility requirements, or certain suitability requirements are in issue, the decision-maker must still consider whether refusing permission would breach Article 8 on the basis of the applicant’s private life, subject to specified mandatory suitability provisions.

This means that Appendix Private Life should not be understood simply as four rigid residence tests.

A case may have compelling Article 8 features even where, for example:

• a residence threshold is narrowly missed;
• the case does not fit precisely within the age-based provisions;
• several individually insufficient factors combine to produce very serious consequences; or
• another unusual feature makes refusal disproportionate.

This residual Article 8 assessment remains fact-sensitive.

Where family life, serious medical circumstances or another Convention right forms the principal basis of the case, a different or additional human rights framework may be more appropriate.

11. Continuous Residence for a Private Life Application

The Private Life continuous-residence rules permit relevant residence to include time spent in the UK with or without immigration permission.

However, residence can be broken.

Under the current Rules, continuity is broken where, amongst other matters:

• the applicant has been absent from the UK for more than six months on one occasion;
• total absences reach 550 days or more during the relevant residence period;
• the person has been removed or deported;
• the person left the UK after an application for permission to enter or stay had been refused; or
• the person left in circumstances in which there was no reasonable expectation that they would lawfully be able to return.

Periods of imprisonment or qualifying detention following conviction do not count towards the required continuous-residence period.

The detailed chronology of travel and immigration history should therefore be checked before relying on a residence threshold.

12. Suitability Requirements

Private Life applicants are also subject to Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules.

Issues that can affect suitability include certain forms of criminality, conduct, deception, immigration offending and other matters prescribed by the Rules.

The consequences depend on the particular suitability provision.

Appendix Private Life contains an Article 8 safeguard where some suitability or eligibility requirements are not met, but it also identifies specific suitability grounds under which an application relying on that safeguard must nevertheless be refused.

Applicants with criminal convictions, adverse immigration history or previous allegations of deception should therefore obtain advice on the precise provision that applies.

13. Evidence for a Private Life Visa Application

The evidence required depends on the particular eligibility route.

Evidence of Residence

Applicants may rely upon documents such as:

• passports;
• school and university records;
• medical records;
• HMRC or employment documents;
• bank statements;
• tenancy agreements;
• council correspondence;
• utility records; and
• other reliable dated evidence.

Evidence Concerning a Child

A child’s case may benefit from evidence from:

• schools;
• medical professionals;
• social workers;
• therapists;
• local authorities;
• parents or carers; and
• other professionals familiar with the child’s needs and circumstances.

Evidence of Obstacles to Integration

An adult relying on very significant obstacles may need evidence concerning:

• length of absence from the country of return;
• family circumstances;
• language ability;
• health;
• disability;
• care needs;
• available support;
• living conditions;
• country circumstances; and
• the practical effect of return.

The evidence should be selected to prove the particular legal test relied upon rather than simply to demonstrate that the applicant has lived in the UK for a substantial period.

14. How to Apply for a Private Life Visa

A Private Life application must be made from within the UK.

The specified online application is the Application to remain in the UK on the basis of family life or private life.

Applicants will normally need to:

1. complete the online application;
2. pay the relevant application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge unless a waiver applies;
3. establish their identity and provide biometric information where required; and
4. provide evidence establishing the particular Private Life requirement relied upon.

The applicant should ensure that their immigration history and residence chronology are accurate and consistent with the supporting documentation.

15. Private Life Visa Fees and Fee Waivers

As at 7 October 2026, the relevant standard in-country application fee is £1,407. The fee table published to take effect on 8 October 2026 retains the same figure.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is normally payable for a limited-leave application.

The current annual IHS rate is:

• £1,035 per year for most adult immigration applicants; and
• £776 per year for applicants under 18.

Because the surcharge is calculated by reference to the period of permission sought, the total amount can be significant.

A fee waiver may be available where the applicant cannot afford the application fee and/or Immigration Health Surcharge.

The financial assessment can include whether the applicant:

• is homeless or cannot afford accommodation;
• cannot meet essential living costs;
• is at risk of destitution; or
• would be unable to meet a child’s needs if required to pay the immigration fees.

A fee-waiver application should normally be made before submitting the substantive Private Life application.

16. How Long Does a Private Life Application Take?

Private Life applications currently take approximately 12 months.

There is no formal service standard for this category; the published period reflects current application volumes.

Processing times can change and individual applications may take longer where further enquiries, evidence or consideration is required.

17. How Long Is a Private Life Visa Granted For?

The length of permission depends on the applicant’s circumstances.

A person who is under 18 when applying, or who was under 18 when first granted Private Life permission, can apply for either:

• 30 months; or
• 60 months.

A qualifying young adult who meets the half-life test, or was previously granted as such a young adult, can likewise apply for either 30 or 60 months.

In other cases, permission is normally granted for 30 months.

Where an applicant applies to extend their permission, up to 28 days of existing permission can be added to the new grant.

18. Work, Study and Public Funds

Permission on the Private Life route permits:

• employment;
• self-employment;
• voluntary work; and
• study, subject to any applicable ATAS condition.

The ordinary position is that permission will be subject to a no access to public funds condition.

However, that condition should not be imposed where the relevant requirements are established, including where the applicant is destitute or at risk of imminent destitution, where relevant child-welfare considerations justify access to public funds, or where exceptional circumstances affecting income or expenditure apply.

Applicants already on the Private Life route who experience a material change in their financial circumstances should consider whether an application to change their conditions is appropriate.

19. Private Life Visa Extensions

Private Life permission can be extended where the applicant continues to meet the applicable requirements.

The legal basis on which further permission is sought should be reviewed rather than assuming that the circumstances remain identical to the previous application.

For example:

• a child may have become a young adult;
• a young adult may have reached 25;
• the applicant may now meet a longer residence threshold;
• the person may have accumulated sufficient qualifying permission for settlement; or
• another immigration route may have become available.

Settlement eligibility should therefore be considered before an extension application is submitted.

20. Settlement on the Private Life Route

The Private Life route leads to indefinite leave to remain, but the qualifying period is not identical for every applicant.

Children Born in the UK With Seven Years’ Residence

A person born in the UK who has lived here continuously since birth for at least seven years may potentially qualify for immediate settlement where it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave the UK.

Children and Young Adults

An applicant who has, or last had, Private Life permission as a child or as a qualifying young adult meeting the half-life test may potentially qualify after a five-year qualifying period with appropriate permission.

Other Adults

Other adult applicants will commonly require a 10-year qualifying period with appropriate permission, subject to the detailed settlement provisions.

Certain periods on family routes, private-life routes and other routes leading to settlement can potentially be combined where the requirements of Appendix Private Life are met.

Settlement applications are also subject to separate suitability, continuous-residence, English-language and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements.

For settlement applications made before 26 March 2027, the English-language requirement is generally B1 unless an exemption applies. Under the Rules already published, this changes to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027.

21. Children Born in the UK

Being born in the UK does not automatically make a child British.

Nationality depends on the circumstances at the time of birth and, in some cases, events after birth.

However, birth in the UK can have important consequences under Appendix Private Life.

A child born in the UK who has lived here continuously for seven years can potentially qualify for immediate settlement where it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave.

There are also specific provisions for a dependent child born in the UK to a parent who has permission on the Private Life route.

British citizenship options should be considered separately, particularly where a child has lived in the UK for a lengthy period or a parent subsequently becomes settled.

22. Refusal and Appeal Rights

A Private Life application is a human-rights-based application.

Where the Home Office refuses a human rights claim, the applicant will normally have a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal under section 82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, subject to any applicable statutory provisions concerning certification or inadmissibility.

An appeal may examine issues including:

• continuous residence;
• reasonableness of expecting a child to leave;
• the half-life test;
• very significant obstacles to integration;
• the wider Article 8 assessment; and
• proportionality.

Any appeal deadline should be checked immediately following refusal.

23. Frequently Asked Questions: Private Life Visa

Is the Private Life Visa the same as the 20-year route?

No. More than 20 years’ continuous residence is only one way in which an adult may qualify. Appendix Private Life also contains provisions for children, young adults and adults who would face very significant obstacles to integration.

Can I apply for a Private Life Visa from outside the UK?

No. The Private Life route is an in-country route. An applicant must be in the UK when applying.

Can a child qualify after seven years in the UK?

Yes, potentially. A child under 18 who has lived continuously in the UK for at least seven years must also show that it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave.

Does a child born in the UK get ILR after seven years automatically?

No. A child born in the UK who has lived here continuously for seven years may qualify for settlement, but the Rules also require the decision-maker to be satisfied that it would not be reasonable to expect the child to leave.

What is the half-life test?

It applies to a person aged 18 or over but under 25 who arrived in the UK before 18 and has spent at least half of their life continuously resident here.

Do I need exactly 20 years' residence?

No. The adult residence test requires more than 20 years of continuous UK residence where the applicant relies on length of residence alone.

What are “very significant obstacles to integration”?

This is a demanding assessment of the difficulties an applicant would face establishing a life in the country of return. Ordinary disruption, inconvenience or a preference to remain in the UK will not normally be sufficient.

Can unlawful residence count?

For the permission-to-stay residence tests, qualifying continuous residence can include periods spent in the UK with or without immigration permission. Different and more restrictive requirements apply when later calculating qualifying permission for settlement.

Can I work on a Private Life Visa?

Yes. Permission on the Private Life route allows employment and self-employment.

Can I claim benefits?

Private Life permission is normally subject to no access to public funds, but the condition may be lifted or not imposed where the relevant destitution, child-welfare or exceptional financial circumstances requirements are met.

How long does a Private Life application take?

The current published processing period is approximately 12 months, although there is no formal service standard for these applications.

Does the Private Life route lead to settlement?

Yes. The qualifying period depends on the basis of the applicant’s Private Life permission and their individual immigration history.