Live permanently in the UK

“British citizens” have an automatic right of abode in the UK. A British citizen living abroad or migrating to the UK for the first time can, therefore, pass the ordinary residence test upon taking up settled residence in the UK. British citizens who are no longer living and settled in the UK cannot be said to be ordinarily residents of the UK. 

Check here for ways in which people can legally reside in the UK. 

Check here if you can get indefinite leave to remain. (Indefinite leave to remain is how you settle in the UK. It’s also called ‘settlement’. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like and apply for benefits if you’re eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship. There are different ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain based on your circumstances. If you or your family member are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you may be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme instead).

Right to reside 

You have a right to live in the UK if any of the following is true: 

• you’re a British citizen (which includes nationals of the Channel Islands or Isle of Man) 
• you’re a citizen of Ireland 
• you have pre-settled or settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme 
• you have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK (ILR) 
• you have a residence document 
• you’re exempt from immigration control 

When you do not have the right to reside

You do not have the right to reside but can stay in the UK while you have one of the following:

• a visa
• a family permit

Commonwealth citizens

You can apply if you’ve lived in the UK for five years on a UK Ancestry visa.

Some Commonwealth citizens have ‘right of abode’ in the UK. This means you can live or work in the UK without immigration restrictions. Check if you can apply to prove you have right of abode in the UK.

Returning to live in the UK

If you were previously settled (given ‘indefinite leave to enter or remain’) and have been away for more than two years, you need a Returning Resident visa to come back to live in the UK. If your dependents (partner and children under 18) are eligible, they need to apply separately for a Returning Resident visa. 

Accessing healthcare in the UK

Find out how to access healthcare in the UK here.

Please note that the information on this page is provided by GOV.UK for general information only and is subject to change without notice.