United Kingdom visa guideYou want to settle in the UK, but there is no “PR visa” to apply for
You may have typed “UK PR from India” into a search box and found nothing that looks like a form. That is not a mistake on your side. The United Kingdom does not offer a permanent residence visa that you can apply for from Patiala, Delhi or anywhere else in India.
What the UK has instead is called Indefinite Leave to Remain, or ILR. ILR means you can live in the UK with no time limit. You reach it only after you have already lived there for some years on another visa. So the real question is not “how do I get UK PR?” It is “which visa do I enter on, and does it lead to ILR?”
That second question is where many families from Punjab lose years and money. They pay for a visa that does not count toward settlement, or they change routes late and the clock starts again.
What ILR is, in plain words
ILR is the UK’s version of permanent residence. Once you hold it, you do not need to renew a visa. You can work for any employer, run a business, and later apply for British citizenship. Citizenship usually follows some time after ILR; it is a separate application.
To reach ILR you need a qualifying route. A qualifying route is a visa type that the rules say can lead to settlement. Most routes reach ILR after five years. A few reach it after three.
The routes that lead to ILR, and which ones we file
Family or partner route: we file this
If you are married to a British citizen, or to a person who already holds ILR, you can apply as a partner. This route leads to ILR, normally after five years. You must meet a financial requirement and pass an English test. The exact figures change, so we confirm them on your call rather than print them here.
Where people go wrong: they send weak proof of the relationship, or the sponsor’s income papers do not match the rules. A refusal here costs a fee and many months. We prepare the file so that the evidence answers the questions the caseworker will ask. See dependent and family visas.
Student route: we file this, but read the warning
We file UK student visas every week. The warning is this: years spent as a student do not count toward ILR. A student visa is a door, not a path. After study, you must switch to another route, such as the Skilled Worker route, and then the settlement clock starts.
So if a student visa is sold to you as a way to “get PR”, ask how. Study is a good step for a young person who wants a UK degree. It is not a settlement plan by itself. See study visas.
Innovator Founder: we file this once you hold an endorsement
This is a visa for a person who wants to start a business in the UK. There is no fixed investment amount. You need an endorsement, which is a letter from an approved body saying your business idea is new, workable and can grow. ILR is possible after three years on this route. You must show English at CEFR level B2.
We do not issue endorsements. Once you hold one, we prepare and file the visa. Read more at Innovator Founder.
Skilled Worker: a work visa we do not arrange or file
The Skilled Worker route is the most common path to ILR. It needs a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence and offers you a job. This is a work visa. Lifeset Overseas does not source jobs, sponsors or work permits, and we do not file this route. We hold a Punjab consultancy licence, not an MEA recruiting licence.
If a person promises you a UK job and a visa for a fee, be careful. If you already have a genuine sponsored job, you will deal with the employer’s adviser. What we can do is file the family route for your spouse and children, or a student route for a child, when the time comes.
Global Talent: endorsement-based
Global Talent is for people recognised as leaders in fields such as research, arts or digital technology. It also depends on an endorsement. It can lead to ILR, in some cases after three years. Speak to us if you think you qualify and we will tell you honestly whether the route fits.
There is no UK investor visa
Some agents still advertise a UK “golden visa”. The Tier 1 Investor visa closed on 17 February 2022. It does not exist now. If you have capital and want residence through investment, look at other countries on our golden visa and investor visa pages.
The rule change you must know about before you plan
The UK government ran a consultation on what it calls “earned settlement”. The idea was a ten-year baseline for most routes, instead of five. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 with more than 200,000 responses.
As of July 2026, no draft rules had been laid before Parliament and no start date had been confirmed. The current rules apply until they are changed. We are telling you this so you plan with open eyes. Anyone who tells you the new rules are certain, or that they will never happen, is guessing.
Where the years go: absences and route changes
Two things quietly break the ILR clock.
- Long absences. If you spend too much time outside the UK during the qualifying period, the time may not count. The limits depend on the route, so we check your travel plans against them.
- Switching routes late. Time on some visas does not carry into another route. If you enter as a student, then switch, the clock usually starts at the switch. Choose the route that fits your real goal from day one.
If you were refused before
A UK refusal is not the end, but it must be read carefully. Some routes give a right of appeal or review; others do not. Reapplying with the same file usually brings the same result. We look at the refusal letter, find the exact reason, and rebuild the application around it. See visa refusal help.
Our fees
Every price we advertise is all-in and includes GST. UK Home Office fees and the health surcharge are paid to the UK at cost. See pricing.
Talk to us
One call settles three things: which UK route is open to you today, whether that route actually leads to ILR, and what the first application will cost. If the honest answer is that no route fits yet, we will say so. Call or WhatsApp +91 91155 80911. We file the family, student and Innovator Founder routes; we do not arrange jobs or work visas.
Official sources
- GOV.UK, Visas and immigration: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration
Fees and rules change; the official page always prevails. The guide above was written from our filing experience for Indian applicants; check the current requirements on the authority’s site before you book.
