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How to maintain your remain to leave visa

BY READERS DIGEST

24th Feb 2022 Travel

How to maintain your remain to leave visa

A remain to leave visa is probably one of the best immigration titles you can apply for if you plan to become a UK resident in the future.

This comes in two types, which are definite and indefinite. Their only difference lies in the expiry date and the benefits that come with it.

However, if you’re really dedicated to being a citizen in the UK after some time, then one of the most important things you should know is how to maintain your remain to leave visa. You need to take your time on this topic since not doing so can actually only lead to wasting your time.

On the good side, you only have to remember three notes to avoid getting your LR visa removed entirely. Here is the list:

1. Avoid staying or living outside of the UK for more than 2 years.

The first rule is not to stay or live outside the UK for 2 years or more. Before everything else, note that we’re talking about a continuous stay and not a collective one.

Unfortunately, no matter if your reason for residing outside the said country for that long involves emergencies or other unavoidable circumstances, the UK’s immigration laws won’t exempt you from getting your remain to leave visa lapsed.

By lapsed, this means that your visa will expire. This rule applies even if you have an indefinite leave to remain (which technically has no expiration under regular situations).

The good thing is you can reapply after some time. You just need to have your original ILR documents, visa, and passport. If your reason for the initial visa lapse is acceptable, you can also expect this second application to be much easier than the first one.

2. Don’t do things that can cause deportation.

Unfortunately, as evident as it is to tell people to avoid deportation, stay away from crimes, don’t get caught up in any kind of legal matter, we should still be reminded of this every so often. This is most especially in your case as an immigrant or newly-moved expat.

This being stated, keep in mind that you’re in an entirely new country with an entirely new set of rules and laws. Take your time studying UK laws way before you even ride the plane and settle in your new home. Doing this will help you understand the dos and don’ts in the country.

If you somehow get caught up in a situation that puts you in criminal liability or anything that forces deportation, then expect that your remain to leave visa will be either revoked or invalidated in no time.

To make things worse, there is little to absolutely no chance of being allowed to reapply for a UK visa again. Serious crimes can even cause the country to ban you for their people’s safety.

3. Ensure that you have been completely honest during the application process.

Now, to apply for a remain to live visa, you need to meet the qualifications set by UK’s immigration laws. For reference, you need to have all these checked upon application:

  • You must have lived in the UK continuously for five years or more.
  • You’re fully knowledgeable about UK laws, culture, and general way of life (they will test you about this).
  • Your absence record in the UK does not go over 180 days under 12 months.
  • Your UK English skills can pass as a local, that is, almost flawless (there will also be a languages test for this).

If you ticket out each item from the above list, you can now proceed to the application process. This is where being honest comes in.

At some point, you may want to level up your application details a little, but doing this can fail you sooner or later. You may be filed with ILR by deception once they assess your data, which will revoke your visa. Reapplication can also be more difficult since your profile will have a negative background in the immigration office.

Summary

To sum it up, keep these three things in mind.

First, don’t live or “be absent” in the UK for 2 years or more. Second, stay ethical and avoid situations that can put you at criminal liability. Lastly, make sure that all of the information you gave to the immigration office during the application process is true.

Before fully committing to getting a remain to leave, make sure that you’re willing to stick to the simple rules we discussed above.

If you’re having trouble applying for your leave to remain visa or any kind of immigration document, you can go to Total.Law for assistance. They will be able to help you with your legal concerns and ensure that you are doing everything right.

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