The UK government has published guidance outlining seven categories of foreign nationals with family ties in Britain who can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), also known as settlement, in 2026. Each applicant must pay a fee of £3,226 (approximately 5.2 million Nigerian naira) and expect a decision within six months of submitting biometric details.
Eligible Categories for ILR Through Family
According to official UK government guidance, the following categories of applicants may be eligible for settlement through a family member:
- A partner applying with a family visa.
- A partner who is a dependant on their partner's work visa.
- A parent applying with a family visa.
- A child applying with a family visa.
- A child who is a dependant on their parent's work visa.
- An adult dependent relative on a family visa.
- A dependant on a parent or partner's innovator founder visa.
Applicants are required to follow the same process as the partner or parent through whom they are qualifying. Settlement grants the right to live, work, and study in the UK without time restrictions, and also qualifies a person to claim certain benefits and eventually apply for British citizenship.
Fees, Timing, and Travel Restrictions
Each person applying for ILR through family must pay a fee of £3,226, which is roughly 5.2 million naira based on current exchange rates. Biometric enrolment, which involves providing fingerprints and a photograph, is required but carries no additional charge. A decision is typically returned within six months of the biometric appointment.
The government warned that applicants must not travel outside the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while their application is being processed. Any departure from these territories will result in the automatic withdrawal of the application.
On timing, those applying as a parent or partner through a family visa may submit their application up to 28 days before they meet the residency requirements. Applications submitted before this window opens risk being refused. The guidance also cautioned against waiting until a current visa expires, as an expired visa would require renewal before an ILR application could proceed.
Alternative Routes and Faster Decisions
For those who do not qualify through a family member, the government noted that alternative routes to indefinite leave to remain exist outside the family category. In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had listed nine categories of people who qualify for indefinite leave to remain in 2026.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had explained how migrants can get faster visa and citizenship application decisions in 2026. According to official UK government guidance published in 2026, applicants who qualify can choose between a priority service and a super priority service when submitting their applications, with each tier offering a different turnaround time.
The priority service costs £500 (roughly ₦988,000) on top of the standard application fee. Under this tier, most visa and settlement decisions are issued within five working days.
