Thanks for this. I obviously need to go and do some reading about ILE. But let's say we apply and get granted ILE. And let's say the visa says one has to enter UK by 6 months hence. Could my wife and I take a short, 1 week trip to the UK, and then go back to where we actually live, and from that time henceforth, my wife would have ILR?
Or would we actually need to go to UK with intention of staying in UK?
If the latter, that would be of no use. The former would be of interest, although I should say, with the very narrow timeframe left, it's unlikely that we can make it happen.
tb
Originally Posted by
ft101
Indefinite Leave to Enter as opposed to Indefinite Leave to Remain.
As it suggests, it allows the applicant to enter the UK at any time and by it's name it would appear it should be applied for from outwith the UK.
If memory serves me correctly this is the entry which would be granted to the wives/partners of expats returning after a long stint overseas, where they have either married or been living with a partner. The evidence of living together is the crucial bit, and often this is more difficult to come by if you've not been planning for it.
From the OP, this is the section of the new rules which seeks to block this avenue:
Originally Posted by
Christopher
This is correct. When a person with ILE enters the UK, assuming that the immigration officer acquiesces (as is usual), the person would be said to have ILR. An ILE visa/permit will have a date attached to it; this is the date by which the holder must enter the UK (not the date when the leave to remain expires, as is sometimes mistakenly supposed by over-zealous airline check-in staff, and others).
When evidence of ILR is transferred to a new passport, other phrases are sometimes used, such as there being "currently no time limit on the holder's stay in the UK" – which, one would have to say, is rather clearer. (The word "leave" can cause particular problems with non-English speaking officials: "leave" here obviously means "permission", but to someone with a limited knowledge of English, "leave" has only one meaning, and that is the opposite of "remain" –.what does "leave to remain" mean to such people?!)