# Timeline for ILR



## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

For all experienced users,

I entered the UK on my spouse visa 13.02.2015.

I applied for FLR(M) as early as I could and received it on 17 Jul 2017.

FLR(M) expires 17.01.2020

Next step would have been ILR, however, the rule says I need 5 years in the UK to apply, which would be 13.02.2020

Which leaves me with a months gap between my visa expiring and being able to apply for ILR.

What are my options, could I go home for a month and apply from there for ILR?


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

You can apply for ILR 28 days before your qualifying 5-year period ends. Since that gives you an earliest application date of 16 Jan 2020, you will have really only one day to apply - I suggest getting a premium service centre appointment, or at very least making sure your application and documents are posted either the 16th or the 17th of Jan 2020. It's possible the procedure could change by then.

It sounds like you entered the UK more than 3 months after your "valid from" date on your original spouse visa. It would have been 33 months long, therefore your visa expires before your qualifying period ends.


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## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

clever-octopus said:


> You can apply for ILR 28 days before your qualifying 5-year period ends. Since that gives you an earliest application date of 16 Jan 2020, you will have really only one day to apply - I suggest getting a premium service centre appointment, or at very least making sure your application and documents are posted either the 16th or the 17th of Jan 2020. It's possible the procedure could change by then.
> 
> It sounds like you entered the UK more than 3 months after your "valid from" date on your original spouse visa. It would have been 33 months long, therefore your visa expires before your qualifying period ends.


Clever O., it was less than 3 months:

Entry Clearance valid from: 16.12.2014
Entered UK: 13.14.2015 (just a little less than 2 months)

Does that mean that the earliest I can apply for ILR is 16.12.2019 - 28 days? As in, do I count from receiving Entry Clearance, or from Entering the UK?


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

In your original post, you state:



> I entered the UK on my spouse visa 13.02.2015.


In your last reply you give an entry date of 13.14.2015 which isn't even a valid date.

When did you actually enter the UK? If you had any time remaining on your spouse visa when you applied for FLR(M), they should have added any remaining time to your next period of leave to remain


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## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

clever-octopus said:


> In your original post, you state:
> 
> 
> 
> Which is correct?


Sorry, typo, too stressed!!

Entry Clearance valid from: 16.12.2014
Entered UK: 13.02.2015 (just a little less than 2 months)


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## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

So, the simple question would be: does the 2 month period from receiving Entry Clearance to Entering the UK count towards my 5 years?


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## John__Q (Apr 21, 2012)

No, its the date you arrived in the UK


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## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

Could you point me to where is this clearly marked / in which document, as I have searched through everything and cannot find the information?


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

They should have added the remaining time from your previous visa onto your current one... Since you applied 28 days before your qualifying period, and 2 months before your visa expired, they should have given you that time back.

As John and I have stated, the qualifying period begins from the date you entered the UK on your spouse visa.


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## thomasvanderhool (Aug 13, 2013)

clever-octopus said:


> They should have added the remaining time from your previous visa onto your current one... Since you applied 28 days before your qualifying period, and 2 months before your visa expired, they should have given you that time back.
> 
> As John and I have stated, the qualifying period begins from the date you entered the UK on your spouse visa.



Thank you very much, I will calculate accordingly. Could you lastly let me know whether the -28 days apply to the date when you can schedule your interview, or to the date on which you can submit your application?


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

There is no 'interview' - Are you perhaps referring to a Premium Service Centre appointment?

If you are applying via post (using the online form or the paper application filled in by hand), the application date is the date that the application is posted via Royal Mail (or, I believe, the date it's received to the Home Office if using another courier)

If you apply in person, the date of application is the date of your PSC appointment


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