How To Apply For A UK Permanent Residency From Nigeria

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign states in Europe. It lies off the north-western coast of the European mainland, Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland.

The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to its east, the English Channel to its south, and the Celtic Sea to its south-southwest (Wikipedia).

The UK has a regulated market economy, which is the fifth largest in the world. According to estimates, the UK annual GDP output is estimated to have grown by 4.1% in 2022. The UK has the 2nd best debt-to-GDP ratio out of the G7 countries. The pound sterling (£) is one of the three reserve currencies which regulates foreign trade. The UK population is diverse with about 3.0% of its ethnic group being black.

Nigeria and the UK share a very strong diplomatic relationship especially due to historical, colonial, and cultural ties. Every year thousands of Nigerians visit the UK for study, tourism, family, birth, work, and residence, more than 50% of these Nigerian migrants will apply and become permanent residents.

How Can Nigerians Apply For A UK Permanent Residency?

Permanent immigration to the UK is not a walk in the park, there are eligibility requirements, application processes, supporting documentations, and tenure of temporary visa stays necessary to obtain this status. However, with good research, understanding, and valuable information provided on TravelSpace, you should be able get over this hurdle.

The UK permanent residence is categorized as “Indefinite Leave to Remain”, this permanent residence permit enables the holder all the rights of a UK citizen (no visa/time restrictions) except; you cannot vote, contest elections or hold a UK passport, and if convicted of serious crimes, you stand a very high risk of being deported.

This article provides you with all the information needed to secure a UK permanent residency from Nigeria.

We have highlighted some of the most important information required such as Visa Eligibility, Required Documents Visa Cost Processing times Embassy Details and the Application Forms in order for you to have a smooth process.

Eligibility Requirements for the UK Permanent Residency in Nigeria

You’ll qualify for a UK permanent residence visa if

You currently have an HSMP, tier 1, tier 2, study, work visa, etc.
You’ve been living in the UK legally for 5 years and spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months.
You’ve been employed or self-employed for the whole period.
You haven’t used public funds.

In order to apply for a UK permanent residence, you must fulfill all necessary assessment eligibility criteria for ages 18-64 such as;

Length of time spent in the UK. Your previously granted visas and time spent in the UK will determine your initial eligibility and earliest permanent residency application date e. tourist, work, study, investor, marriage, lawful stay, family, etc.
Permanent residence category. This indicates the eligibility category with which you’re applying for the UK permanent residency, this can either be ancestry, lawful stay, marriage, family, business person, skilled labour, and investor.
Knowledge of English language and life in the UK.
Financial capability.

You’ll not qualify for permanent residence if you’ve got a criminal record in the UK or another country, provided false or incomplete information to the Home Office, broken UK immigration law.

Documents Required for UK Permanent Visa Immigration Application in Nigeria

At TravelSpace, we believe there is a general rule that governs the documents required for a Visa application. Before you consider applying for a UK permanent immigration Visa (or any other Visa – in most cases), you will need to provide the following required information below:

English language test results such as IELTS SELT Consortium; this can be gotten from the British Council in Lagos and Abuja.
Education, earning, age, UK experience, continuous residence assessment and evaluation.
Employment records such as employment offer letter, pay slips, reference letters from all the companies you have worked, OR certificate of business registration and certificate of investment in a UK business records.
Bank Statement, pay slips, dividends, showing proof of financial funds and previous earnings of up to £18,600 for a single applicant and £2400 additional for each dependent.
Mortgage or rent agreement inclusive of council tax and utility bills showing place of residence in the UK.
Police Clearance Certificates for a full character assessment. This is a documented proof that you have no criminal conviction since you reached the age of 18. When applying for a UK permanent residency, you and your dependents who are over 18 must include a police certificate.
Birth Certificates or adoption certificates of child or dependent inclusive of legal guardian court order (If applicable)
Marriage Certificate or civil partner document (If applicable)
Academic Certificates recognized by the UK NARIC standards such as preliminary and graduate diplomas and degrees.
Medical Report stating your full medical history and a clean bill of health.
Nigerian international passport valid for at least 2 years. Passport should be no more than 10 years old. You can also submit previous passports with visas and stamps; this can help assess your travel history. You can process your international passport at your nearest immigration office.
Two recent Passport photographs with full names written at the back.

UK Permanent Visa Immigration Application Processing, Submission and Appointment for Nigerians Online.

This is how to apply for a UK permanent residence on a Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (Work Visa)

Apply and take the English language test i.e. IELTS SELT.
Apply and take the “Life in the UK” test. It is registered online at least 3 days in advance using your international passport as an ID, It costs £50.
Download, complete and sign the SET(O) application form .
Include all necessary supporting documents listed above.
Post your application form to the address below, or apply in person at a premium service center :UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office), SET (O), Indefinite Leave to Remain, PO Box 591, Durham, DH1 9FS.
Fees for the UK permanent residence application are £2,389. This can be paid via Credit and Debit card, Postal order, Cheque and Bank draft payable to the UK Home Office. A Council of Europe Social Charter (CESC) fees may also be applicable.
After you submit your application you’ll be asked to provide and enroll your fingerprints and a digital photo (‘biometric information’). You’ll be charged an additional handling fee for this service payable to the Post Office Ltd

UK Permanent Residency Visa and Immigration Application Duration

You’ll be informed whether your application is complex, denied or has been successful within 6 months. You’ll be contacted if your application is:

If your supporting documents need to be verified.
If you need to attend an interview.
Due to your personal circumstances such as a criminal conviction.

Once permanent residence (properly known as indefinite leave to remain) has been granted, there are no longer any immigration related restrictions on the work or business you may do in the UK, and no time limits on your stay in the UK.

Note that to keep your permanent residence you should not spend longer than two years outside the UK. You should maintain ties to the UK and should consider the UK as your home. If you continue to only spend short periods of time in the UK over many years it is likely that there will come a time when you will lose your indefinite leave to remain in the UK. It is therefore beneficial in most cases to apply for UK citizenship. You can normally apply for naturalization as an UK citizen one year after being granted indefinite leave to remain and as long as you meet the residence requirements.

UK Visa Application Centre Address in Nigeria

UK Visa Application Centre in Lagos

Victoria Island Visa Application Centre

Ground Floor,

Ivie House,

4/6 Ajose Adeogun Street,

Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

UK Visa Application Centre Abuja

Sterling Bank Plaza, 3rd Floor,

Plot 1083 Mohammadu Buhari Way,

Central Business District, Abuja Nigeria.

List of Airports in the UK for Nigerian Travelers Structure

Here’s a list of the main City Airports to use when travelling to the UK:

London Heathrow Airports (Airport Code is LHR).
London Gatwick Airports (Airport Code is LGW).
Manchester Airports (Airport Code is MAN).
London Stansted Airports (Airport Code is STN).
London Luton Airports (Airport Code is LTN).

Important Advice for Nigerians Travelling to the UK as a Permanent Resident

If you’re interested in travelling to the UK for the purposes of being a permanent resident, make sure you visit our Travel Destination Comparison page to see how Nigeria compares to the UK before you make your final decision. In addition, it is important to note that even though you’ve been granted a permanent resident visa, you’re not allowed to vote, contest elections or hold a UK passport, and if convicted of serious crimes, you stand a very high risk of being deported.

Disclaimer

The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user’s sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners of this website for any errors, omissions, or outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked. The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the sources provided below or the country’s official government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.