Returning Resident Visa Application

You will need Returning Resident visa application if you plan to return to live in the UK permanently and you were previously settled in the UK. You need a Returning Resident visa to come back to live in the UK if you were previously settled (given ‘indefinite leave to enter or remain’) and you’ve been away for more than 2 years. If you’ve been away for less than 2 years but you’ve lost your documentation, you can get a replacement BRP visa.

In order to qualify, you must:

  • plan to return to live in the UK permanently
  • have been settled in the UK before you last left
  • not have been given public funds to help you leave the UK

If you’ve been away for more than 2 years, you must provide enough evidence to show:

  • your strong ties to the UK
  • your current circumstances and why you’ve lived outside the UK

You will not lose your indefinite leave to remain after 2 years outside the UK if your spouse or partner is a member of the UK armed forces and you’ve joined them on an overseas posting.

You also will not lose it if your spouse or partner is a British citizen or settled in the UK and one of the following:

  • a permanent member of the Diplomatic Service
  • a UK-based British Council employee who works outside the UK
  • a Department for International Development (DFID) employee
  • a Home Office employee

Your dependants (partner and children under 18) need to apply separately for a Returning Resident visa if they’re eligible.

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