After eight or nine years, you see that 10 years of permanent residence is just ahead of you. What you are most afraid of is not that it will not be long enough, but that a certain rule you have never paid attention to will quietly clear the "continuous residence". Long Residence (10-year long-term residence) has always been the "guaranteed channel" for many visa types when they cannot switch to the 5-year path. However, after the regulations were changed in 2024 and the ongoing setting reform was encountered, its gameplay is different from what you imagined. Today I will explain the current rules and the latest trends clearly at once.
Long Residence has been a permanent resident for 10 years, are you still there now?
First, a reassurance for anxious friends: As of June 3, 2026, , Appendix Long Residence, the 10-year permanent residence path is still valid, and those who are queuing will continue to follow the current rules.
But be warned in advance: the Ministry of Home Affairs has launched a public consultation (A Fairer Pathway to Settlement) on "Earned Settlement (Earned Settlement) ". The consultation has ended on February 12, 2026. The responses are currently being reviewed, and the implementation time is expected to be later in 2026. The direction is to use 10 years as the baseline for permanent residence for most people, and to incorporate Long Residence into the new model - by then the time for visas such as Student and Graduate that "do not lead to permanent residence" may no longer be counted. Before the rules are finalized, everything will be subject to the official announcement of GOV.UK.
Red line for permanent residence and continuous residence: two sets of algorithms before and after April 2024
This is where it's most likely to roll over. April 11, 2024 is a watershed. The number of days before and after leaving the country is calculated using two sets of standards:
📌 The period between and before April 11, 2024: the total overseas departures within 10 years shall not exceed 548 days , and a single overseas trip shall not exceed 184 days .
📌 April 11, 2024 and the period of after: Use the "rolling window" instead, and the departure time within any 12 months will not exceed 180 days .
Key point: rolling 180 days means that looking back 12 months from any day, the standard cannot be exceeded. Even if you haven’t left the country much in 10 years, as long as one trip lasts for 200 days, the 12-month window will be broken and your continuous residence will be interrupted. Each 12-month window is and is calculated independently. Don't paralyze yourself with "average" thinking.
New 12-month rules for permanent residence visa and B2 English threshold
There is another aspect of the current Appendix Long Residence that is often overlooked: when submitting, you usually need to have stayed on the current visa route of for 12 months (or have been exempt from immigration control in the previous 12 months). If your current license was approved before April 11, 2024, you are not subject to this restriction. If you just changed your visa and want to apply for permanent residence, you must first check whether you are stuck on this.
The English language threshold is also tightening. The Ministry of the Interior has announced that the English requirements for permanent residence have been increased by . Most paths need to meet the CEFR B2 level, plus Life in the UK Test is still a hard condition. Friends who are still one or two years away from permanent residence can schedule the exam now instead of waiting until the end.
I am queuing up to apply for permanent residence, what should I do now?
Three things can be done now: first, check out the date of each entry and exit of in the past 10 years, and apply the two sets of standards before and after April 11, 2024; second, confirm that you meet the 12-month stay and B2 English; third, pay attention to the implementation of the reform. If Long Residence is incorporated into the new model, submitting one day earlier may lock in the old rule . If the number of days to leave the country is in a fuzzy area, you can use 永居计算器APP to accurately calculate the number of days and see each rolling window clearly. If you are not sure about the application of the rules, it is safer to chat with our licensed lawyers on WeChat.
⚠️ This article is for reference only. Please consult a licensed immigration attorney for specific cases. There are often exceptions (such as force majeure) in determining the number of days of departure and continuous residence. Do not draw your own conclusions based on online legends.
Talk about your timetable for permanent residence in the UK
Let’s chat in the comment area: Are you taking the 10-year Long Residence path or the 5-year path? How many days have you been out of the country for the longest time in the past 10 years? Are you worried about crossing the 180-day red line? Tell us your situation and we will help you figure it out.
If you find it useful, please forward it to your friends who are also applying for permanent residence in the UK - it will be worth it if one less person has to wait a few years in vain because of miscalculation of the number of days to leave the country.
Data source: GOV.UK "Long residence" "Appendix Long Residence" guidelines, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement consultation document (https://www.gov.uk/long-residence; https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement)