Many people applying for settlement paid for translations once already, when they first applied from abroad. Those translations may not do now.
A translation for an entry clearance application only has to be dated and carry a statement of accuracy, the translator's name and signature, and contact details. An ILR application is made in the UK, and the rule then asks for one more thing: certification by a qualified translator, with their credentials. At £3,226 per person since 8 April 2026 (previously £3,029), ILR is the wrong application on which to find that out.
This guide covers what an ILR translation must contain, which documents need translating, absences, the 2027 English change, "earned settlement", and the mistakes behind refusals.
What does the Home Office require of an ILR translation?
All five elements of paragraph 39B(f) of the Immigration Rules, which Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j) repeats for family routes:
"Where any specified documents provided are not in English or Welsh, the applicant must provide the version in the original language and a full translation that can be independently verified by the Entry Clearance Officer, Immigration Officer or the Secretary of State. The translation must be dated and include: (i) confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document; (ii) the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company; (iii) the translator or translation company's contact details; and (iv) if the applicant is applying for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company's credentials."
Element (iv) is the one that matters at settlement. The Rules do not define "qualified translator", do not say which credentials count, and name no professional body. The UK has no sworn translators and the Home Office approves no translators or companies, so in practice the certificate must say who translated the document and what qualifies them or the company. Official Translations certificates meet element (iv) and carry the company's credentials as a member of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC). Our guide to who can certify a translation explains the options, and certification statement requirements covers the wording.
Which documents need translating for ILR?
Any document you rely on that is not in English or Welsh. GOV.UK's long residence page says it plainly: "You'll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh." What that covers depends on the route:
| Route | Time needed | Documents that often need translating |
|---|---|---|
| Partner, 5-year route (Appendix FM) | 5 continuous years as a partner | Foreign marriage certificate, overseas income or savings evidence, a foreign degree used for English |
| Partner or parent, 10-year route (Appendix Settlement Family Life) | 10 continuous years | Relationship and parenting evidence from abroad; no financial requirement |
| Skilled Worker | 5 years on qualifying work routes | Little beyond family documents for dependants; English evidence from 26 March 2027 |
| Long residence | 10 years' continuous lawful residence | Evidence for long or exceptional absences, a foreign degree for English |
| Partner or child of a worker | 5 years as a dependant | Marriage and birth certificates, if not already accepted |
Partners on the 5-year route must prove income "as you did when you applied for your family visa", under Appendix FM-SE. Couples who first applied before 11 April 2024 need £18,600 plus amounts for certain children; later applicants need £29,000. Evidence covering a period up to the application date must still be dated within 28 days of it (FM-SE paragraph 1(l)), so financial translations are always new. You must also show you have lived together since your last grant.
Children need birth certificates naming the parents. Those aged 18 or over must show they are not leading an independent life, and pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English requirement. Our spouse visa checklist covers the partner documents in detail.
Can you reuse translations from earlier visa applications?
Yes, if the document has not changed and the translation meets the in-country standard. In practice:
- Made for your first visa, from abroad. Probably without element (iv). Check the certificate; if it does not state a qualified translator's certification and credentials, get the document translated again.
- Made for a UK extension. Already subject to element (iv), so reusable for an unchanged document such as a marriage certificate.
- Financial evidence. Not reusable, because the period and the 28-day window move with each application.
If the original document has been reissued, for example a new copy of a birth certificate, the translation must be of the copy you submit.
How are absences checked, and what needs translating?
From your passports and travel history. GOV.UK asks long residence applicants for "all the passports you've held during your time in the UK". Appendix Continuous Residence, which covers the work routes, long residence and the 10-year family route, says you "must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period" (CR 3.1). For long residence absences that started before 11 April 2024, the limits are 184 days at a time and 548 days in total (CR 3.3).
The 5-year partner route is not on that list: Appendix FM asks for "a period of continuous residence in the UK of at least 5 years" with partner permission (E-ILRP.1.3), so keep evidence for any long trip ready anyway.
Some absences do not count against you. CR 3.4 excludes time abroad assisting with "a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis", "travel disruption due to natural disaster, military conflict or pandemic", and "compelling and compassionate personal circumstances, such as the life-threatening illness of the applicant, or the life-threatening illness or death of a close family member". Each claim needs evidence, often from abroad: a hospital letter about a parent's illness, an airline's cancellation notice, a death certificate. Translate it in full with a qualified translator's certification.
Passport stamps rarely say why you travelled. If a page you rely on carries text that is not in English, such as a foreign residence permit, translate that page.
What English and Life in the UK evidence do you need, and what changes in 2027?
Applicants aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK test (£50) and, on most routes, show English in speaking and listening at CEFR level B1. The level rises to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027, under the Statement of Changes HC 1691 laid on 5 March 2026, across Appendix KoLL, Appendix Settlement Family Life and Appendix Long Residence, among others.
Skilled Workers face a bigger change. Today GOV.UK says they do not need to prove English at settlement because they did so for their visa. From 26 March 2027 a new paragraph, SW 22A.1, requires B2 at settlement too.
English can be shown by a Secure English Language Test or a degree taught in English. A non-UK degree must be confirmed by the qualification and language assessments provider contracted by the Home Office, and Appendix KoLL specifies the degree certificate, or an official transcript or reference, as evidence. If that certificate is not in English, it needs a certified translation. See our guide to English test certificates.
Has the 10-year "earned settlement" rule started?
Not as of October 2026. In November 2025 the government published "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement", proposing a baseline qualifying period of 10 years for most migrants, with reductions for contribution, while partners of British citizens would still settle after 5 years. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 and drew more than 200,000 responses.
The government has called the 2027 English change "the first delivery moment" of those reforms. The qualifying periods in the Immigration Rules, as updated on 8 October 2026, are unchanged. Check the rules on the day you apply.
Why ILR applications get refused or delayed over documents
- Translations from the first visa reused without a qualified translator's certification and credentials.
- Financial evidence outside the 28-day window, or payslips and statements covering different months.
- Absences over 180 days in a 12-month period on a route covered by Appendix Continuous Residence, with no translated evidence for an exception.
- An English test taken more than two years ago that was never accepted in an earlier application, or one not on the approved list.
- Applying more than 28 days early; GOV.UK warns the application "may be refused".
- Travelling abroad while waiting. You "must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man" before a decision, or the application is withdrawn.
- Deception. Under Part Suitability, in force since 11 November 2025, refusal is mandatory where the applicant used deception (SUI 9.1).
Checklist: ILR translations before you apply
Questions people ask
Do ILR translations need to be done by a qualified translator?
Yes. Paragraph 39B(f)(iv) requires certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator's or translation company's credentials for leave to remain and ILR applications. The Rules do not define the qualification or name any professional body, so the certificate should state the credentials clearly.
Can I reuse the translations from my spouse visa for ILR?
Only for documents that have not changed, and only if the translation already includes a qualified translator's certification and credentials. Translations made for an application from abroad often lack that element, and financial evidence always needs new translations.
Do I need to translate my passport stamps for ILR?
Not as a rule. Absences are assessed from your passports and declared travel history, but any page you rely on that carries text in another language, such as a foreign residence permit, should be translated, as should evidence explaining an exceptional absence.
What English level do I need for ILR?
B1 in speaking and listening on most routes for applications made before 26 March 2027, and B2 from that date, when Skilled Workers, who now need no English evidence at settlement, must also show B2.
Has the UK changed the qualifying period for ILR to 10 years?
Not as of October 2026. The government consulted on "earned settlement" from November 2025 to February 2026, but the qualifying periods in the Immigration Rules have not changed, so check GOV.UK before you apply.
Can I travel while my ILR application is pending?
No. GOV.UK says you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, or your application will be withdrawn. Gather originals and translations before you apply.
What if the Home Office questions a translation?
It may ask for more information, and GOV.UK says complex cases take longer "if your supporting documents need to be verified". If the Home Office refuses our translation on grounds of accuracy, completeness or certification, Official Translations corrects and reissues it free, normally within 24 hours of receiving the refusal, and refunds the translation fee if a corrected translation cannot resolve a refusal caused by the translation.
How much does an ILR translation cost, and how long does it take?
Official Translations charges £29.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words. Most single-page documents arrive as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours, longer documents take 1 to 3 business days, and a printed copy by post costs £14.95.
