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Skip to content Learning your right of abode status is crucial if you want to move to or remain permanently in the UK. The right of residence allows certain individuals to lawfully remain in the UK without a visa, provided they meet specific criteria.
If you wish to delve deeper into understanding the UK’s right of abode or have inquiries regarding immigration to the UK, feel free to connect with reliable immigration advisors for assistance. You can contact us online or by calling UK Immigration Solicitors at 02033844389.
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Having the right of abode grants permission to live or work in the UK without facing any immigration restrictions, implying:
You can prove you have the right of abode if you have a UK passport describing you as a British citizen or British subject with the right of abode.
Otherwise, you need to apply for a ‘certificate of entitlement’.
In the following situations, you may gain right of abode through your parents:
It’s important to remember that the right to abode can be taken away, limited, or stopped if:
An individual who has a right of stay may still be checked to ensure that they have the legal right to be in the UK.
The Home Office tells you what a “good reason” is for missing your visa’s end date, and you must be able to show proof to back up your claim.
People who are British immediately have the right to live in the UK. Depending on which Commonwealth country they are from, Commonwealth people may also have the right to live where they want.
People from the Windrush group may need to go through a different application process in order to get the right to live in the UK. The name for this plan is the Windrush Scheme.
(If you’re part of the ‘Windrush generation’ (also known as ‘Windrush cases’), there’s a different way to prove your right to live in the UK. Please get in touch with our friendly team for further guidance.)
You may have the right of abode in the UK either because of your parents or because you are or were married to someone with the right of abode.
Speak to our assessment team now to confirm your eligibility and options for free on 02033844389.
You’ll need to send:
Our friendly team will happily assist you in exploring your options, confirming the best course of action for you going forward, and outlining the relevant implications.
You can apply for a certificate of entitlement to prove you have the right of abode in the UK. It goes in your passport. Not having a British passport to show you are a British person with the right to live in the UK? You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement to work and come to the UK.
To get a certificate of eligibility, you must go to the Gov.UK website and fill out a Form ROA. The form can only be used by people in the UK who are seeking certification. For those registering for the certificate from outside of the UK, there will be an online form you can use.
You’ll get a decision within 6 months from when you’ve sent your completed application and supporting documents.
You may have to pay £372 for a certificate of eligibility in the UK. To get proof of entitlement from outside the UK, you have to pay £388.
It might take weeks to decide on an application for proof of entitlement. After your interview at the centre for visa applications, you might hear back in 3 to 8 weeks.