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United Kingdom
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Entry clearance definition

What does Entry clearance mean? In UK immigration practice, entry clearance is the pre‑travel authorisation issued overseas confirming that a non‑British citizen meets the immigration rules to enter the UK for a stated route (for example, visitor, work, study) and period. It is defined in legislation: Immigration Act 1971, s 33(1), as a visa, entry certificate or other document taken (in accordance with the rules) as evidence of eligibility for entry. Decisions are made by Entry Clearance Officers within UK Visas and Immigration. Where the Rules require entry clearance, a person must obtain it before travelling; carriers and Border Force will expect to see...

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Returning Residents in UK Immigration Law: Reinstating Lapsed Indefinite Leave under Appendix Returning Resident—Requirements, Evidence, Procedure, and Appeal/Administrative Review Options

Practice notes
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When does indefinite leave lapse by operation of law?

Individuals in the UK with indefinite leave:

  • face no cap on the length of time they may reside in the UK,
  • and cannot have conditions attached to their stay—such as limits on working or claiming social security—imposed for immigration reasons.

For guidance on conditions that can be attached to permission, see Practice Note: Conditions of permission to enter or stay in the UK. Even so, those holding indefinite leave still enter and remain in the UK by permission and therefore continue to be subject to immigration control. The term is commonly described as settlement, settled status, or permanent residence in the UK. In this Practice Note, ‘indefinite leave’ is used to mean leave with no limit on its duration, as defined in the Immigration Act 1971 (IA 1971). The expression ‘settled’, which appears across immigration and nationality legislation, has two components in IA 1971: first, a settled person is not subject to any restriction on the period for which they may remain; second, they are ordinarily resident in the UK...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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