Completing application form FLR(M)

This page gives general guidance on completing application form FLR(M) if you want permission to extend your stay in the UK (known as 'further leave to remain') as the husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried/same-sex partner of a permanent resident.

You should use form FLR(M) if you already have temporary permission to stay in the UK as the husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried/same-sex partner of a permanent resident.

You can download the application form and a detailed guide from the right side of this page. You should read the guide before you complete the form. You should also read the photo guidance on the right side of this page for details of the type of photograph that we will accept.

You will need to pay a fee when you apply. We will not refund your fee if we refuse your application or if you withdraw it.

Section 10 of the application form lists the documents that you must send to support your application. You should send the original documents, not copies. In exceptional circumstances, we may accept a photocopy that is certified as an accurate copy by the body or authority that issued the original, or by a notary. You must include a letter explaining why you are providing a certified copy rather than the original document.

You must be in the UK to apply. For information on getting initial permission to come to the UK in this category, see the Partners section. To extend your stay, you must show that you still meet the requirements for the category.

You can use one form for a joint application by you and any children aged under 18, if they are applying as your dependants. Children over 18 must apply separately, using application form FLR(O) - see Completing application form FLR(O).

You must apply before the end of your current permission to stay in the UK.

You can post your application to us, or apply in person at one of our public enquiry offices. To apply in person, you must make an appointment in advance. Applying in person is a same-day service, available at a premium fee, and is only suitable for straightforward applications that will not require further enquiries.

If you apply in person, both you and your settled partner (permanent resident) should attend the public enquiry office. If this is not possible, your settled partner must provide a letter stating that they support your application. The letter must be signed and dated, with a daytime telephone number where they can be contacted if necessary.

We cannot tell in advance how long it will take to decide your postal application, so you should not make non-urgent travel plans until we have returned your passport and identity card (see below) to you. However, our current target times for deciding applications show how quickly we aim to make a decision.

You must fill in the form in block capitals using a black pen. Please enter all dates as dd-mm-yyyy (for example, 29-04-2000).

Identity cards for foreign nationals

Compulsory identity cards were introduced in 2008 for some foreign nationals applying for permission to remain in the UK. The card is a form of biometric immigration document.

Everyone applying in the categories covered by form FLR(M), including dependants on these applications, must also apply for an identity card.

For more information about identity cards for foreign nationals, including your responsibilities as a card holder, see the Identity cards section.

You will need to enrol your fingerprints and photograph (known as 'biometric information') as part of your application for an identity card.

Applying at a public enquiry office

If you are applying in person at any of our public enquiry offices, you must provide your biometric information on the day of your arranged appointment.

Every dependant included in your application will need to provide their biometric information. We will photograph each applicant, and will take the fingerprints of applicants aged six and over. If an applicant or dependant is aged under 16, the biometric registration process must take place in the presence of an adult who is the child's parent or guardian or a person who takes responsibility for the child during that time. You must give us the name of this adult when you make your appointment, and this must be the same person who is named in section 5 of the application form.

You will not need to pay an additional fee when you attend the appointment. If your application to extend your stay is successful, we will send your identity card to you by post within three to five days. Identity cards cannot be issued on the same day. The Identity cards section explains what to do if your card is not delivered to you.

Postal applications

If you are applying by post, we will send you a letter telling you to book an appointment at one of our biometric enrolment centres.

We will send you a warning letter if:

• you do not book an appointment;
• you book an appointment but fail to attend; or
• you attend the appointment but refuse to provide your biometric information.

If you continue not to comply with the requirement to enrol your biometric information, we will reject your application. For more information, see the code of practice page.

Every dependant included in your application will need to provide their biometric information. We will photograph each applicant, and will take the fingerprints of applicants aged six and over. If an applicant or dependant is aged under 16, the biometric registration process must take place in the presence of an adult who is the child's parent or guardian or a person who takes responsibility for the child during that time. You must give us the name of this adult when you make your appointment, and this must be the same person who is named in section 5 of the application form.

You will not need to pay an additional fee when you attend the appointment. If your application to extend your stay is successful, we will send your identity card to you by post within three to five days. If you have not received your card within seven days of the date on your decision letter, you must call us on 0300 123 2412.

Settlement

You can apply for permission to settle here permanently (also known as 'indefinite leave to remain') if:

• you have lived here for two years in this category;
• you are still in the same marriage, civil partnership or relationship; and
• you and your partner intend to continue living together permanently.

See the Settlement section for more information.

Indefinite leave to remain (often known as ILR) is permission to stay permanently (settle) in the United Kingdom, free from immigration control.A legal relationship that can be registered by two people of the same sex and that gives the couple legal recognition for their relationship. In a range of legal matters, civil partners are treated the same as opposite-sex partners who are married.Someone who depends on you financially, such as a husband, wife, partner, or child.A notary is also known as a notary public. A notary is a public official who is legally authorised to witness the signing of documents and perform other formal duties.