Family Visas UK

Apply for ILR as a Victim of Domestic Violence - SET (DV) Application

: Written by: Arshad Mahmood; Last Updated: 28 November 2025

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence if you are on a spouse/partner visa and your relationship with your UK spouse/partner has broken down irretrievably as a result of incidents of domestic violence and abuse. An application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence is made online using the application form SET (DV) in accordance with eligibility requirements as set out in Appendix Victims of Domestic Abuse of the Immigration Rules. The Appendix Victims of Domestic Abuse of the Immigration Rules allows settlement where a person has, or was last granted, permission as a partner on a specified route and the relationship has permanently broken down due to domestic abuse.

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An application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence can only be submitted to the Home Office UKVI through standard service, as the Home Office UKVI does not offer Priority or Super Priority Service to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence. You can ask the Home Office UKVI for a fee waiver for your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application as a victim of domestic violence, if you cannot afford to pay the Home Office UKVI fee for the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application as a victim of domestic violence.

Free Immigration Advice for ILR as a Victim of Domestic Violence

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide one-off free immigration advice online regarding your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence. Ask a question online to our specialist team of immigration solicitors for free immigration advice online, or book an appointment online for detailed immigration advice and consultation with one of our immigration solicitors concerning your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence.

Fee Waiver for ILR as a Victim Of Domestic Violence

You can apply for a fee waiver for your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application as a victim of domestic violence. You do not have to pay the fee to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence if you can provide evidence that you:

do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
have a place to live, but cannot afford essential living costs like food or heating
have a very low income, and paying the fee would harm your child’s well-being
Evidence can include bank statements, a signed letter from your local authority, or a signed letter from an agency that’s been giving you support.

How to Apply for ILR as a Victim of Domestic Violence?

To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence, you should take the following steps:

Complete the online SET (DV) application form on the UKVI website.
Submit the completed Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application online by paying the Home Office UKVI fees for the ILR application unless you have been granted a fee waiver for your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application as a victim of domestic violence.
Book your biometrics appointments with the TSLContact by creating an account on the TSLContact web portal.
Upload all the supporting documents online before the biometrics enrolment appointment date.
Attend your biometrics enrolment appointment. You should take your BRP card, your passport, and your biometrics appointment letter with you to your biometrics appointment.
You should wait for a decision on your ILR application. Your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic abuse will be generally decided within 3 to 6 months from the biometrics enrolment date.

What Is a Victim Of Domestic Violence (DV) Concession Application?

You can apply for leave to remain for three months under the victim of domestic violence (DDV) concession if you want to notify the Home Office UKVI that you require access to public funds (income-related benefits), to find safe accommodation and support yourself before you apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of Domestic Violence. This is on the basis that you have been a victim of domestic violence.

The Home Office UKVI will consider whether you should be granted limited leave to allow you access to public funds. You only need to complete the form for a victim of domestic violence concession leave if you need access to public funds before you submit your ILR application as a victim of domestic violence. The application for a victim of domestic violence concession leave is not an application for indefinite leave to remain based on domestic violence. If you are granted leave with access to public funds, this will be for a limited time of 3 months only. This is to enable you to apply for access to public funds, and it will replace your current period of leave to remain.

You should submit your application for indefinite leave to remain based on domestic violence within these 3 months. If you do not submit a further application within three months, any leave UKVI grants you as a result of the concession will come to an end. If you qualify under this concession and you are granted limited leave, this does not guarantee that your application for indefinite leave to remain will be successful.

What Are The Requirements For ILR As A Victim Of Domestic Violence?

The requirements to be met for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK as a victim of domestic violence are set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. The Immigration Rules require that:

Applicant in the UK: The applicant must be in the UK.

Valid application: the applicant must have made a valid application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence.

Suitability requirement: The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part 9: grounds for refusal, but paragraph 9.8.4.(a) does not apply.; and

Immigration status requirement: The applicant must have, or have last been granted, permission as one of the following:

a partner under Appendix FM (except for permission as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) of a person who is a British citizen, settled in the UK or an EEA national in the UK with limited leave to enter or remain granted under paragraph EU3 of Appendix EU on the basis of meeting condition 1 in paragraph EU14 of Appendix EU; or
a spouse, civil partner or durable partner under Appendix EU with limited leave to enter or remain as a family member of a relevant EEA citizen (or of a qualifying British citizen), as a joining family member of a relevant sponsor or as a family member who has retained the right of residence, granted under paragraph EU3 or EU3A of that Appendix; or
a partner under Appendix FM, Part 11, or Appendix Family Reunion (Protection) of a person with permission as a refugee; or
a partner of a person present and settled in the UK under paragraph 285 or 295E of Part 8; or
a victim of domestic abuse under Appendix FM; or
a partner under Appendix Armed Forces or Part 7 (except for permission as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner), of any of the below:
- a person who is a British citizen; or
- a foreign and commonwealth citizen with at least 4 years’ reckonable service in HM Forces at the date of application under this paragraph or
- a member of HM Armed Forces who has applied for or been granted permission or settlement as a foreign and commonwealth citizen discharged from HM Armed Forces. Or
leave outside the rules granted under the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (formerly the destitution domestic violence concession (DDVC)), and before that were last granted permission under one of the categories defined in VDA 4.1(a) to (e).

Breakdown of relationship due to domestic violence: The relationship between the applicant and their partner must have broken down permanently as a result of domestic abuse.

The Immigration Rules do not require the applicant to pass the Knowledge of Language and Life test when applying for ILR as a victim of domestic violence.

Can I Re-Apply For ILR As a Victim Of Domestic Violence After The Refusal?

If you have been refused Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence and abuse by the Home Office UKVI and do not believe you can successfully challenge the refusal, you may be able to re-apply for ILR as a victim of domestic violence. Any such fresh ILR application should meet the requirements set out in paragraph 39E of the Immigration Rules.

Administrative Review of ILR Refusal as a Victim Of Domestic Violence

You should file an Administrative Review within 14 days of the refusal decision if the Home Office UKVI has refused your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence, and you have been given the right to an Administrative Review against the refusal decision. The Administrative Review against the refusal decision can be successful based on the grounds that the decision maker has made a caseworker error in deciding your application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a victim of domestic violence. Our specialist family visa solicitors can provide the required legal services to represent you in your Administrative Review to challenge the refusal decision.

Specialist Solicitors for ILR as a Victim of Domestic Violence

Our specialist team of family visa solicitors can provide expert immigration advice and legal representation in relation to your application for ILR as a victim of domestic violence. Our immigration solicitors have extensive experience and specialist knowledge of dealing with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) applications as a victim of domestic violence - SET (DV) application. As one of the best family visa solicitors dealing with ILR applications based on domestic violence and abuse, our immigration lawyers can provide fast, friendly, and reliable fixed-fee legal services for your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application.

The high quality of UK visa and immigration legal services provided by our best team of immigration lawyers is self-evident from the 5-star Google Reviews rating by 99% of our clients. Our London-based immigration solicitors are available 7 days a week, 365 days a year, offering unwavering dedication and exceptional legal support for a wide range of UK visa and immigration cases. Our team of highly regarded immigration solicitors brings together more than 6 decades of collective, specialised expertise in successfully handling UK visa and immigration applications.

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At Premium Solicitors, our strength lies in the expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment of our immigration solicitors in London. We understand that immigration matters are life-changing events, and our team is here to guide you through every step of the ILR application process with professionalism and care.

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