Returning residents

Returning residents

People who have indefinite leave/settled status have no limit on the amount of time they can spend in the UK. However, such people are still subject to immigration control.

When a person with indefinite leave to enter or remain travels outside the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man, their leave will lapse by operation of law if they remain outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for a continuous period of more than:

•
four years, for Swiss nationals and their family members granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
•
five years, for all other persons granted settled status under the EUSS, and
•
two years, for anyone else

There are some exceptions to this general position, where a person’s indefinite leave does not lapse if they are absent from the UK for more than the prescribed periods set out above. There

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