If you have UK indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or indefinite leave to enter (ILE) shown by an old passport stamp, vignette or other physical document, the No Time Limit (NTL) process can provide an eVisa as digital evidence of that settlement. It is a way to confirm and access proof of an existing status; it does not grant a new immigration permission or change the status you already hold.
The public GOV.UK NTL service and the Home Office caseworker guidance (version 24.0, published 1 April 2026) were checked on 28 October 2026. The application is free and is made from inside the UK. GOV.UK says processing can take up to six months. Confirm the live application instructions before starting.
Use NTL for legacy ILE or ILR evidence
Check the status route before applying
Keep the existing evidence
Is NTL the route for your evidence?
NTL is intended for someone who has been granted ILE or ILR and needs digital confirmation of that status. Common reasons include replacing a wet-ink endorsement or vignette with an eVisa, a passport containing the endorsement being lost, stolen or expired, or having no document to prove settlement that the person believes was granted. A legitimate identity change after settlement can also be handled through the NTL process.
The Home Office must still be satisfied that the applicant was granted ILE or ILR and continues to hold it. A missing stamp or expired passport does not by itself prove that settlement was never granted or that it has ended. The Home Office may consider documents and official records; some cases need more evidence or checks. Do not treat this guide as a status search or individual eligibility result.
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| What you currently have | Usual route to check first |
|---|---|
| An indefinite-leave stamp or vignette in a passport, or other physical proof of ILE/ILR | Free NTL application for an eVisa, if the settlement remains valid |
| EUSS settled or pre-settled status | Use the EUSS/UKVI account eVisa route; do not make an NTL application for that status |
| An expired BRP that records settlement | Follow the eVisa access route for an expired BRP; GOV.UK says not to use NTL for this evidence |
| Time-limited permission, such as a visa with an end date | Use the route for that permission; limited leave is not normally eligible for NTL |
| Previous settlement that may have lapsed after living abroad | Check the lapse and Returning Resident rules; NTL does not restore lapsed settlement |
| No status document and a possible Windrush connection | Check whether the Windrush Scheme is the appropriate evidence route before choosing NTL |
An EUSS grant is digital status, even when an older physical document or passport is part of the person's history. Do not file an NTL application just because an eVisa is difficult to access. The UKVI account and status-error services are separate processes; our UK eVisa and share-code guide covers account access, proof codes, corrections and travel preparation.
Check the main route boundaries
To qualify, the Home Office guidance says the applicant must have been granted ILE or ILR (other than settlement under Appendix EU), must not have lost or had it revoked, and must apply from within the UK. The caseworker guidance gives long-absence rules and exceptions; a potential lapse is not resolved by obtaining a newer digital record. If settlement may have lapsed while living abroad, read the separate Returning Resident guide and the current GOV.UK rules before deciding what to do.
People with limited leave cannot normally use NTL. The Home Office guidance describes a narrow port-of-entry situation involving a temporary two-month grant where an officer was not satisfied that indefinite leave remained; even there, an NTL eVisa is issued only if the person actually has ILE or ILR. That exceptional case is not a general alternative to renewing or extending a visa.
The caseworker guidance also says NTL is not for British citizens, people with a right of abode, Irish citizens in the ordinary position, or EUSS status holders. Irish citizens generally do not require leave to enter or remain in the UK and are outside the eVisa regime, subject to the stated legal exceptions. People with a possible Windrush connection should review the separate scheme: GOV.UK says it may provide proof of the right to live and work, and that the evidence issued depends on the person's circumstances.
Prepare and submit the application
The current public service asks for a phone number and email address that can be used for each sign-in, the passport or travel document used at the last UK entry, and the physical document proving settlement if one is held. The application will tell you which supporting documents to provide. Keep a complete copy of what you submit and note which document supports identity, the previous grant of settlement, later identity changes and any relevant travel history.
The public process requires fingerprints and a photograph at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point. The application instructions tell you how to book and which documents are required. Documents can be uploaded through the UKVCAS online service, or you can pay for document-scanning at the appointment. The appointment is for identity and evidence collection; it is not the decision itself.
- 1Confirm the evidence route — Match the document or missing-proof situation to the current GOV.UK NTL guidance. If you have EUSS status, an expired BRP, limited leave or a possible lapse, check the separate route first.
- 2Collect identity and settlement evidence — Prepare the passport or travel document used at your last entry and any physical settlement evidence you hold. Follow the application-specific document list rather than relying on a generic checklist.
- 3Apply online from within the UK — Use the official NTL service. It is free. Create or access the UKVI account when the service directs you; the timing depends on whether you have a valid passport.
- 4Complete biometrics and send documents — Attend the UKVCAS appointment for fingerprints and a photograph, then upload supporting evidence or use the optional paid scanning service.
- 5Check the result and eVisa details — After a decision, check the eVisa identity and status information. If details are wrong, use the current UKVI correction route; do not assume the application receipt is proof of a new status.
What to expect while it is pending
GOV.UK says an NTL application can take up to six months to process. Keep the existing physical immigration document: the public guidance says it can continue to be used while the application is being processed. That is not a guarantee that a particular airline or other carrier will accept a document for a specific journey, nor does the application grant travel permission. Check the current travel and carrier guidance for the documents you plan to use.
If you do not have any physical proof, the public status guidance says you may apply if you believe you have ILE or ILR. The Home Office decides what evidence or records are sufficient. Do not submit a claim that you held settlement unless you can explain its basis, and respond to any request for further documents by the deadline in the notice.
Organise the evidence around the status you are asking the Home Office to confirm
An NTL application has two connected questions: whether the applicant is the person named in the records, and whether that person was granted ILE or ILR and still holds it. The current GOV.UK form gives the case-specific document list after the application. Use it as the controlling checklist. The examples below are a way to organise the information you already have, not a replacement list or a promise that any single document will prove settlement.
If an endorsement is in an old or expired passport
Keep the passport with the endorsement and make a readable copy of the page and any relevant entry or exit stamps before sending documents through the official process. If that passport was lost or stolen, note when and where it disappeared and gather the documents that still connect your identity to the earlier passport. If your name, nationality, date of birth or other identifying detail has changed since the grant, explain the timeline and follow the application instructions for evidence of that change. Do not alter, annotate or remove an endorsement from an original document.
The application asks for the passport or travel document used at the last UK entry, as well as physical evidence of settlement if you have it. Those documents may be different: the passport used for the last entry can be newer than the passport containing an old ILR/ILE vignette. Make a simple note identifying which document answers which question, and include the link between the identities where they differ. The Home Office may request more documents after submission; the initial upload is not a guarantee that no further information will be needed.
If no settlement document is available
GOV.UK says someone who believes they have ILE or ILR but has no document can make an NTL application. State clearly what you believe was granted, approximately when and on what basis, and what happened to any previous evidence. Search for decision letters, earlier passport details or other personal records before applying, but do not invent a grant date or guess a category to make the form progress. The Home Office guidance explains that caseworkers can consider official records and request evidence in cases where the grant is not immediately visible. The decision is based on the records and the applicant's circumstances, not on a checklist in this guide.
If your identity changed after settlement
The Home Office's stated NTL purposes include issuing digital evidence in a legitimately changed identity. Keep the pre-change identity details consistent with the old settlement record and describe the change in the sequence requested by the application. If you hold official documents that connect the former and current identities, use the live application checklist to decide how to submit them. A name change does not itself alter the underlying settlement, and a mismatch should not be “fixed” by creating another UKVI account or by applying for a different visa without checking the official instructions.
Keep the application and travel decisions separate
The public NTL page says you can continue using your physical immigration document while a decision is pending. The Home Office caseworker guidance also says leaving the Common Travel Area during consideration does not, by itself, withdraw an NTL application. These statements describe the application process; they are not a general assurance that a person can board a particular carrier, enter another country, or return to the UK with any document. Check the current travel guidance for your nationality, document and itinerary before travel. If the existing document is missing or unusable, do not assume the application receipt can replace it.
An eVisa is digital evidence of the status recorded for you. After approval, check the identity and status details, and make sure the passport or travel document used for travel is associated with the UKVI account when the service allows it. If the record appears wrong, use the official error route rather than assuming the decision letter and eVisa automatically match. The UK eVisa and share-code guide covers account access, corrections, proof codes and travel preparation after the eVisa exists.
If the application takes longer than expected, use the current UKVI contact and help route and keep the application reference, submission date and any document request together. Follow the deadline in any notice asking for further information. If an application is refused or the record reveals that the leave may have lapsed, read the decision notice and obtain advice on the specific next step; a second application should not be used as a substitute for understanding the reason for the first decision.
Frequently asked questions
What does “No Time Limit” mean?
Who should make an NTL application?
Does an NTL eVisa change my immigration status?
Should I use NTL for EUSS settled or pre-settled status?
Should I use NTL if my BRP has expired?
Can I apply for NTL from outside the UK?
How much does an NTL application cost?
Which documents should I prepare?
Do I need to attend a biometrics appointment?
How long does NTL take?
Can I keep using my old physical document while I wait?
Can NTL restore ILR that lapsed while I was abroad?
Should someone with a possible Windrush connection apply through NTL?
Do Irish citizens need an NTL eVisa?
Official sources and related guides
- GOV.UK: Get an eVisa if you have settlement in the UK — current NTL application route, fee, documents, biometrics, timing and use of physical evidence while waiting.
- Home Office: No time limit caseworker guidance, version 24.0 — purposes, eligibility boundaries, lost or missing evidence, lapse and special cases.
- GOV.UK: ILR rights and status — NTL, EUSS, BRP and Windrush signposting.
- GOV.UK: Travel with your eVisa — keep UKVI travel-document details current and check the current travel process.
- GOV.UK: Report an eVisa error — use the official route when status or identity information appears wrong.
- GOV.UK: UKVCAS — biometrics, supporting-document submission and appointments.
- Home Office: Lapsing leave and Returning Residents guidance — settlement lapse boundaries and the overseas Returning Resident route.
- GOV.UK: Windrush Scheme proof of status — a separate possible proof route for eligible people.
For account access, share codes, status corrections and digital travel preparation, read our UK eVisa and share-code guide. For possible lapsed settlement, see the UK Returning Resident visa guide. Confirm the current government service before applying. This page is general information and does not decide immigration status, eligibility or the outcome of an application.