If you have been granted asylum or humanitarian protection status in the United Kingdom and have maintained this status for a period of five years, you are eligible to petition for refugee settlement. You are required to submit an application prior to the expiration of the five-year grant of permission.

The application may also include any dependents who were granted asylum or humanitarian protection concurrently with you and were dependent on your claim.

Refugee Settlement Eligibility Criteria

The following are the prerequisites for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a refugee or individual who has been granted humanitarian protection:

• You have held a residence permit as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection status (or their dependant), for a continuous period of five years in the UK; and
• This residence permit has not been revoked or not renewed; and
• You have not been:
  • Sentenced to imprisonment for 4 years or more; or
  • Sentenced to imprisonment for between 12 months or 4 years if less than 15 years has passed since the end of your sentence; or
  • Sentenced to imprisonment for less than 12 months, if less than 7 years has passed since the end of the sentence; or
  • Received a non-custodial sentence (such as a fine or community sentence) or other out of court disposal (such as a penalty notice or caution) that is recorded on your criminal record, if less than 2 years has passed since you received this; and
• The Secretary of State does not consider that you have caused serious harm by your offending; and
• The Secretary of State does not consider that you have persistently offended and shown a particular disregard for the law; and
• The Secretary of State does not consider that it is undesirable to grant settlement in the UK in light of your conduct, character or associations or the fact that you represent a threat to national security.

What Additional information is required regarding refugee settlement?

The Secretary of State may revoke or not renew your residence certificate as a refugee if they are satisfied that the Refugee Convention is no longer applicable for any of the following, including:

• You have voluntarily returned to your country of nationality;
• Having lost your nationality, you have voluntarily re-acquired it;
• You have acquired a new nationality, and enjoy the protection of the country of your new nationality;
• You have voluntarily re-established yourself in the country which you left owing to a fear of persecution;
• There has been a significant and long-lasting change in circumstances so that it is not reasonable for you to refuse to seek protection in your country of nationality.

Your refugee residence card may be revoked or not renewed if the Secretary of State determines that you are not eligible for the Refugee Convention's protection for any of the following reasons:

• You should be, or are, disqualified from being a refugee (e.g. due to having committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity, or acts contrary to the purpose and principles of the United Nations);
• You have used a misrepresentation, submitted false documents, or omitted facts which were decisive for the grant of asylum;
• There are reasonable grounds for regarding you to be a danger to the security of the UK;
• You have been convicted of a particularly serious crime and constitute a danger to the community of the UK.

A humanitarian protection status grant may be revoked or not renewed for similar reasons.

You will be granted limited leave for a period of three years, which may be renewed, if your application for settlement is rejected, but the Home Office does not intend to revoke your status as a refugee or a holder of humanitarian protection status, as you are still in need of protection.