Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that time spent in residence in the UK on any visa is counted towards the five-year period required for an application for indefinite leave to remain.

Many visa routes, such as those for family and skilled work, are intended to allow a path to settlement in the UK. Other routes, such as those for study and temporary work, are intended for visa holders to be able to come to the UK for a specific, time-bound purpose, and therefore do not count towards the qualifying period for settlement.