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[brassyorator]

I've come to find that in some matters -- obtaining mortgages, for example -- having 'leave to remain' or EU citizenship offers much greater opportunities than simply being in the UK on a work visa from a non-EU country.

So I'm curious if anyone has details on the particular route to both permanent residency and citizenship in the UK for non-EU citizens (in my case, US)... how long does it take and what are the milestones?

[hphphp]

I think you can apply for a residency (permanent leave to remain) after working for 5 years in the UK. After another year you can apply for citizenship, which involves taking the citizenship test. I think you are not supposed to spend more than 6 weeks abroad in a year for it to count but you'll have to find out the exact rules (6 weeks in total or one trip? is it an average over the 5 year period or in each year? etc.).
The place to look is the 'immigration and nationality directorate' at the home office website.

[qrypt]

I applied for (and got) ILR after 4 years of working at the same place, on a work permit (with US passport).  It's pretty simple - you just get your employer to give you a letter saying that your employment is continuing, and then fork over some $$$. 

But being here on a work permit didn't prevent me from getting a mortgage a few years ago.  The bank wanted to know that I had a permanent contract - that was sufficient.  I did have a reasonable deposit (down payment) - that might have helped.

Citizenship is irrelevant.  I have no intention of declaring my subjection to the awful Windsors...

[science_expat]

I think it's 4 years actually (at least it used to be) for ILR then another 1 for citizenship.

More info at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ and there's a very good forum at http://talk.uk-yankee.com/

Grupt, I got the citizenship because it means that I'm a European citizen - free to live and work anywhere in Europe!

SE

[qrypt]

Grupt, I got the citizenship because it means that I'm a European citizen - free to live and work anywhere in Europe!

SE

But I don't think it was necessary - as a permanent resident of any EU country, you can live and work freely in any EU country, if I recall correctly.  Anyway, to make a sweeping generalization, my understanding is that conditions of academic employment in most European countries are not so great. 

[soc_xpat]

I think the rules have changed now. One now has to be on work permit for five years, not four, before applying for 'leave to remain'. This came into effect in 2005-2006.

As for this rule on how many weeks one can be outside UK, how do expats, working in fields that make it necessary to be away from UK for long periods of time for research, get 'leave to remain'? Do they not qualify then?

[expatinuk]

As for this rule on how many weeks one can be outside UK, how do expats, working in fields that make it necessary to be away from UK for long periods of time for research, get 'leave to remain'? Do they not qualify then?

I think that I saw this covered on the Home Office website. It also covers how long you can be out of the country when you have a leave to remain.

[falada]

But being here on a work permit didn't prevent me from getting a mortgage a few years ago.  The bank wanted to know that I had a permanent contract - that was sufficient.  I did have a reasonable deposit (down payment) - that might have helped.

Geez, I couldn't even get a crappy Laura Ashley advantage card without having been a citizen for three years, and I'm married to a British bloke.