Settlement for Bangladeshi nationals
Nationality changes little about a settlement application itself. What it changes is which documents you produce, which English evidence is open to you, and what happens to your other citizenship. This guide covers those points for Bangladeshi nationals.
- Section
- ILR & Settlement
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 22 February 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- Bangladesh is not on the majority English-speaking list, so the English requirement applies.
- Documents in Bengali need a certified English translation.
- Care worker codes are closed to new applicants from outside the UK.
- The UK allows dual citizenship; the other country's position is for that country to state.
Bangladeshi nationals settle on the same routes as anyone else: Skilled Worker after 5 years, the partner route after 5 years, and long residence after 10 years. Bangladesh is not on the majority English-speaking list, so the English requirement applies, though a degree taught in English can be used instead of a test. Care worker sponsorship is closed to new applicants from outside the UK. Whether Bangladeshi nationality can be kept alongside British citizenship is a question for the Bangladeshi authorities.
The Routes
- Skilled Worker, after 5 years with a licensed sponsor. See our Skilled Worker settlement guide.
- Partner of a British citizen or settled person, after 5 years. See our partner route settlement guide.
- Long residence, after 10 years' continuous lawful residence, with no salary requirement. See our 10-year rule guide.
- Health and Care Worker, which is a Skilled Worker route with its own fee and exemption from the immigration health surcharge. See our health and care worker guide.
Care work itself has changed. The care worker and senior care worker occupation codes are not open to new applicants from outside the UK. An application must be to stay in the UK, from someone who already holds Skilled Worker permission in a care code or has worked for the sponsor in that code for at least 3 months, and it must be made before 22 July 2028. A worker sponsored this way cannot bring a partner or children.
English Language
Bangladesh is not on GOV.UK's list of majority English-speaking countries, so Bangladeshi nationality does not exempt anyone from the requirement. The settlement level is B1 in speaking and listening, rising to B2 from 26 March 2027 on routes including Skilled Worker and Long Residence.
Two ways of meeting it are open:
- A secure English language test from an approved provider, such as IELTS for UKVI or Trinity College London.
- A degree taught or researched in English. Where the degree was awarded outside the UK, Ecctis confirmation that it is equivalent to a UK qualification and was taught in English is normally needed.
GOV.UK says some recognised test qualifications only last for 2 years, but an expired qualification can still be used for settlement if it is on the current list of recognised tests and was accepted for another UK immigration application. See our English for settlement guide and our English classes guide.
Life in the UK Test
The test costs £50, has 24 questions in 45 minutes, and must be booked online at least 3 days in advance. There are over 30 test centres in the UK. GOV.UK says you can rebook as many times as you need, paying each time. You do not take it if you are under 18, aged 65 or over, have already passed it, or have a long-term physical or mental condition, with medical evidence.
The official handbook is Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents. See our Life in the UK test guide and our study guide.
Documents
- Translations. Anything in Bengali needs a certified English translation. See our translation guide.
- Verification. The Home Office may verify certificates with the issuing authority, which can lengthen a decision.
- Passports. Provide the passports covering the qualifying period. Bangladeshi passport services in the UK run through the Bangladesh High Commission in London.
- Police certificates. A settlement application does not routinely require an overseas police certificate.
See our documents checklist.
Absences
No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period, and only whole days count: the day you leave and the day you land back do not. For permission granted on or after 11 January 2018 the 12-month periods roll, so two long trips in different calendar years can still fall in one window. The exceptions are a closed list in paragraph CR 3.4 of Appendix Continuous Residence. See our evidence of residence guide.
Cost and Timing
Settlement costs £3,226 for the applicant and £3,226 for each person included. No immigration health surcharge is charged on a settlement application. A decision usually comes within 6 months; priority is £500 for around 5 working days and super priority is £1,000 for the end of the next working day.
Money sent to family in Bangladesh has no bearing on a settlement application. Tax matters in a different way: unexplained differences between declared income and the income relied on in an application have caused problems in the past. See our financial issues guide.
After Settlement
Settlement is an eVisa in a UKVI account, proved with a share code that lasts 90 days. It lapses after more than 2 continuous years outside the UK.
Naturalisation costs £1,839 for an adult, made up of £1,709 to apply and a £130 ceremony fee. Registering a child costs £1,000. On dual nationality, GOV.UK says dual citizenship is allowed in the UK and that you should “check with the country's consulate or embassy in the UK to find out about that country's laws on dual nationality”. For the Bangladeshi position, ask the Bangladesh High Commission rather than a UK source. See our dual citizenship guide and our citizenship guide for Bangladeshi nationals.
Community organisations can help with practical questions, but only a person regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority or a solicitor can advise on an immigration case. See our community groups guide and the GOV.UK settlement pages.
Questions and answers
Which routes do Bangladeshi nationals usually settle on?
The same routes as everyone else. Nationality does not open or close a settlement route. The common ones are Skilled Worker after 5 years, the partner route after 5 years, and long residence after 10 years' continuous lawful residence.
Are Bangladeshi nationals exempt from the English requirement?
No. Bangladesh is not on GOV.UK's list of majority English-speaking countries. English at B1 in speaking and listening applies for settlement, rising to B2 from 26 March 2027 on routes including Skilled Worker and Long Residence. A degree taught or researched in English can be used as evidence instead of a test.
Is the Life in the UK test required?
Yes, unless an exemption applies. GOV.UK exempts people under 18, people aged 65 or over, people who have already passed it, and people with a long-term physical or mental condition. The test costs £50, has 24 questions in 45 minutes, and must be booked at least 3 days in advance.
Can I hold both British and Bangladeshi nationality?
The UK side is settled: GOV.UK says dual citizenship is allowed in the UK and you do not have to give up another nationality. The Bangladeshi side is decided by Bangladeshi law, and GOV.UK's advice is to check with that country's high commission or embassy in the UK.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.