- A client who is cohabiting with a British citizen or someone with indefinite leave to remain (including a client who has a same-sex partner) may apply for leave to remain.
- A client who wishes to regularise her/his stay on the basis of marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation should be referred to a specialist adviser.
- A client who has a spouse, civil partner or a long-term partner may also be able to rely on the European Convention of Human Rights, incorporated into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998. Article 8 covers the right to respect for private and family life. However, a family has no right to live in the country of its choice, and a state has the right to control who lives in its territory. A client who wants to invoke Article 8 will have to prove that there are real obstacles to her/him establishing her/his family life elsewhere or that there are special reasons why s/he should not be expected to do so. S/he will need expert specialist help.