yes i know we were taking about different things, i don't know the figure of how many people have ilr but are not living in the uk, i wouldn't have thought it was that many, you don't go thru all the visa process of form filling, paying and waiting to get ILR and then live somewhere else, sure there are people who do or have no choice and have to move.

but like i said b4, if you have family who live in the uk, then you could well be granted it again..

my stepson is one of them, he got ILR after he was in the uk only 6 months, a year later he wanted to goto uni in the phils, so we will have to get him back here by march next year, i dont think we will have a problem, as long as he brings a letter from the uni, but like you said they could try and make it more difficult for people like him.

i still think if they change the rules for people who have ILR already, the gov will have problems, but less problems if the changes are not retro., like i said b4 the gov cannot change the rules or goal posts for those already playing on the pitch