Discretionary leave
If we do not recognise you as a refugee or a person who qualifies for humanitarian protection, we may give you another type of temporary permission to stay in the UK. This permission is called 'discretionary leave to remain'. How long you are allowed to stay will depend on your circumstances, but it is unlikely to be more than three years initially.
We will only give you discretionary leave to remain in limited circumstances. If you apply to renew it when it expires, we will review your circumstances before deciding whether to give you further permission to stay. See Active review for more details. You will not be able to apply for permanent residence until you have lived in the UK for at least six years (or 10 years in some cases). To extend your residence permit or apply for permanent residence, you will need to complete application form DL - see Extend your visa for more information.