> temporary or permanent leave to remain.
Off-topic but non-native speakers must find this phrase so confusing the first time they see it.
Off-topic but non-native speakers must find this phrase so confusing the first time they see it.
Even native speakers struggle with it (i.e. me, when I first saw it being used).
'Leave' in its form meaning 'permission' is only generally used in 'I am on leave from work today'. Many other Commonwealth and Anglophone countries (Australia, NZ, Canada, Singapore) just call it a 'visa validity period'; indefinite leave to remain is 'permanent residency'.
This applies to many other countries' so-called permanent residencies as well. It could be revoked if one spends a long period abroad, or collects a (local or foreign) criminal record, or otherwise gets in the granting government's bad books. They're permanent only in name.
I'd hazard that it came into English from French, or maybe the other way around.
Etymology From Old French lesser, lessier, laissier (“to let, let go, leave”), from Latin laxō, laxāre (“to relax, loosen”); partly from or influenced by Old High German lāzan (“to let, let go, leave”) (German lassen), from Proto-West Germanic *lātan (“to let, leave, leave alone”).
I can't find anything about it and I've been poking around for the better part of 20 minutes, but my presumption would be this comes from Royal Court, to take leave of the court or the presence of the Royal estate? I'm guessing you would be granted permission to take your leave > take leave > permission. Total guess, however. Who knew leave could be so fun. ;)
I'm glad they renamed it to "settled status" for EU citizens remaining after the UK decided to leave the EU.
Settled and pre-settled status is used exclusively by the EU Settlement Scheme and refers to the 5 year requirement (pre-settled) for EU citizens wanting to apply.