British Citizenship through Naturalisation
To become a UK citizen through naturalisation, you must apply to the Home Office and meet certain requirements. British citizenship grants you the ability to apply for a British passport, vote, and live and work in the UK without immigration controls. It is important to provide the necessary evidence to meet the naturalisation criteria to avoid application refusal and loss of the application fee.
Our professional assistance can help you navigate the naturalisation application process and increase your chances of success. We understand the stress involved in dealing with Home Office applications and strive to keep you informed about the progress of your application, offering support throughout this life-changing process. Contact us for specialized support with your naturalisation application.
To be eligible for British naturalisation, you must meet specific legal requirements. The following criteria must be satisfied:
- Age: You must be 18 years old or older.
- UK Residence & Valid Status: You must have held settled status in the UK for at least 12 months, either through Indefinite Leave to Remain or as an EEA national with EU settled status or permanent residence.
- Absence: Excessive absences from the UK during the qualifying period are not allowed. Travel days are not considered when calculating absences.
- Naturalisation Test: You must meet the English language requirements and pass the Life in the UK test.
- Good Character: You must have a good character, without a serious or recent criminal record or any immigration law or condition violations in the UK.
Lawful Immigration Status: You must have maintained valid and lawful immigration status during the qualifying residency period.
- Residency Intentions: You must intend to make the UK your permanent home.
The citizenship requirements may vary if you are married to a British citizen.
If you are applying for citizenship based on your marriage to a British citizen or someone with UK settled status, the following conditions apply:
- UK Residence & Valid Status: You must have held settled status in the UK for at least 12 months, either through Indefinite Leave to Remain or as an EEA national with EU settled status or permanent residence.
- No more than 90 days away from the UK in the 12 months preceding the application.
- Present in the UK on the exact date three years prior to the citizenship application.
- No more than 270 days absent from the UK during the qualifying three-year period.
- No breach of UK immigration laws during the qualifying three-year period.
- No time restrictions on your stay in the UK at the time of application.
- Good character.
- Sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
- Sufficient knowledge of the English language.
- Intention to make the UK your permanent home.
If you are not relying on marriage to a British citizen, the following conditions must be met:
- UK Residence & Valid Status: You must have held settled status in the UK for at least 12 months, either through Indefinite Leave to Remain or as an EEA national with EU settled status or permanent residence.
- No more than 90 days away from the UK in the 12 months preceding the application.
- No time restrictions on your stay in the UK during the 12-month qualifying period.
- Present in the UK on the exact date five years prior to the citizenship application.
- No more than 450 days absent from the UK during the qualifying five-year period.
- No breach of UK immigration laws during the qualifying five-year period.
- Good character.
- Sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
- Sufficient knowledge of the English language.
- Intention to make the UK your permanent home.
When: You are eligible to apply for British citizenship after five years of holding UK settled status, unless you are applying through marriage. If you are married to a British citizen or someone with UK settled status, you can apply after three years of residing in the UK and upon receiving Indefinite Leave to Remain, Indefinite Leave to Enter, or EU settled status.
Fee and How to Apply: To apply for British citizenship through naturalisation, you need to complete the Form AN application and submit it to the Home Office along with the required supporting documents and a fee of £1,330. The application form is extensive, consisting of 30 pages, and it is important to fill it out accurately and completely to demonstrate your eligibility and avoid issues with your application. The form covers various sections, including personal information, work situation in the UK, information about dependents (if applicable), and documentation of your UK residency. If you are applying based on marriage, additional documentation to prove the genuineness and legality of your relationship is required. Two referees who have known you personally for at least three years must also provide their details and sign the form to confirm the accuracy of the information.
Supporting documents play a crucial role in proving your eligibility for naturalisation. The specific documents required depend on your circumstances, so it is advisable to seek professional guidance to ensure you submit the correct ones. Generally, you will need to include your original passport, IELTS certification, proof of passing the Life in the UK test, Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), confirmation of UK residence, evidence of Indefinite Leave to Remain or absence of UK immigration restrictions, and travel documentation for the previous five years to demonstrate continued presence in the UK.
References: Two referees are required for your naturalisation application. One referee should be a person of professional standing, such as an accountant, police officer, or chemist, and can be of any nationality. The other referee must be a British citizen with a British passport and should be either a professional person or aged over 25. Both referees must sign and complete the same page, and they cannot be your legal representative, a relative, an employee of the Home Office, or have an unspent conviction for an imprisonable offense within the last 10 years.
Bio-metric: In most cases, you will need to attend an appointment in the UK to provide your biometric data within 45 days of submitting your application. Failure to do so will result in your application being rejected.
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can apply for British citizenship as soon as you are granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you are not married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you must wait 12 months from the date of obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain before applying for naturalisation.
Regarding absences from the UK, you must not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months before your application. Additionally, if you are not married to a British citizen, your absences during the five-year qualifying period must not exceed 450 days. If you are married to a British citizen, your absences during the three-year qualifying period must not exceed 270 days.
To qualify for naturalisation, you must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English, Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic. The UKVI only recognizes official English test qualifications from authorized test centers. The IELTS test is required, and a B1 certificate from ESOL is necessary. Speaking and listening exams are mandatory. Other English language qualifications, such as NVQs and GCSEs, are not accepted.
Some individuals may be exempt from proving their language skills for naturalisation. Exemptions include having a degree taught in English, being 65 years old or older, or having a serious long-lasting physical or mental condition. If you studied and earned a degree abroad, an Academic Qualification Level Statement may be required to prove equivalency to a UK degree and English language instruction.
The Life in the UK Test costs £50 and consists of 24 multiple-choice questions covering various subjects related to British history, daily life, values, and traditions. The Life in the UK Handbook provides the necessary information for the test. To pass, a score of at least 18 (75%) is required. The test can be retaken as needed, with the same fee charged each time. The Life in the UK Test is not required for an Indefinite Leave to Remain application if already completed. Exemptions apply for individuals under 18, over 65, and those with chronic mental or physical conditions.
The British Nationality Act of 1981 states that applicants must be of "good character" to naturalise as British citizens. The Home Office guidelines outline how caseworkers assess this requirement, including behaviors that indicate a lack of good character, such as criminal activity, support for terrorism, financial issues, notoriety, deception, dishonesty, and immigration-related problems. Meeting the good character requirement is crucial, and professional advice can help identify and address potential difficulties.
Previous offences and convictions can impact your naturalisation application. The degree of impact depends on factors such as the nature of the offence, custodial sentences, and spent convictions. It is mandatory to disclose all criminal offences in your application. Failure to do so can result in a refused application and affect future UK applications.
To qualify for British citizenship, you must not have spent more than 90 days outside the country in the 12 months before your application. Over the five-year qualifying residency period, your total absences from the UK must not exceed 450 days, or if you are the spouse of a British citizen, your absences during the qualifying three-year period cannot exceed 270 days.
The processing time for most British naturalisation applications is approximately six months, although simpler and well-prepared applications may be decided in as little as 3-4 months. Complex applications can take longer, and processing times can vary based on Home Office staffing and workload.
It is important to note that the above information may be subject to change, and you are advised to refer to the official UK government website for the most up-to-date guidelines and processes - for further details please click here.