British Naturalisation Lawyers

People from all around the world have chosen to base their lives and careers in the UK. After living in the UK for a sufficient time frame, you may wish to apply for British citizenship. After applying for Naturalisation and once granted, you will have the same rights and benefits as British citizens. The sufficient length of stay to become applicable for Naturalisation is 5 years with an extra 12 months (or more) with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE). There is a difference in criteria for Naturalisation for applicants who are married to British citizens.

Eligibility:

• Age 18 and over.
• Five years of living in the UK in addition to either 12 months of Indefinite leave to remain in the UK or 12 months of Settled Status (Indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme) or 12 months of Indefinite leave to enter the UK.
• Not married to a British citizen: you must prove your five year stay in the UK before the Home Office receives your application.
• Married to a British citizen: You must prove that you were in the UK exactly three years before the day the Home Office receives your Naturalisation application.
• Proof of knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic via academic qualification or by taking a test.
• Passed the Life in the UK Test.
• Intend to continue living in the UK.
• Be of ‘good character’ according to Home Office requirements.

Restrictions:

Before the date of application begins, you must have lived in the UK for five years (or more). This is not inclusive of any time you have spent in the UK as a diplomat, member of a diplomat’s staff or household or a member of visiting armed forces. 

What you cannot do/must not have done:

• Spend over 450 days outside the UK through the duration of 5 years prior to your application.
• Spend over 3 months outside the UK through duration of 12 months prior to your application.
• Break UK immigration laws
• You must have ILR or ILE status.

You may have lost your ILR or ILE status if you’ve been away from the UK for:

• Over 2 years through any time since receiving your ILR or ILE
• Over 5 years if you have settled status
• Over 4 years if you are a Swiss citizen, or the family member of a Swiss citizen, and you obtain a settled status.

Dependents – If your application is successful:

Separate application must be made for dependents. Your child may be registered as a British citizen if they were either born outside of the UK or they were born inside the UK after you obtained ILR. 

You must finance your child’s citizenship ceremony if they age to 18 years during process of application.

If your application is successful How do you apply for Naturalisation:

After being granted your certificate of British citizenship, you will be applicable for a British passport so you may travel freely to and from the country. If you wish not to have a British passport, you can apply for a certificate of entitlement (though you cannot enter the country using it). 

After being granted your Certificate of Naturalisation, you must cut your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) into four pieces and put it a windowless envelope that you must send to the Home Office along with a note explaining your return of the permit due to becoming a British citizen. This needs to be done within five days of receiving your certificate.