British Citizenship
Do you need to apply for a British Citizenship?
Speak to our experts to find out about our fast, friendly and affordable service
British Citizenship is a privlege and can be acquired in different ways such as by descent or through Naturalisation. A British citizen by descent granted if either a person born in the UK, or born outside the UK if they have one British citizen parent. Naturalisation, however, is a popular way of becoming a British citizen. Once you have gained Naturalisation you can apply for a British nationality or passport, you can live and work in the UK legally and free from immigration controls.
Naturalisation is generally granted in form of a certificate issued under the British Nationality Act 1981. The British Nationality Act 1981, came into effect on 1st January 1983, defines how UK citizenship can be acquired and how an individual may become a British citizen. It also defines how a person can be deprived of a British Nationality.
In order to become a British citizen, you need to prove that you are eligible by satisfying a number of requirements when making your UK citizenship application, such as showing that you have lived in the UK for a certain amount of time. When making a British Citizenship application, these eligibility requirements include:
In addition, you must make sure that the application form for British Citizenship or Naturalisation is completed properly as mistakes on the application can lead to refusal or delay in getting a decision.
If the applicant is married to a British citizen, they should have:
Finally, you must usually have also:
In certain cases that Home Office is willing to exercise discretion in the cases where the applicat has travelled in excess of the above days, as recently people were unable to return due to covid-19, the evidence must be provided in a proper manner to request for discretion to be exercised in your favour for grant of Britsih Citizenship.
Regardless on what basis you are applying for Britsih Citizenship or Naturalisation, you must not have any criminal conviction. Under British citizenship even a simple fine can lead to 3 years suspension, so you need to be very careful when submitting the application that you do not miss any relevant information when applying for the British Citizenship.
Get in touch with us in order to find out more information if you are looking to begin the process of making an application for naturalisation as a British Citizen.
In order to apply for British citizenship you may provide the following documents -
The above list is not a complete set of documents as documents may vary according to the circumstances of the applicant and the basis of their application for British Citizenship or Naturalisation.
In addition, to the the doccuments above you must meet the Good Character requirement, which relates to your immigration history in the UK and also the fact that you do not have any criminal convictions, such information is very important to yoru application as it can result in grant of refusl of your application for British citizenship.
Should you need our assistance with your application for British Citizenship or Naturalisation, please contact our lawyers by calling us on 02034111261 or email us
The fee for British Citizenship has recently increased on 10 April 2024 and currently the Government fee is £1630, which is divided into two that are £1500 for yoru application and £130 for your citizenship ceremony. Both the fees are paid at the time of the submission of the application.
In the event your applicatio is refused you will receive a fee of £130 refunded to you.
Becoming a British citizen is known as Naturalisation as a British Citizen. A citizen or a national of another country generally eneter the UK on a relevant visa and once they are granted Indefinite Leave to remain, they need to wait 12 months in certain cases or apply immidiately for Britsih Citizenship or Naturalisation. Certain applicant's can directly claim their British citizenship if they were born in the UK on or before 1st January 1983. All other applicant must be naturalised or in cases of children may achieve registration.
You can apply for Naturalisation as a British Citizen after you have lived as a resident in the UK for 5 years. This is reduced to 3 years of residence or if you’re in a civil partnership with or married to a British citizen. However in certain cases you need to wait for 1 year after settlement to apply for British citizenship or Naturalisation.
In order to apply for British Citizenship you must submit an online application after you are elibible, pay for the relevant application fee, submit the documents in support of yoru application and attend the biometric appointment.
After your Naturalisation as a British Citizen application has been approved, you will receive an invitation to attend a Citizenship ceremony, at which you’ll be given your Certificate of Naturalisation. You can then apply for a British passport. This is usually processed within six weeks, although the Home Office may need to interview you while processing your UK naturalisation application.
Naturalisation can be achived on the basis of being married to a British citizen after 3 years of your marriage, however, you must hold Indefinite Leave to Remain before applying for Naturalisation as a British Citizen under Section 6 (2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. The 3 years period was kept as before 2012 people married to British citizens use to get Indefinite Leave to Remain after 2 year and after 9 July 2012 this has not been increased to 5 years.
The only difference now in applying for Naturalisation as a British Citizen under Section 6 (2) is that applicants do not need to wait one year after receiving their Indefinite Leave to Remain and can stright away apply for Naturalisation after receiving your Indefinite Leave to Remain.
British Citizenship can be granted by discretion, it means when you are unable to meet all the relevant requirements but have compassionate and compelling circumstances or can prove that you have long term commitment to the United Kingdom then the considering officer at the Home Office may be willing to grant your application at Discretion. Generally, it depends how your application is presented in the circumstances when you are unable to meet all the requirements.
Some long term commitments which are of advantage to applications at discretion are for example - British citizen family members, properties, businesses or investments in the UK. These can be considered as an advantage when the Home Office officer is making a decision on your application.
You should always try and explain that the reasons were beyond your control for your absences and provide evidence for the same. The applicants can also explain, why it will be an advantage for them to receive British Citizenship for example a job they would receive by being British and the contribution they will be able to make to the UK, as a citizen.
If you are looking to apply for British Citizenship you can call and speak to one of our lawyers at Visa and Migration Ltd - 02034111261 or email us
British Citizen applications can be refused due to an error of the Home Office or in cases where discretion may not have been exercised objectively. In these cases you may request for a reconsideration of your application for which you need to complete a Nationality Review of yoru British Citizenship or Naturalisation and submit grounds and evidence on the basis of which the Nationality review is being requested. The Government fee for review of your British Citizenship or Naturalisation application is £450.
A child born in the UK to parents with ILR or Permanent residence or who are British Citizens can apply for registration as a British Citizen. Children born in the UK and who have lived in the UK for 10 years can apply for registration as British Citizen. Children born outside the UK to a British Parent who themselves were born outside the UK can only apply for Britsih Citizenship by registration after residing in the UK for 3 years and meetng the residence requirement,
The Life in the UK Test is a computer-based test looking at the requirements for anyone seeking naturalisation as a British citizen or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK under the Immigration Rules. The test consists of 24 questions; you are given 45 minutes to complete the test. The required pass rate is in order to achieve naturalisation as a British citizen is 75%.
Visa and Migration Ltd is a firm of lawyers. Our team is well experienced and have presented many applications to achieve successful outcome. We always discuss your circumstances in detail and present the gravity of your circumstances in the best possible way. We advice you on the evidence required and always assist our clients with template letters to allow them the oppurtunity to prepare the things in the best possible manner to convince the home office to exercise discretion in our client's favour. Our lawyers prepare the application and always present the application propertly, We assit our clients in contacting other authorities to obtain evidence if required for example writing to your Doctor. We always check your evidence not leaving any room for error. We prepare representation letter explaining why you should be granted British Citizenship and how will this benefit you and the country.
Should you want us to represent your application, please call us to discuss your case on 02034111261.
Should I change my name before or after applying for British Citizenship?
If you intend to change your name you, should do it before submitting the application and make sure the name is changed on your passport before application
Will my application be refused if I exceed the maximum dates out?
The general requirement is that you should not outside the UK for more than 450 days in last 5 years or more than 270 days in the last 3 years if applying on the basis of your British spouse, however there is discretion to the rules and it depends on your reason for absence
Can I apply for British Citizenship if I have a criminal conviction?
It depends what sort of criminal conviction you have, it is best to discuss this before starting the application process
Do I need to do life in the UK test again?
If you did your life in the UK test at the time of Indefinite Leave to Remain, then you do not need to take the test again. The Life in the UK test is valid for life.
Am I allowed to travel while my application is still pending?
Unlike the immigration applications, there is no restriction on travel after submitting your application for naturalisation or registration as a British citizen.
Do you need to apply for a British Citizenship?
Speak to our experts to find out about our fast, friendly and affordable service
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