British Nationality is not an automatic right and it is issued at the discretion of the Secretary of State.
Different routes to citizenship have different requirements and attempting to navigate around the different routes can be confusing.
What are the different routes to Citizenship?
To obtain British citizenship, there are several routes depending on your own individual circumstances. Here are some of the main routes:
Naturalisation
This is the most common method for adults who were not born in the UK. To be eligible, you typically need to have lived in the UK for at least five years and have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled status for at least one year.
Marriage or Civil Partnership
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can apply for citizenship after living in the UK for three years, provided you have ILR or settled status.
British Parentage eligibility for British Citizenship
If you have a British parent, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship.
EU Settlement Scheme
If you have settled status under this scheme, you can apply for citizenship after 12 months of obtaining it.
Windrush Scheme
Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973, or their children, may be eligible for citizenship under this scheme.
Children
A child may automatically acquire British citizenship if born in the UK to a British or settled parent. If not, they may apply to register as a British citizen if certain conditions are met, such as a parent later acquiring British citizenship or settled status or the child being born in the UK and living here until the age of 10 years old.
Application process
The application process typically involves submitting an online application to the Home Office, providing specific supporting documents, enrolment of biometric fingerprints, and is some instances attending a citizenship ceremony at your local council.
Requirements
Good character
There is no definition of good character within the rules but it generally takes into consideration the following factors such as lawful residence, criminality, financial soundness etc.
Residency
There is a requirement to be physically present in the UK five years preceding the date of application.
Those applying as spouses or civil partners of a British citizen/settled persons, this period is reduced to three years.
Absence Limits
There are strict absence requirements to be met. The number of absences allowed will depend on the route that you are applying for citizenship on. Excessive absences will only be disregarded in certain circumstances.
You must show you have met the required level of Knowledge of English language and have passed the life in the UK test.
The Home Office current fees for UK Citizenship application
The Home Office current fees as of July 2024 for application made inside the UK is £1,630, this includes the citizenship ceremony fee of £130.
Timeframe for UK Citizenship application
Generally, an application takes around 6 months to be decided by the Home Office. However, this timeframe is not a guaranteed timeframe and often depends of other factors such as the completion of any background check being carried out, the need for additional supporting documents and information.
There is no option priority service available for this application.
Documents for citizenship
The specific documents needed to apply will depend your route to obtain citizenship.
With the Immigration Rules forever changing it often becomes difficult to navigate around the changes and not be caught out. Our immigration specialists can office assistance to you, whether it relates to the above or any other immigration enquiry. Contact us on 0207 925 0303 or use the form provided.
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