British Citizenship | Naturalisation

 

Becoming a citizen of any country is a big event and Ryan Immigration can help you to achieve this for the United Kingdom. A British passport is desirable and has many benefits attached to it.

 

 

Two Routes

 

To apply for naturalisation as a British citizen two routes are available to adults living in the UK. You can generally apply for citizenship if:

• You have been lawfully living in the UK for at least the 5 years before the application and have held indefinite leave to stay, EU Settlement Scheme 'settled status' or permanent residence for at least the previous 12 months before the application.

• You are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen and have been granted indefinite leave to remain or permanent residency and lived in the UK for at least the 3 years before the application.

 

There are also stipulations that you must not have broken any immigration laws while in the UK, you are of good character, sound mind (spouse route) and that you intend to continue to live in the UK. You must meet knowledge of English and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements for each route.

 

UK Absences

 

In terms of continuous time periods spent in the UK, there are specific requirements:

• Within the 5 years in question, you must not have spent more than 450 days outside of the UK and must not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the previous 12 months.
• Within the 3 years in question, you must not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK and must not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the previous 12 months.

 

Children

 

Parents can apply on behalf of their child under 18 if they meet the eligibility criteria and they don’t have to pass the Life in the UK Test. Rules for children may differ depending on the status of their parent(s) which is more relevant when applying separately.

 

EU Citizens

 

The normal naturalisation rules apply for EU citizens (5 years and plus 1-year to get indefinite leave to remain). Before Brexit it was the case that EU/EEA citizens (since the 12th November 2015) had to apply for formal permanent residency before any subsequent application for British Citizenship. Since Brexit, EU citizens can be on EU Settlement Scheme 'settled status' for 1 year before applying for British citizenship.

 

Registration

 

Registration is another route to citizenship which can often be an easier application, but in some cases, it can be difficult to assess your eligibility. This can get confusing for the unfamiliar so it best to seek the advice and assistance of a professional and trained UK visa and immigration advisor.