British Citizenship – Naturalisation
Once the applicant has settled status i.e. Indefinite leave to remain under the immigration rules or
permanent residence under the EEA regulations, he may make his application to be naturalised as a
British citizen.
UK Citizenship Requirements
For foreign nationals who seek to naturalise as British, the following requirements need to be met:
- UK residency for at least 3 years and is a settled person (ILR/Permanent Residence) as of the time of the application
- The application would have been in the UK from the start of the 3 years
- The applicant's absences must not exceed 270 days throughout the 3-year period
- Prior to the application, i.e. the last year during the 3-year period, the absences must not exceed ninety days
- The applicant must meet the good character requirement
- The applicant must pass the Life in The UK Test
- Meet the English Language requirement
- Demonstrable intention to live in the United Kingdom
Residence Requirements of British Citizenship Application
If the applicant is not married to a British citizen, he must not have absences of more than 450 days in
the last 5 years including not more than 90 days in the last 12 months, from the date of application.
If the applicant is married to a British citizen, he must not have absences of more than 270 days in the
last 3 years including not more than 90 days in the last 12 months, from the date of application.
The Secretary of State however enjoys wide discretion in allowing prolonged absences of the
applicant in certain.
British Passport Application
The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) of the UK government are known for the issuance of British
passports. An interview with the IPS must be attended by the individual applying for a passport for the
first time to confirm their identity. Anyone applying for the passport must be aged 16 and above. It is
recommended that an individual will give an allowance of 6 weeks for the passport application to be
processed. Individuals are advised not to make any travel arrangements until they receive their
passport.
In the case of urgent passports, where an individual needs an urgent passport renewal, IPS offers two
types of services which are;
- Fast-track one-week service
- Premium one day service
An appointment is required at the Passport Office if both types of services commences. There are
also some situations where additional time might be needed to assess an individual's application,
such as contacting the individual's counter-signature or confirming the details of the application.
English Language Knowledge
You can prove English language requirements by having either:
- an English qualification at B1 level
- a degree taught or researched in English
- national of an English-speaking country
The requirement of English Language knowledge is exempt in cases when applicants are aged 65 or
over or is unable to due to disabilities or is a citizen of countries that are exempt from.
Life in the UK Test
If the applicant has not passed Life in the UK test in his ILR application he would need one for British
citizenship application. The applicants over 65 years of age are exempt from this requirement.
Good Character Requirement of British Citizenship Application
The applicant must be able to demonstrate that he is a person of good character and have shown
respect for the rights and freedoms of the UK and have observed it’s laws and fulfilled your duties and
obligations as a resident of the UK. The Home office shall carry out criminal record checks on all
applicants of British citizenship.
If the applicant has a conviction in the UK or overseas then depending on the length of sentence, he
may have to wait for a certain period of time or may not be eligible for citizenship at all, if he was
given a sentence of 4 years of imprisonment or more.
If the applicant has used deceptive measures in his dealings with the Home office, he may be placed
on a 10 year ban from the date he used deception. A 10 year ban is also applicable if the applicant
has made illegal entry in the UK or evaded immigration control or abused life in the UK test process.
The Home office also routinely checks records with HMRC to see whether the applicant has worked in
the UK in breach of the immigration conditions attached to his visa, in the last 10 years.
Judicial Review Against Refusal of British Citizenship Application
If the British citizenship application is refused by the Home office, the applicant may lodge judicial
review proceedings in the high court provided there are good grounds to challenge the decision.
Please read more about Judicial review procedure in our Judicial review section.
Reconsideration of refusal of British Citizenship
The applicant may make an application to the Home office to reconsider the decision of refusing
British citizenship application, provided there are good grounds to make this application.
Registration As A British Citizen If You Had Previously Given Up British Citizenship
There may be several reasons for re-registering as a British citizen. Being born outside the UK to
British parents in a country that either doesn't permit dual nationality, or only permits it on restricted
grounds, is one major example.
Nationality is commonly renounced when the individual in question is looking to hold a political office
and/or holds a public office in a country where they hold dual citizenship.
Please note that, renouncing your British citizenship may not allow you to re-apply for your British
nationality in every scenario.
Resuming Your British Nationality
To reapply, you need to complete the form RS1 and pay the appropriate fee. These are some of the
documents you will need to support your application:
- A copy of your declaration of renunciation
- Identity documents
- A letter from the country you are currently a citizen of stating that if you hadn't given up your
British citizenship, you have lost or failed to get your current citizenship or nationality.
Why You Should Contact International Immigration Regarding This Case?
Ms Maeda Mobayyen, Principal Solicitor at International Immigration, is an expert Immigration
Solicitor in London who has been dealing with UK Immigration Laws.
Whether you are a small to medium sized business in need of skilled workers in your UK office,
or a global corporation that need to transfer staff from one country to another, our specialist
team of immigration solicitors can help.
We have the benefit of regulation with the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).
Our solicitors combine an in-depth knowledge of the law and its practical application to your case,
with a firm belief in your right to legal assistance and to committed representation throughout your
matter. Our solicitors place service to the public above all else and are able to advise on the best
possible course of funding in the event you do not qualify for legal aid. Our rates are competitive and
we can also explore the opportunity to fund your case on a fixed fee basis.
Our Immigration Solicitors will provide the best possible Immigration advice / consultation under direct
supervision of Maeda Mobayyen.
After consultation, if you wish us to start preparing your case, you can expect the followings from us:
- Our immigration solicitors shall keep you updated on the progress of your immigration matters.
- Our immigration solicitors will advise you about the implications of the Home Office decision on your application
- Our immigration solicitors will discuss the details about your immigration case, assess and advise you on the law, procedure and other requirements for the process.
- Our immigration solicitors will liaise with the immigration officer for expeditious decision on the application;
- Our immigration solicitors will advise you about the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of your application for retaining your right of residence
Our immigration solicitors are specialist immigration solicitors who are able to handle all types of immigration work including
- Immigration bail applications
- Immigration Appeals
- Judicial Reviews
- Indefinite Leave to remain applications,
- further leave to remain applications,
- EEA applications
- Settled and Pre-settled applications
- entry clearance applications,
- Our immigration solicitors are some of the best solicitors in London.
- Our immigration solicitors will advise you about the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of your application for retaining your right of residence;
- In International Immigration we have been teamed up with the some of the best immigration barristers in and outside London who are specialist in immigration matters.
- We will help you pay the spouse visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for the spouse visa application.
You can reach International Immigration on 07587691074 or info@internationalimmigration.co.uk
We Will Handle Your Case As If Its Our Own!