Citizenship/Naturalisation
You can apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalisation’ if you are 18 or over and for the past 12 months you have had either:
- indefinite leave to remainin the UK
- indefinite leave to enter the UK
‘Indefinite leave to enter’ is permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad – for example, on a Returning Resident visa.
You may have lost your indefinite leave to remain or enter if you have been away from the UK for more than 2 years at any time since you obtained it.
You must also:
- prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application
- prove yourknowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
- have passed the ‘Life in the UK’ test
- intend to continue living in the UK
- be of good character
Residency requirements
You should have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the date of your application.
You cannot include any time spent in the UK when you are exempt from immigration control (for example, as a diplomat or member of visiting armed forces).
You should also not have:
- spent more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years
- spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
- broken any UK immigration laws (for example working illegally in the UK)
These applications can take a number of months to process. Reeds Immigration can certify your passport(s) so you are able to travel during this period.
Contact us for more information and advice.
Contact Our Immigration Solicitors