British Citizenship Application

With a successful British Citizenship Application, you will be able to live and work in the UK without immigration restrictions and control.

At Edmans & Co, we see British Citizenship Applications on daily basis and our lawyers have extensive experience. You can continue reading this basic guide for information about eligibility and how you can make a successful citizenship application.

Requirements

First, you need to check if you are eligible to become a British Citizen. You must satisfy the following criteria:

• 18 years old or older
• No serious or recent criminal record
• No breach of immigration laws or conditions in the UK
• Satisfy English language requirements and the life in the UK test
• Have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or a permanent residence in the UK as European Economic Area (EEA) national

Second, you need to check the ways in which you can become a British citizen and find the most suitable one to your personal circumstances. There are a variety of ways through which you can apply for British citizenship:

Naturalisation – this route is available for those who moved to the UK on a visa or are from the European Economic Area (EEA) if:

• you have lived in the UK for the last 5 years you may be able to apply if you have had indefinite leave to remain for the last 12 months.
• you are an EEA national and have had permanent residence status for the last 12 months.

Spouse or civil partner of a British Citizen – you need to have lived in the UK for the last 3 years and have either:

• Indefinite leave to remain
• A permanent residence document (EEA nationals)

Windrush Scheme – you may be able to apply for citizenship under this scheme if:

• Your parent or you have arrived in the UK before 1973. If your parent arrived before 1973 you must have been born in the UK or arrived before you turned 18.
• You have lived in the UK and have not left the country for any longer than 2 years

Other ways:

• You have a British parent
• Another type of British nationality such as British overseas citizen, British protected person, a British subject, British national (overseas)
• You are stateless
• You previously gave up your citizenship

How can Edmans & Co help you?

Edmans & Co can advise and assist you with your application for a British Citizenship.

By booking a consultation with us, we can arrange a meeting or a call so that you can describe your current situation and understand your chances of success.

If you are eligible and have required documents for the application one of our experienced advisors with an established reputation will assist you with the application process. Our lawyers will assist you in assessing your eligibility, check your documents and complete the application process to the best standard.

A covering letter will also be prepared and sent to the Home Office along with your application form. This covering letter will describe your situation and advise the Home Office to accept your enclosed application which is supported by the UK laws.

Additionally, we can assist you with preparation for your Life in the UK test and your English Language test, as these are essential parts of a successful application.

If you would like to talk to one of our lawyers, then call us now on 020 7439 3000 or alternatively, send us an email using our contact form.

Overview

Types of British Nationality and Entitlement to full British Citizenship

Because of the UK’s complicated colonial history, there are several different types of British nationality:

• British citizen
• British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC)
• British Overseas Citizen (BOC)
• British National Overseas (BNO)
• British Protected Person (BPP)
• British Subject

The status of “British citizen” is by far the most valuable of these British nationalities; it is the only status which confers the right of abode in the UK, ie the right to live in the UK and come and go from the UK without hindrance. The other British statutes provide lesser rights.

People who hold any of the other categories of British nationality are from countries or territories which have been part of the British Empire or under British control.

Some people are born British citizens; for example, someone born in the UK of a British or settled parent or parents. Someone born outside the UK of a British parent or parents could, depending on the circumstances, also be born British.

But, since the passing of the British Nationality Act 1981, which tightened up the requirements for British citizenship, many people born in the UK of foreign parents are not born British.

But both adults and children may be able to acquire full British citizenship. The process for adults to acquire British citizenship is called “naturalisation” or, in some cases, “registration”.

The process for children to acquire British citizenship is called “registration”.

British Citizenship for Adults

When a person obtains British Citizenship, he will no longer be subject to any Immigration Restrictions in the UK and can come and leave the UK as he pleases. Additionally, British individual can also travel, live and work anywhere around European Economic Area (EEA).

Applying for British Citizenship for Adults

European nationals who either held permanent residence in the UK for a year or exercised their treaty rights for 6 years, can apply for British Citizenship. Other foreign nationals can apply for British Citizenship once they held their Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for 12 months or if married to/in a civil partnership with British National, must have lived lawfully in the UK for at least 3 years and hold ILR (for any period).

Individuals applying for British Citizenship must also be of good character, i.e. must have no unspent criminal convictions and their absences must be within those allowed by the immigration rules.

There is also an English Language and Life in the UK test requirement and the application has to be endorsed by two referees. Successful applicants must also attend a citizenship ceremony.

Applying for British Citizenship for Children

A child (ie someone under the age of 18) can apply for registration as a British citizen in various circumstances, for example:

• They were born in the UK and their parent(s) become British or settled after they were born.
• Irrespective of their parents’ nationality or immigration status, they were born in the UK, they lived in the UK until at least the age of 10, and they did not spend more than 90 days per year outside the UK during the first ten years of their life.

But registration of children as British citizens is more flexible than naturalisation or registration for adults, and the Home Office exercises discretion about this.

Any child who lives in the UK, even if they were not born in the UK, can apply for registration as a British citizen on a discretionary basis. If their parent(s) are British or settled in the UK, and the child’s future is likely to be in the UK, the application may succeed. And, with an older child, the longer they have lived in the UK the stronger the application is likely to be.

There is no English language or citizenship ceremony for children but the application must be endorsed by two referees.

Our lawyers at Edmans & Co have more than 10 years of experience in dealing with immigration applications of any complexity. If you would like to talk to one of our lawyers, then call us now on 020 7439 3000 or alternatively, send us an email using our contact form.