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British Citizenship

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If you have obtained Settlement status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen.

 

We can assess your application to see if you are eligible and meet the requirements. We can guide you through the process and look after your application from start to finish. 

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You can apply for British citizenship by naturalisation if:

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  • You’re 18 or over,

  • You’re of good character, for example, you don’t have a serious or recent criminal record, and you haven’t tried to deceive the Home Office or been involved in immigration offences in the last 10 years

 

We need several details to see if you can apply

 

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  • You’ll continue to live in the UK,

  • You’ve met the knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements, and

  • You meet the residency requirement.

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And you must usually have:

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  • lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application

  • spent no more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years

  • spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months

  • had settlement (‘indefinite leave to remain’) in the UK for the last 12 months if you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA)

  • had permanent residence status for the last 12 months if you’re a citizen of an EEA country - you need to provide a permanent residence document

  • not broken any immigration laws while in the UK

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If your Spouse is a British Citizen

Spouse British

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You can apply for British citizenship by naturalisation if:

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  • You’re 18 or over,

  • You’re of good character, for example, you don’t have a serious or recent criminal record, and you haven’t tried to deceive the Home Office or been involved in immigration offences in the last 10 years,

  • You’ll continue to live in the UK,

  • You’ve met the knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements, and

  • You meet the residency requirement.

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Unless your spouse or civil partner works abroad either for the UK government or for an organisation closely linked to government, you must usually also have:

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  • lived in the UK for at least the 3 years before your application is received

  • spent no more than 270 days outside the UK in those 3 years

  • spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months

  • not broken any immigration laws while in the UK

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Applying

Applying

 

Before applying we need to see you for an appointment to go through all the documents you need. Then, we can either complete your application online or as a form and send it to the Home Office. To book an appointment, contact us or call 0115 845 6583.

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After you have applied

After you applied

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We would get a letter confirming your application. It can take up to 4 weeks for the confirmation to come through.

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A decision about your application will usually be made within 6 months - some applications can take longer.

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You’ll be told if you need to give more information to help with your application.

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Citizenship Ceremonies 

Citizenship Ceremonies

 

You’ll be invited to book a place at a citizenship ceremony if your application is successful and you’re over 18.

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You’re usually allowed to take 2 guests. You must take your invitation when you go to your ceremony.

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There’s a ceremony fee of £80*.

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*Please be aware that this is a fee paid to the Home Office, and this does not reflect AM Law Solicitor's fees.

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Ceremonies in the UK


Your ceremony will usually take place close to where you live.

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Citizenship ceremonies are organised by your local council and are usually done in groups. You can book your citizenship ceremony with your council. You can ask for a private ceremony.

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Request a ceremony outside the UK


If you’re not living in the UK, you can ask to have your ceremony at the embassy or consulate in the country you’re living in.

 

If you’re only abroad for a few months, you might be asked to postpone the ceremony until you return to the UK.

 

If you’re planning to be away for longer, you might have to prove you’re planning to live in the UK permanently.

 

 

During the ceremony


You’ll have to make an oath of allegiance (or you can make an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge. This means you’ll promise to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK.

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At the end of the ceremony you’ll be presented with your certificate of British citizenship and a welcome pack.

Some local councils sell photographs or videos of the event.

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After your Citizenship Ceremony

After Ceremony

 

Once you’ve got your certificate of British citizenship, send your biometric residence permit back to the Home Office.

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You must send your permit back within 5 working days of either:

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  • going to your citizenship ceremony

  • getting your certificate of British citizenship


Cut your biometric residence permit (BRP) into 4 pieces and put it in a windowless envelope. Include a note saying you’re returning your permit because you’ve become a citizen. The note needs to include your name, date of birth and the document number (located on the front of the card).

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Naturalisation BRP Returns 
PO Box 195 
Bristol 
BS20 1BT 


You’ll be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t return your permit within 5 working days.

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Life in the UK Test

Life in the UK Test

 

To become a British Citizen, you need to take the 'Life in the UK' test as part of your application for British citizenship or settlement in the UK. There are around 60 test centres in the UK - you can choose one of the 5 closest to where you live.

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Children under 18 years old

Children under 18


You can apply for registration as a British Citizen on behalf of a child under 18 if they meet the eligibility criteria. They don’t have to pass the Life in the UK Test. We can complete the application and submit it to the Home Office, even if you are not in the UK.

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Applying for British Citizenship for your Child can be a confusing experience - if you apply by yourself. That is why we suggest that you provide us with the following information:

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  • Date of Birth of Child / Children,

  • Place of Birth of Child / Children,

  • Nationality of both Parents,

  • Place of Birth of Parents,

  • Immigration Status of Parents (in current country of residence and the UK), and

  • Marital Status of the Parents.

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These details will give us enough information to decide which category to apply under. 

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Fees

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We charge a fixed fee of £800 for a  British Citizenship application, in addition to the Home Office application fee.

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Contact us today if you are interested in applying for your British Citizenship, or if you want to apply on behalf of your children. Call us on 0115 845 6583 or email us at contact@amlawsolicitors.co.uk

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