The journey is over - Passport received today

[27pence]

So I wanted to share with people my journey to becoming a British citizen, and eventual acquisition of passport.

September 2008 - I came to the UK to study for a 1 year Masters degree, with no intention of staying for longer than the duration of the course, and with a job promotion lined up back in my home country on completion of course.
October 2008 - I meet in my halls of residence a rather tall British gentleman. He was meant to start his PhD a month before, but the University messed up some of the paperwork, and so he ended up in the same flat as me (fate perhaps)
February 2009 - The tall man is now my boyfriend.
November 2009 - Apply for Post study work visa.
January 2010 - Get post study work visa.
June 2010 - Get Engaged
November 2010 - Apply for Certificate of Approval (not needed anymore) so we can get married. This is messed up by UKBA (surprise surprise), who state my husband to be is female, so is not valid.
December 2010 - Get 3 MPs and one secretary of state correct my husbands gender
May 2011 - Get married.
June 2011 - 2 year preliminary leave to remain
May 2013 - Indefinite leave to remain
Late 2013 - Husband getting job offers from outside the UK but within EU, all for longer than two years - ILR is not actually ILR if you leave country for more than two years - with conflicting reports if visits to family back inthe UK resets the clock. Husband persuades me to get British Citizenship as he does not want to have to deal with the stress of communicating with the UKBA, or having to restart process.
11th December 2013 - Contact NCS service to make an appointment
7th January 2014 - NCS Appointment
8th January 2014- Received by Home Office
Last week of January - Money debited and acknowledgement letter received.
14th March 2014 - Approval received (dated 12th)
8th April 2014- Citizenship Ceremony
10th April 2014 apply for passport
11th April - Passport Application received by IPS
16th April 2014 - TEXT and Money Debited
13th May 2014 - Interview Invitation
15th May 2014 - Second more specific interview invitation
16th May - Interview and Passport printed
19th May 2014 - Supporting documents and passport received

As an agnostic I can only thank what remains of my sanity

Good luck to all from those just applying, to those in the middle and to those near the finish line.

[phospholipid]

Congrats,

can I ask why you had 2 interviews for the passport, and how did they both go?

[27pence]

No I just had one interview - the first letter said "please arrange interview", the second letter gave time/date/location of interview (which was the next day) that I had organised with man on phone

[dahveedoff]

Congrats 27 pence!!

Your journey sounds so identical to me. I also came to the UK for my masters in Feb 2008 and had a job offer back home. ALso got married in May 2011!!!!

Got ILR in July 2013 but couldn't be bothered applying for naturalisation as I felt the money was quite an extortion. Finally came round to doing this in April 2014 so I guess that's where our similarities part ways...lol!

Also.. I'm a faith-based believer and not an agnostic.

Congrats again!!!

[akash08]

Congrats 27 pence!!

Your journey sounds so identical to me. I also came to the UK for my masters in Feb 2008 and had a job offer back home. ALso got married in May 2011!!!!

Got ILR in July 2013 but couldn't be bothered applying for naturalisation as I felt the money was quite an extortion. Finally came round to doing this in April 2014 so I guess that's where our similarities part ways...lol!

Also.. I'm a faith-based believer and not an agnostic.

Congrats again!!!

so you do not need to have ILR for a year to get citizenship?

[askmeplz82]

Spouse of British citizen don't need to wait 1 year

[dahveedoff]

Congrats 27 pence!!

Your journey sounds so identical to me. I also came to the UK for my masters in Feb 2008 and had a job offer back home. ALso got married in May 2011!!!!

Got ILR in July 2013 but couldn't be bothered applying for naturalisation as I felt the money was quite an extortion. Finally came round to doing this in April 2014 so I guess that's where our similarities part ways...lol!

Also.. I'm a faith-based believer and not an agnostic.

Congrats again!!!

so you do not need to have ILR for a year to get citizenship?

No you don't need to wait one year if you got ILR through spousal marriage to a British citizen. Basically, you can apply for naturalisation the same day you get your ILR... if you meet the minimum 3 years stay in the UK qualification.