Am I eligible to apply for a British passport?

[Kaba]

Hi there,

I was trying to read various posts in order to find answers to my questions. I bet some people have made the same questions I am about to do, so please excuse me if I am bombarding you again. I tried to get in touch with gov.uk, but they told me just to read the documents. So if anybody can answer my questions, I will be more than thankful.

Quickly some things about me: I have a EU passport from a country which allows me to stay infinitely in the UK. I moved to the UK in September 2010. During that time I have been a student here (1 year), unemployed (7 months) and working until now. I have never left the UK for more than 50 days since then.

1. Will I be eligible to apply for a British passport in September 2015?
2. How are they going to verify that I was living in the UK? Do I need to support any documents or do they have their own way to check that?


Thank you for your time,

Regards

[CR001]

student here (1 year)

Did you have comprehensive sickness insurance during this time?

unemployed (7 months)

Were you self sufficient or claiming JSA?

You need one year on PR (permanent residence) so 6 years in total, to be eligible to apply for naturalisation. Only once you have applied for naturalisation and attended the ceremony, can you apply for a British Passport.

The rules are slightly different if you are married to a British Citizen and the 12 months on PR is then not required.

[Kaba]

Hi CR001,

The university I was attending (UCL) told me that in case I got sick, I could visit the university college hospital, so no I haven't applied for a comprehensive sickness insurance by myself, but I don't know what the university did on my behalf.

I was not self sufficient, I was claiming benefits for 4 months.

Thank you for telling me about the naturalisation that I need to stay for 1 year, I thought it was one month.

So do you think based on what I just told you that I can apply for a passport this year?

Thanks

[CR001]

comprehensive sickness insurance by myself, but I don't know what the university did on my behalf.

This is the EU students responsibility, not the university.

So do you think based on what I just told you that I can apply for a passport this year?

No, I don't believe you can yet.

It is applying for naturalisation as a British Citizen not a passport application. Naturalisation application cost is £1025 per applicant and you need that before you can apply for a passport.

Have you done the Life in the UK test as this is needed for citizenship applications as well as English Level B1 test.

[Kaba]

Hi again ,

You say that you believe that I will not be able to apply for a naturalisation, why do you say that? Is it because of the insurance or because I was receiving benefits?

I am aware of the cost and the life test. I just wanted to take the test a couple of months before I am officially staying in the UK for 5 years.

I thought that I don't need to take any English test, as I finished a masters degree in London, which required a minimum IELTS score of 7.5.

Sorry for asking you so many questions.

Regards

[CR001]

masters degree in London

That is fine for the English requirement. You can do the LIUK test at anytime as it does not expire.

Is it because of the insurance

Yes

Please see page 15 and 16 of the guide. You need to provide proof of the sickness insurance to count as exercising treaty rights for that period.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... N_v1_0.pdf

Also see page 9 of the AN form, reference to 6 years residence in point 2.4 (5years + 12 months on PR)

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... N_v1_0.pdf

[Kaba]

Hi,

Hmmmmm that's weird, because I was reading that somebody needs to be a resident in the UK for 5 years. If you go to clause 1.17 in the second document you attached, 5 years of addresses are asked.

I know that you don't write the rules, but why would they ask for insurance during my studies? Sounds a bid weird as I think that a certificate stating that I was a full time student would be more than enough in my opinion. Don't you agree?

It's not so straight forward as I thought...

Regards

[CR001]

Naturalisation is based on the 5 years residence immediately preceding the date HO receives the application. The 5 year qualifying period needs to include the 12 months on PR (unless married to a British citizen)

If HO and the form ask for CSI, then whether I agree or not is a moot point!!

No, it is not as completely straightforward for EU citizens.

[Torex]

I moved to the UK in September 2010. During that time I have been a student here (1 year), unemployed (7 months) and working until now

For PR you need to stay 5 years in the UK. You cannot exercise your Treaty Rights as a student as you didn't have CSI when you were a student. So your qualifying period starts from the time you started working.

Based on what you said:

• Moved to UK in 09/2010
  Finished studies in 09/2011
  Were unemployed for 7 months - 03/2012
  You will gain PR status in 03/2017
  Holding PR status for 12 months will make you eligible for naturalisation (03/2018)

[Kaba]

Hi Torex,

I am thinking the whole day about it and to be honest I did have CSI for the period when I was a student and unemployed. The problem is to get that document retrospectively. Do you think that if I manage to get that document confirming that I did have an insurance during my student and unemployed, I will be able to apply for a British naturalization?

Regards

[Kaba]

Sorry I mean for PR initially and British passport after 12 months..

[badratio]

It's worth trying. It only costs £55 to apply for PR.

[Kaba]

Hi Badratio,

I think you are right. I didn't know it's only £55, but I will give it a try like you said and if I am lucky to get the PR first, after 12 months I am going to apply for the passport by paying the additional £10000 approximately.

Thanks a lot for your help guys,

Regards