Citizenship: under 18 and Some Questions.

[mantoszczak]

Hey I'm Martin (or Marcin to be exact), I was born in Poland and my family migrated to the UK 9 years ago. I have reached all the requirements to gain british citizenship but due to mixed answers I received on sites like reddit, I want to settle things once and for all. My parents hope to apply me and my sister for citizenship, but not them themselves (they believe us having citizenship here will be beneficial to our futures, and I believe so too).

Firstly, I know that one of the documents I must send to their offices is my current polish passport. The only issue is, I have a school trip planned to France in February 2016 and I will need that passport. Will they keep my passport for the whole 6-ish months it takes for the citizenship process to complete or will they give it back after a couple of weeks once they've verified everything?

Secondly, someone told me that my parents need to do a life in the UK test, even 'though they aren't applying themselves, and the citizenship would be for 2 under 18s. I doubt this as I found nothing online about this and the .gov site doesn't seem to mention anything about it but just in case.

And finally, I'm the type of person who worries a lot and I'd love to hear about your experiences. Is there any chance I wouldn't get citizenship? I nor my sister have criminal records, we haven't even left the country for longer than 2 weeks in the past 9 years and we have both been full-time students, never had issues with school. My parents both work and haven't claimed job benefits for longer than a month, in total, in the past 9 years.

All answers are appreciated as this will be a big part of my life. Thanks!

[secret.simon]

To retain your passport, you may wish to apply through a NCS at any local council that offers the service. They photocopy it and certify the copies, so you can retain the passport while the application is under process. You can go to the NCS of any local council, not necessarily that of your council. It pays to shop around, as they charge different rates.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... ng-service

Your parents do not need to do Life in the UK test if they are not applying themselves.

As both your sister and you are under 18, I presume that you will be using Form MN1. Make sure you go through the form and the guidance notes.

Best of British luck to your sister and you for your applications. Keep us posted.

[vinny]

It may be easier if you have confirmation of PR and at least one of your parents is also applying for citizenship too.

See also Discretionary registration of children as British.

[mantoszczak]

I didn't even know NCS is a thing, thanks a lot that will make it a lot easier. I'll definitely ask, and thanks for the needed luck, hopefully we'll get citizenship by 2016. What's the rough amount you pay for NCS?

[mantoszczak]

It may be easier if you have confirmation of PR and at least one of your parents is also applying for citizenship too.

See also Discretionary registration of children as British.

Yeah I read that, I'd be applying under MN1 and it would cost too much, hell, £1400 is a lot of money on its own and my parents are old lowskill workers, hopefully it turns out okay.

[mantoszczak]

Hey. Me and my sister will be applying for British Citizenship soon, or my parents will rather on our behalf. I'm 15 years old and she's 13.

Are we supposed to use the MN1 form? Here's some information:

*Both of my parents are Polish Citizens, and neither are applying for British Citizenship themselves.
*We have lived here for 9 years
*Me and my sister have been in full time education
*My parents are and were in full time employment
*We haven't left the country for more than 2 weeks in the past 9 years
*No one in the family has a criminal record
*No one in the family has a history of refusing to pay taxes, or any other mandatory fee
*My parents regularly vote in local elections (they actually did so today)
*ILR in place due to us being EU EEA Citizens


What are the chances that we won't get citizenship?

Can the NCS make a copy of our current passport (I'll need for a France trip I've got planned with my Comp. Sci. class in February 2016) for definite? Does anyone have experiences with it? If impossible to use NCS how long would they keep my passport assuming I sent them a big clump of documents with the form and fee through the standard method? Would it take around 6 months for me to get my passport back?

How long did the process take for you?

All answers appreciated

-Martin

[CR001]

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 85854.html

[mantoszczak]

Did not realise that you did it mod. I thought I just accidently posted in the wrong area, didn't know it wasn't allowed. Sorry!

[noajthan]

Sounds a very straightforward case Marcin.

My daughter was registered in less than 4 months.
You can always track currrent timelines in the timelines thread (here in this forum).

NCS is around £50 or £60-- (each), well worth it in my experience
- the main thing is you get to hold onto your passport & ID card if applying via NCS.

It's good if someone will be at home (when you are away) in the remote case you receive a letter or query whilst you are abroad.

As long as all your documents are available and you follow the guidelines to the letter it should be fine.
Make sure the name each of you applies to be registered in matches your current passports.

It's not compulsory (or even mentioned as a requirement) but my wife wrote a kind of supporting letter/mini-CV about our daughter and added it into the additional information section.
The idea was to show the faceless HO official that the applicant was a genuine human and a worthwhile citizen, active in the community & with ambitions to stay on in this country.
Not sure it helped but it felt like it did.

Good luck

[mantoszczak]

I'll ask around, thanks.
Does anyone know if they keep your passport for 6ish months if you don't go for NCS?

[cs95tdg]

Does anyone know if they keep your passport for 6ish months if you don't go for NCS?

By default they would keep it until they make a decision on your application, unless you explicitly request it to be returned earlier.

[mantoszczak]

Thanks for all your replies! I'll update when I can on the situation.

[mantoszczak]

It is not possible to cover all circumstances under which the Home Secretary might
exercise discretion in circumstances not already described in this guide. However,
in considering any application not specifically covered above consideration will be
given to
The child’s connections with the UK – we would expect the child to be free
of any restrictions on his or her stay in the UK
Where the child’s future is likely to lie
The parents’ views
The parents’ nationality and immigration status – we expect either both parents
to be British citizens or one parent a British citizen and the other parent settled
in the UK.
Whether the child is of good character
The length of time the child has lived in the UK – we expect at least 2 years
residence (particularly if the child is over the age of 13)
Any compelling circumstances such as a job offer or other opportunity which
requires British citizenship.

I'm become weary of this section of the guide. "We expect either both parents to be British citizens or one parent a British citizen and the other parent settled in the UK".
I'm looking at the MN1 guide and the only issue is I don't seem to fit into any category here. Both of my parents are EEA nationals, but neither of them are British citizens. We are all settled (naturally so, as we are EEA nationals who have lived in the UK for 9 years and exercised rights to healthcare, education, employment(parents) and movement(holidays). Can anyone clarify this section for me?

[mantoszczak]

3.1 Please say which parent is the one who is a British citizen by descent and on whom this application is based.
Mother Q Father Q

This too.
EDIT: Worked out that Section 3 only applies to children whose parents are british citizens.

[mantoszczak]

The application must be endorsed by two referees and a recent passport size
photograph. You must write the child’s name and date of birth on the back of the
photograph and this should then be glued or pasted into the space provided on the
application form.
The photograph must show the whole of the front of the child’s face in reasonable
light. It should not show the face wholly or partly concealed by hair (beards, sideburns
and moustaches excepted) or by a scarf or traditional dress. It should not show the
child wearing dark glasses or a hat, hood, cap or scarf.
One referee should be a professional who has engaged with the child in a
professional capacity, such as a teacher, health visitor, social worker or minister of
religion. The other referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport
and either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Each referee should know the child personally and should be:
 not related to the child
 not related to the other referee
 not acting as a solicitor or agent in connection with this application
 not employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence
during the last 10 unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table
shown on page 23 of this Guide.

Can anyone help me with this section too? Who is my best person to contact about this? On a personal level, does anyone have experiences with this? I mean, did you get a teacher involved or/and a family friend over the age of 25 who has a british passport? I'm really feeling awkward about this part especially and I'd appreciate your experiences with this section.

[vinny]

I'm become weary of this section of the guide. "We expect either both parents to be British citizens or one parent a British citizen and the other parent settled in the UK".
I'm looking at the MN1 guide and the only issue is I don't seem to fit into any category here. Both of my parents are EEA nationals, but neither of them are British citizens. We are all settled (naturally so, as we are EEA nationals who have lived in the UK for 9 years and exercised rights to healthcare, education, employment(parents) and movement(holidays). Can anyone clarify this section for me?

easier

Do take the time to read what they expect from the applicants.

[mantoszczak]

But I can still apply for MN1 if no parent is a British Citizen right? I got the part that it's easier if I do but that's impossible in my position.

[mantoszczak]

UPDATE:
I need to know if what I have is a PR card. It's a blue 6 paged small document that states: UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND (Home Office Logo) UK RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION FOR A NATIONAL OF AN EEA STATE.

Inside there is a RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION watermarked sticker with my name, date of issue, passport photo etc. but a blank space for Document Renewal Date and Remarks. Type of Document: REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE. It looks the same as googling UK PR card, but just incase there's common misconceptions or anything I wanted to ask.

Thanks.

[mantoszczak]

UPDATE:
This includes an EHIC UK/EU card

[boloney]

UPDATE:
I need to know if what I have is a PR card. It's a blue 6 paged small document that states: UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND (Home Office Logo) UK RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION FOR A NATIONAL OF AN EEA STATE.

Inside there is a RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION watermarked sticker with my name, date of issue, passport photo etc. but a blank space for Document Renewal Date and Remarks. Type of Document: REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE. It looks the same as googling UK PR card, but just incase there's common misconceptions or anything I wanted to ask.

Thanks.

Pernament residency card looks exactly the same but in the place where on yours say 'registration certificate' on PR card says 'pernament resident' or something to that effect.

[gumfree7]

UPDATE:
I need to know if what I have is a PR card. It's a blue 6 paged small document that states: UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND (Home Office Logo) UK RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION FOR A NATIONAL OF AN EEA STATE.

Inside there is a RESIDENCE DOCUMENTATION watermarked sticker with my name, date of issue, passport photo etc. but a blank space for Document Renewal Date and Remarks. Type of Document: REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE. It looks the same as googling UK PR card, but just incase there's common misconceptions or anything I wanted to ask.

Thanks.

If you're an EEA national and your parents are EEA nationals why didn't you just apply for a Permanent Residence Card instead to prove that you're a permanent resident? I'm sure the EEA(QP) Form that you used and sent off is only for people who just arrived in the UK, as long as in those 9-years you've been a student and dependent on your working mother/father you automatically qualify for permanent residence after 5 years of continuous stay.

I was actually in the same boat as you (and still am to some effect). I asked my mother to apply for a document certifying permanent residence and to add me as her direct descendant because I am still dependent on her since I'm a student. I got the same Blue Card but mine says I'm a permanent resident.

I'll be applying for Naturalisation in a fortnight, I did call the Home Office several times and they did tell me since I was a student I'd need to have a EHIC card issued outside of the UK (I have one issued inside of the UK when I went to another country with my school years ago), instead I'll be adding my mothers Permanent Residence Card and her EEA ID/Passport and my Birth Certificate to show that I am related to her, and explain on page 23 that for the last six years I was dependent on her while going to school. I'm sure they'll accept it. On the other hand another Home Office adviser told me just to include the permanent residence card and supporting documents like letters from schools/colleges and if you're employed a letter from the employer, and that's it. It gets really confusing.

We'll see how it goes, I'll be using the National Checking Service and see if they will accept it.

[mantoszczak]

Is there a difference?

[noajthan]

The application must be endorsed by two referees and a recent passport size
photograph. You must write the child’s name and date of birth on the back of the
photograph and this should then be glued or pasted into the space provided on the
application form.
The photograph must show the whole of the front of the child’s face in reasonable
light. It should not show the face wholly or partly concealed by hair (beards, sideburns
and moustaches excepted) or by a scarf or traditional dress. It should not show the
child wearing dark glasses or a hat, hood, cap or scarf.
One referee should be a professional who has engaged with the child in a
professional capacity, such as a teacher, health visitor, social worker or minister of
religion. The other referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport
and either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Each referee should know the child personally and should be:
 not related to the child
 not related to the other referee
 not acting as a solicitor or agent in connection with this application
 not employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence
during the last 10 unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table
shown on page 23 of this Guide.

Can anyone help me with this section too? Who is my best person to contact about this? On a personal level, does anyone have experiences with this? I mean, did you get a teacher involved or/and a family friend over the age of 25 who has a british passport? I'm really feeling awkward about this part especially and I'd appreciate your experiences with this section.

It's quite straightforward.

My daughter asked her head teacher (actually head of year) as the professional referee as she had known her for several years;
that referee happened to not hold a passport although she was British - it was accepted by HO.

The second we asked was the mother (over 25, but I didn't really check) of a school friend;
she happened to be a naturalised Briton - this was fine.
(this referee was not a professional so had to have a current British passport & quote the number).

Alternately it could have been another teacher (professional).

Note it's no use asking a doctor as they generally won't provide such references any more.

Just ask nicely & most people seem happy to oblige.
Walk them through the form & explain what it's all for - not everyone has done this before.
Be prepared to show them your passport to let them crosscheck your details if they want to.

[gumfree7]

Is there a difference?

One certifies and confirms that you're already a permanent resident in the UK through exercising your treaty rights (so you've already been here 5+ years) and the other one only shows that you can stay in the UK as a qualified person (doesn't show that you've already been here for 5+ years), but as long as you are a worker, student, self-sufficient, or a family member of an EEA National and are dependent on that National you are already considered to be exercising those treaty rights, the blue card you have only confirms your right to exercise those treaty rights.

Personally I'd apply using EEA(PR) form (used to be the EEA4 Form) if you want to certify that you're already a permanent resident here. Do it as an additional descended of one of your parents, this will cost extra but will be a lot less confusing. If you apply alone you will still have to prove your link to an EEA National and verify that you were a dependent on that person, so you won't have to provide an EHIC issued outside of the UK. Plus you can't apply alone as you're still not an adult so you will have to use a parent.

I'm still dumbfounded as to whether you can just include the Permanent Residence card + letters from schools and colleges without any EHIC cards, or if you still need to include details of your parent that you were dependent on during your time as a student and provide proof you are related to them.
Everyone at HO seems to say different things.

[mantoszczak]

So what if I don't use or acquire a PR card? Any experiences here with that sort of thing?