Qualification period - 3 or 5 years for married people

[viki12345]

Hi guys, I am very confused about the rules for the qualifying period for married people. I was hoping that someone knoleadgeable would clarify....

Do married people have to live in the UK for 5 years or 3 years before they can apply for UK citizenship?

My husband is a UK citizen and I am an EU citizen - don't require a visa to live in the UK.

We moved here in mid 2012, so I already have lived here 3 years but one of the requirements in the application states that I need to fulfill residency requirements. The residency requirement is always 5 years, as far as I understand. Therefore, my understanding is that the 3 years is a special rule if your spouse serves in a crown service etc.

Can someone please clarify? I am very confused.....

[CR001]

You need PR before you can apply for British Citizenship and hold PR status for 12 months before you can apply for British Citizenship. The waiver is that if you are married to a British Citizen, you do not have to wait this 12 months on PR and can apply as soon as you get confirmation of your PR status from HO.

To obtain PR, you as the EU national has to live in the UK and exercise treaty rights for 5 years. There is no shorter route in any of the immigration routes, it is 5 years residence before PR/ILR.

The 3 years is not only for 'crown service' but if married to any British citizen.

[sunil0300]

Bit confused now CR0001,,, My wife came in UK on 19th Jan 2012 got ILR in 2014 so total number of years she spent in UK is 4 years tomorrow, cant she apply for naturalisation as a spouse of a British Citizen under 3 year rule and NOT 5 year ??

[CR001]

Bit confused now CR0001,,, My wife came in UK on 19th Jan 2012 got ILR in 2014 so total number of years she spent in UK is 4 years tomorrow, cant she apply for naturalisation as a spouse of a British Citizen under 3 year rule and NOT 5 year ??

Your post has no relevance to this thread as the poster is an EU national and requires 5 years residence for PR. It is rude to tag onto other members posts and creates confusion.

Your wife could have applied for BC a year ago once she had 3 years residence and holds ILR. Your wife came under the UK immigration rules in place before 9 July 2012 NOT the EU/EEA rules.

[sunil0300]

ok Got it,, Thanks for the reply and did not meant to be rude by taking over someone else post. Apologies and happy to delete my post if you want ?

[viki12345]

Thank you for clarfying!

5 years for EU people who are married to British citizens!