Naturalisation - Documents Required

[John]

£645? I think that should be £655 .... application fee of £575 plus a compulsory £80 for the citizenship ceremony. And yes, the fee does keep going up, so if you intend to apply some time, best to apply as soon as possible. Indeed, why delay until June?

Documents to be submitted. I think that is clear from the form and the guide. I think you need to add marriage certificate, to prove you are indeed married to a British Citizen. But do check the form and guide.

NCS? Yes, highly recommended. Yes it costs a few extra pounds but it is well worth it. Although UKBA deny it, it seems that applications submitted via NCS do get dealt with quicker than applications submitted by post. And also, documents like passports you take along get photocopied and handed straight back to you.

[babyflo]

£645? I think that should be £655 .... application fee of £575 plus a compulsory £80 for the citizenship ceremony. And yes, the fee does keep going up, so if you intend to apply some time, best to apply as soon as possible. Indeed, why delay until June?

Documents to be submitted. I think that is clear from the form and the guide. I think you need to add marriage certificate, to prove you are indeed married to a British Citizen. But do check the form and guide.

NCS? Yes, highly recommended. Yes it costs a few extra pounds but it is well worth it. Although UKBA deny it, it seems that applications submitted via NCS do get dealt with quicker than applications submitted by post. And also, documents like passports you take along get photocopied and handed straight back to you.

sorry it should be £655 you're right john. I wish I could apply ASAP. If NCS is better I might consider it. I'll post here my experience and if my appilication is successful. Thanks for your time and kindness to help me. More power to you.

[Tyro]

Hi there,
Just quick one for you gurus.
will student visa be calculated.

I came to UK in sept 2004 and had student Visa until Nov2006.
Since Nov 2006 till now I am on HSMP.
Next year Sept I will complete my five years in uk.
does this mean I can qualify for naturalization.

please advise

many thanks

[vinny]

No, unfortunately, you will not be eligible for naturalization yet. You have to obtain settlement, etc., first.

[sams]

to satisfy time outside UK requirements and also filling in ILR form with exact dates of absences outside UK, if you have lost old passport or don't remember the exact dates etc then you have option of getting subject data access request to BIA see link for procedures http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/siteco ... iew=Binary this data can then be used as proof of time outside UK. Hope this helps people not remembering exact dates outside UK. Think this costs 10£ although don't know if this has been hiked now.

NCS rejected to send my naturalisation application,
I took
My new passport (issued in Aug 2006, ILR stamped in April 2007) and
Photocopy of my old lost passport (first entry clearance visa stamped in April 2002)

Even I tried to explain the lady (NCS) that I took the same photocopy of the old lost passport when I applied for ILR and the original ILR stamp on my passport means that I satisfy resident requirements of 5 years,, but no luck and she told me that I have to bring either employers letter or wage slips or P60s from May 2003 – Aug 2006. The problem is that I can’t get any of these from May 2003 – Dec 2003.

I would greatly appreciate if you can please suggest:
a) Can I use Work Permits as supporting document?
b) Get Subject Data Access Request (although the NCS lady didn’t even suggest) from UKBA and use this as supporting document?

Thanks

[whirly]

sams: sorry to hear your ap was rejected.

babyflo: why not apply asap?

For what it's worth, I used the NCS in Merton yesterday and had a nice chat with the lady who dealt with my application. She told me that NCS aps are generally processed faster than postal aps, mainly because the NCS tends to catch problems that would otherwise cause an ap to be rejected. She also said that spousal aps tend to be processed faster because they only consider 3 years' worth of information vs. 5 years.

I was also told to add approx 8 weeks to the current waiting times. The official excuse is that they are training more staff to handle applications, so they are telling people who apply now not to expect any news until around July at the earliest. Even more reason not to send your precious passport off in the post!

I guess the surprising thing is that the HO has been surprised by the number of applications they are currently receiving. With the possibility of more fee increases and new rules coming, it makes sense that there has been a rush this year!

[John]

The rejected copy passport, was it every page in the passport, or just those with stamps? If the latter, you can see the problem, merely selected pages do not prove that you were in the UK exactly 5 years before UKBA will receive the Naturalisation application.

And I think, neither would Work Permit documents. After all, for all we know, you had a week's holiday and were gathering up the sun in the south of France exactly 5 years ago.

So I think a SAR is the way to go, because that should include details of all landing cards on you re-entering the UK since you first started to come to the UK.

[paulp]

So I think a SAR is the way to go, because that should include details of all landing cards on you re-entering the UK since you first started to come to the UK.

Hi John,

Unfortunately, the HO only archives landing cards where leave to remain was granted at the immigration desk.

I think his best bet is still to get a third-party who can very his presence in the country during the required time period.

[sams]

Thanks John

The rejected copy passport, was it every page in the passport, or just those with stamps? If the latter, you can see the problem, merely selected pages do not prove that you were in the UK exactly 5 years before UKBA will receive the Naturalisation application.

And I think, neither would Work Permit documents. After all, for all we know, you had a week's holiday and were gathering up the sun in the south of France exactly 5 years ago.

The copy of my old passport has all the information regarding Visa/Stamp I first arrived in the UK and the stamps regarding all other dates, I left Uk and arrived back in the UK. She didn't accept the application only because it is a photocopy and not the original. Interstingly, when I applied for ILR last year in IND, the officer didn't create any problem regarding the photocopy of the lost passport and accepted it.

So I think a SAR is the way to go, because that should include details of all landing cards on you re-entering the UK since you first started to come to the UK.

I tried to search regarding SAR, but I could get much information. I would be greateful if you can please provide some detailed information regarding this.
Thanks.

[sams]

Below is Section 2 of Home Office Document regarding ‘Residence Requirements’
(Chapter 18 ANNEX B - RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS)

2. Checking the residence requirements

2.1 We should assess whether the applicant has met the residence requirements from checking the following:
• Original passport(s) or travel document(s) which have been endorsed to show arrival in and departure from the United Kingdom; or
• Home Office records; or
• Failing these, any other evidence (e.g. employer’s letters, a Seaman's Record Book, tax and National Insurance letters)
NB. Passports will not necessarily be stamped to show embarkation from the United Kingdom. In these and other circumstances (e.g. involving lost or stolen passports), applicants should be given the benefit of any doubt where claimed absences cannot be otherwise verified but are within the limits we would normally allow and there are no grounds to doubt the accuracy of the claim. Doctors' letters, on their own, are not normally acceptable proof of residence. However, if nothing else is available and the doctors can confirm that they have seen the applicant on a regular basis during the period concerned these may be accepted. A Seaman's Record Book may be accepted as evidence that there have been no excess absences, but it is not conclusive proof that there have been excess absences, since it only contains dates of the seaman's joining and discharge from a ship rather than dates of the ship's sailing from and arrival in United Kingdom ports. Letters from shipping companies, listing sailing and arrival dates, may need to be requested in suspected excess absence cases involving seamen. If there are gaps in a person’s evidence of residence and it is clear from the information available that they could not have travelled, we may proceed. Examples of this might include a refugee who has no means of travel or where immigration records confirm continuous residence.


Does this means that I can show SAR as the residence requirements supporting document?
..

[republique]

to satisfy time outside UK requirements and also filling in ILR form with exact dates of absences outside UK, if you have lost old passport or don't remember the exact dates etc then you have option of getting subject data access request to BIA see link for procedures http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/siteco ... iew=Binary this data can then be used as proof of time outside UK. Hope this helps people not remembering exact dates outside UK. Think this costs 10£ although don't know if this has been hiked now.

NCS rejected to send my naturalisation application,
I took
My new passport (issued in Aug 2006, ILR stamped in April 2007) and
Photocopy of my old lost passport (first entry clearance visa stamped in April 2002)

Even I tried to explain the lady (NCS) that I took the same photocopy of the old lost passport when I applied for ILR and the original ILR stamp on my passport means that I satisfy resident requirements of 5 years,, but no luck and she told me that I have to bring either employers letter or wage slips or P60s from May 2003 – Aug 2006. The problem is that I can’t get any of these from May 2003 – Dec 2003.

I would greatly appreciate if you can please suggest:
a) Can I use Work Permits as supporting document?
b) Get Subject Data Access Request (although the NCS lady didn’t even suggest) from UKBA and use this as supporting document?

Thanks

That was correct. NCS isn't supposed to take a copy of a copy.
It doesnt matter that took a copy for ILR.
SAR records from the HO would help your case
What did you do since this is an old post.