Naturalisation or Registration?

[tbbcuk]

Dear member
My wife just got her ILR via Set(M) 5 years route.
She hold British National (Overseas) passport.
She can either:
Apply now via Naturalisation AN or
Wait 1 year via Registration (BOTA), which is about 100 pounds cheaper.

I would like to know apart from price different, any main advantage to wait 1 year to register than naturalise now?

[secret.simon]

Both Section 4 registration and naturalisation will make your wife a British citizen otherwise than by descent from the date of the relevant certificate (and the citizenship ceremony).

Provided the conditions are met, Section 4 registration is an entitlement (i.e. can't be refused), while all naturalisation is at discretion.

Section 4 registration generally does not require either LITUK or knowledge of English tests.

However, as your wife will have likely taken those tests for her ILR anyway, she may as well as naturalise.

[hamalt66]

She hold British National (Overseas) passport.

I am confused, how can she have a British passport without being a British citizen?

[Casa]

She hold British National (Overseas) passport.

I am confused, how can she have a British passport without being a British citizen?

Rights as a British national (overseas)
You can:
hold a British passport
get consular assistance and protection from UK diplomatic posts
However, you:
are subject to immigration controls and do not have the automatic right to live or work in the UK
are not considered a UK national by the European Union (EU)


https://www.gov.uk/types-of-british-nat ... l-overseas

[secret.simon]

I am confused, how can she have a British passport without being a British citizen?

For historic reasons, there are many types of British nationality, all of which are entitled to having a British passport.

However, only British citizens (one of the types of British nationality) have the Right of Abode in the UK i.e. the unquestioned right to reside and work in the UK. Most other forms of British nationality are subject to immigration control. Also, for EU purposes, only British citizens are recognised as EU citizens.

Also see: Classes of British nationality

[tbbcuk]

Both Section 4 registration and naturalisation will make your wife a British citizen otherwise than by descent from the date of the relevant certificate (and the citizenship ceremony).

Provided the conditions are met, Section 4 registration is an entitlement (i.e. can't be refused), while all naturalisation is at discretion.

Section 4 registration generally does not require either LITUK or knowledge of English tests.

However, as your wife will have likely taken those tests for her ILR anyway, she may as well as naturalise.

Thank you so much for the answer, you made it very clear.
My wife will choose to neutralise via AN now rather than waiting a year for registration.