Post
by secret.simon » Sun Jan 22, 2023 7:57 pm
Though most people think of the immigration journey as being one journey, it in fact has two legs, kind of like when one has to change from a train to a bus or car at the station to get to the final destination.
Think of the immigration pathway as the train journey. It has many stops (renewals) and terminates at ILR. Like a train terminus, multiple routes of greatly varying lengths (from the relatively short Global Talent visa to the five years spouse/work visas to the 10 year Long Residence route) terminate at ILR.
Naturalisation is the bus journey, which starts at ILR. That is to say that there is no way to get onto this bus journey except after ILR.
It is a separate journey from the viewpoint of the transport provider, even though for you it is one journey. Hence, it has separate rules, separate procedures and separate requirements from ILR, just as a bus journey has different rules and conditions from a train journey.
It is possible to get off at ILR and not proceed to the bus or to face delays (from the standard one year delay to a possible 10 year block for failing the good character requirement, etc) in getting onto the bus/naturalisation journey.
Does that help you visualise the entire process?
To summarise, to naturalise as an adult, ILR is one of the minimum requirements and can't be bypassed.
I am not a lawyer or immigration advisor. My statements/comments do not constitute legal advice. E&OE. Please do not PM me for advice.