What are the requirements to apply for BC?

Cosmos · Post by **Cosmos** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:29 pm

Hi everyone!

I've just received ILR last week and wanted to confirm timelines to apply for British Passport.
I've heard that applications can be made after a year of getting ILR, is that right?

Why says on the guidance for Citizenship that you could apply after 5 years of lawful stay in the UK? Can I then apply straight away?

Thanks a lot for your help

Post by **geriatrix** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:57 pm

Unless married to or civil partner of a British citizen, you must be free from immigration time restrictions for at least 12 months (in other words, settled status for 12 months) before you can apply for naturalisation.

Standard requirements

Post by **Jambo** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:58 pm

Are you married to a British citizen? If not, you will need to wait 1 year after ILR.

There are several requirements to meet in order to be eligible to apply for British Citizenship. One of them is 5 years residence (if not married to BC). Another one is 1 year after ILR. You will need to meet all requirements in order to apply.

See full list here.

Cosmos · Post by **Cosmos** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:59 pm

sushdmehta wrote:Unless married to or civil partner of a British citizen, you must be free from immigration time restrictions for at least 12 months (in other words, settled status for 12 months) before you can apply for naturalisation.

Standard requirements

Thanks a lot Sushdmehta,

In this case will be exactly 12 calendar months from the date ILR was granted, isn't it?

boloney · Post by **boloney** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:58 pm

Cosmos wrote:
Thanks a lot Sushdmehta,

In this case will be exactly 12 calendar months from the date ILR was granted, isn't it?

Yes

rgutis13 · Post by **rgutis13** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:05 pm

According to the Residential requirements:

"not spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period"

Can you advise please if the departure and arrival dates count or not? Many of my trips were for business, so would I need to present a letter from the company listing all my travels (same as I what I did for my application ILR)? If yes, would you happen to have a template of such letter that you could share with me.

Many thanks for your help!!!

Post by **Jambo** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:25 am

rgutis13 wrote:According to the Residential requirements:

"not spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period"

Can you advise please if the departure and arrival dates count or not? Many of my trips were for business, so would I need to present a letter from the company listing all my travels (same as I what I did for my application ILR)? If yes, would you happen to have a template of such letter that you could share with me.

Many thanks for your help!!!

You don't count the day of departure and the day of arrival. Just full days outside the UK.
Unlike ILR, for naturalisation the rules are different - it doesn't matter if the absences were for holiday or business - they all count.

Cosmos · Post by **Cosmos** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:34 am

rgutis13 wrote:would you happen to have a template of such letter that you could share with me.

Many thanks for your help!!!

All the templates are on the sticky section of ILR on this forum.

I hope you find it

Post by **geriatrix** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:32 am

rgutis13 wrote:would you happen to have a template of such letter that you could share with me.

You don't need any such letter(s) for naturalisation application. All absences from UK are counted.

Cosmos · Post by **Cosmos** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 1:21 pm

sushdmehta wrote: All absences from UK are counted.

Do you mean counted from the ILR application?

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What are the requirements to apply for BC?

What are the requirements to apply for BC?