Job offer outside UK whilst applying for BC

[sba2019]

All,

I have been in the UK for 8 years and received Settled Status (also known as ILR) under the Brexit Settlement Scheme in Jan 2019. I am eligible to apply for British Citizenship (BC) in Jan 2020 however recently received a job offer outside the UK which would affect my absence requirement of only taking 90 days off in the year leading upto applying for BC.

I understand that if I apply for Permanent Residence (PR), then I no longer have to wait for 12 months as I can evidence that I have been here for 8 years, and can apply for BC straight after receiving PR status. Is this true? In which case, if I am able to submit my BC application shortly after, will it be an issue if I leave the country to take up the job (which may for over 6 months but not permanent)?

Lastly, for the PR application, I am meant to provide my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to show comprehensive health insurance, and apparently also evidence when this was issued. Since this expired in 2015, and my local council does not store data from many years ago, will it impact my PR application if I cannot demonstrate this?

I would appreciate any advice that you have to offer. I really want to take the job offer but also want to ensure I am not impacting my British Citizenship application. Thank you so much!

[peter88]

Talk to whoever offered you the job and tell them your situation.

You can accept the job offer as long as they are willing to wait and you cannot start immigration process/visa until you have your British passport.

Regarding PR - yes. If you obtain this, you can apply for BC immediately as this document is backdated to whenever you acquired PR, not when it was given to you by HO.

One of the requirements is that you “intend to continue living in the UK”. Whether that’s a fair and reasonable requirement - is debatable. But if you apply and they somehow see that you started the immigration process to another country they might reject your application based on the grounds of you not intending to stay.

I was in the same situation and consulted a solicitor.

After you have you British passport, you can go wherever you want.

Hope this helps

[guru1s]

I had a similar issue applying for PR. I came to the UK as a student and I have never used my EHIC card, so I binned it.

I then went back home and asked for a letter to confirm that I have had this card previously. I have been advised that even if you do not have EHIC card, you are still insured by my Home country and they have provided me with the letter confirming this with the needed dates. I then have translated this letter and submitted with my application for PR and I have receive my PR with no issues.

Maybe it worth asking at your local Home council whether they can provide you with a letter?

[hermanthegerman]

sba2019 - why did you come to the UK in the first place? You only need evidence of health insurance if you were a student or a "self sufficient person". If you came here to work then you do not need one as you were eligible for NHS care.

You also need to bear in mind that you will have to attend your citizenship ceremony at your local council in person and all communication will be send to a UK address.

Once you have submitted your application it may not be possible to change your address etc.

[sba2019]

You cannot start immigration process/visa until you have your British passport.

Regarding PR - yes. If you obtain this, you can apply for BC immediately as this document is backdated to whenever you acquired PR, not when it was given to you by HO.

One of the requirements is that you “intend to continue living in the UK”. Whether that’s a fair and reasonable requirement - is debatable. But if you apply and they somehow see that you started the immigration process to another country they might reject your application based on the grounds of you not intending to stay.

I was in the same situation and consulted a solicitor.

After you have you British passport, you can go wherever you want.

Hope this helps

Hi peter88, thank you so much for your advice. What do you mean by I cannot start my immigration process/visa until I have the passport? Surely, I can still start the process with my current ILR? I assumed the process of applying for a Singaporean work visa is different to the process for applying for a passport. I don't think the new role can wait for another 6 months just for me and therefore I was hoping to submit my BC application and then submit an amendment to say that I may be out of the country for work on a temporary basis. Do you think that will work? And could you recommend the solicitor you spoke with, please?

Given I have the ILR, and will also apply for the PR, and they expire only if i have been out of the country for 5 years in a row, I also would like to clarify whether the BC will give me that much more benefit that I don't already currently have (besides the fact that it is permanent). Any advice you have to offer would be hugely helpful! Thank you!

[sba2019]

I had a similar issue applying for PR. I came to the UK as a student and I have never used my EHIC card, so I binned it.

I then went back home and asked for a letter to confirm that I have had this card previously. I have been advised that even if you do not have EHIC card, you are still insured by my Home country and they have provided me with the letter confirming this with the needed dates. I then have translated this letter and submitted with my application for PR and I have receive my PR with no issues.

Maybe it worth asking at your local Home council whether they can provide you with a letter?

Thanks for this guru1s. Which European country are you from, if you don't mind me asking? Sadly, I asked for this same confirmation letter from my local social security centre in my home country and, because it was from 2015, they need an explicit written request from the body that is asking for this information, only for it to then take 45 days to create and send across. I don't think the British Government will make this request and nor do I have that much time to wait. It is a fact that it lasts for 2 years therefore I am now thinking whether I even need to provide this confirmation of dates or to just leave it.

What did your letter say exactly? And how long did it take for you to get your PR?

[sba2019]

sba2019 - why did you come to the UK in the first place? You only need evidence of health insurance if you were a student or a "self sufficient person". If you came here to work then you do not need one as you were eligible for NHS care.

You also need to bear in mind that you will have to attend your citizenship ceremony at your local council in person and all communication will be send to a UK address.

Once you have submitted your application it may not be possible to change your address etc.

hermanthegerman - I came to study and now have been working. I need to show self-sufficiency for 5 years and have only been working for 4 hence need the EHIC to demonstrate 1 year of self-sufficiency whilst at uni as my work's private healthcare will support me for the rest. Understood. So much to think about! Any advice you have would be really helpful.