Naturalisation checklist

[aix]

I will soon be applying for naturalisation, on the basis of 5 years' residence: work permit followed by HSMP, then ILR. My wife has been a dependant of mine throughout WP and HSMP.

Here is what I intend to take to Brent NCS:
1) 2 x applications
2) 2 x passports (these cover 5+ years and have ILR stickers in them)
3) 2 x Life in the UK test pass certificates
4) credit card to pay NCS and IND fees

Anything else?

Specifically, I understand I am not going to need any of the other usual suspects: marriage certificate, birth certificates, employers' letters, bills, payslips. Correct?

[ppron747]

I'm not sure why, given that applicants are generally required to produce their passport anyway, but the list of "Documents to be sent in Support of an Application" on page 28 of Guide AN (New) specifies that all applicants need to produce their birth certificate, driving licence or bank/building society or credit card statement as evidence of identity.

paul

[aix]

That's a good point. I've spoken to NCS earlier today (before seeing your message), and they also mentioned that we are required to bring our marriage certificate.

The problem is -- the certificate is in a foreign language, and getting it officially translated is going to involve time and expense.

On the IND Web site it is only mentioned that the marriage certificate is required if one is applying for citizenship on the basis of marriage (which we are not). I've mentioned this to the NCS person, and have been told that "since it's a joint application, you have to prove that you are married". My argument that both me and my wife are eligible to apply separately from each other (in which case presumably we won't have to prove that we are married) went unanswered.

I would hate to invest time and money only to find out later that it wasn't at all necessary.

Have we been given misinformation? What's your experience?

For reference, we are a couple (no kids) applying on the basis of 5 years' residence.

[dabar]

4) credit card to pay NCS and IND fees

As I understand, some NCS prefer cash as their fees, so it would be worth checking this with your NCS.

I would still advise to carry some cash just in case.

[John]

Aix, doesn't it come down to this :-

Fee Changes With Effect From 1st April 2005

-: do you want to pay two fees of £268 or just one fee of £336? Quite an easy calculation really! So you can see why they want proof that the couple are married.

The marriage certificate? In what language? Surely possible to get it done in the UK without too much delay?

[PB]

We were asked to bring our Marriage Cert. as it was a joint application and a copy of it was sent to the home office

PB

[ppron747]

I agree with John's pragmatic view, although it does seem to me that a leaflet purporting to give guidance on what you need to produce in support of an application should be at least comprehensive enough to cover the not unreasonable question of whether married people need to produce a marriage certificate!

Mind you, it's also the case that the guidance leaflet offers the option of producing a birth certificate as evidence of identity, when the Home Office's own instructions make it clear that that is exactly what a birth certificate isn't, so maybe I'm expecting too much....

The only other point that occurs to me is whether you might have any official papers that demonstrate that the Home Office has already accepted that "Mrs Aix" is your wife. If you have anything like that, you could see if NCS will accept that instead.

Otherwise, it's the letter T in Yellow Pages, I'm afraid.

Let us know what happens

paul

[aix]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I don't really mind it so much as long as it's a HO requirement, and not arbitrarily imposed by the NCS. In either case it could be better documented.

I am not going to labour the point further, and will just get the cerficiate translated. I suppose 50 quid and two half-days off work (to drop it off & pick up) aren't that big a deal.

[aix]

On a related note, when applying through NCS, did anyone have to produce any of the documents listed on page 28 of Guide AN (New): birth certificate, driving licence or bank/building society or credit card statement.

These are meant as evidence of identity, but sound somewhat redundant considering one has to submit their passport.

I am going to take some of them along just in case, but am curious if anyone actually needed them.

[John]

Aix, and sorry if this is a bit blunt ... you seem to be hunting for reasons to produce as little supporting evidence as possible. I really don't think that is the correct attitude. If anything you should be thinking of taking more evidence than you probably need to the NCS office. After all you don't want a wasted journey do you.

So as you correctly refer to, page 28 of the guide says :-

ALL APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALISATION AS A BRITISH CITIZEN
Evidence of identity

• Applicant’s birth certificate OR
• Applicant’ driving licence OR
• Bank, building society or credit card statement issued to the applicant in the last 6 months

Surely every applicant for naturalisation is easily able to satisfy that requirement. If IND want that evidence, as well as the passport, simply supply what they ask for, rather than querying why they are asking for that evidence.

As regards the needed translation of the marriage certificate, you still do not say what language the certificate is in. OK, that is your right but you are possibly missing out on a reader of this Board commenting, maybe in a PM, how to solve your problem.

[aix]

Surely every applicant for naturalisation is easily able to satisfy that requirement. If IND want that evidence, as well as the passport, simply supply what they ask for, rather than querying why they are asking for that evidence.

With respect, if you read my previous message, this is precisely what I am intending to do. As to asking questions, I see absolutely nothing wrong with being curious about why things work the way they do.