You may be eligible for naturalisation if :
1. You have lived in the UK legally for at least five years and you have not spent too much time outside the UK during that five year period, and
2. You have indefinite permission to remain in the UK and you have had that permission for at least a year, and
3. You have no criminal convictions, and
4. You have passed the "Life in the UK” test
To apply for Naturalisation, you have to use a special application form, and you will need two suitable referees to support your application.
If your application for Naturalisation is successful you will be invited to attend a ceremony, at which you will be handed your Certificate of Naturalisation. You can then use this certificate to apply for a British Passport.
If you are married to a British National you can speed up the process of applying for Naturalisation. You need to have lived in the UK for three years rather than five and although you must have secured indefinite permission to remain here, you do not have to have held that permission for a whole year.
Applying for Naturalisation is expensive and if your application is refused you will only be refunded a small proportion of the fee so it is worth getting it right!
That is the situation in relation to adults who wish to become British nationals. The position is different when it comes to children.
Children under 18 may be able to become British nationals by applying for what is called REGISTRATION
The rules on this can be complicated, depending on where a child was born, the status of the child's parents and so on.
As we say, we are always there for people and families who are in our PURPLE LEGAL scheme. We invite you to join PURPLE LEGAL now. By joining PURPLE LEGAL, you can have all your legal enquiries answered free of charge by simply booking a SolicitorSlot for a time and date that suits you. Alternatively if you wish to speak to us now, please click on "Please Contact Me Now” or call us on 0845 567 5000. We look forward to always being there for you.
We can not only listen to you and talk through your enquiry with you - we can also give you chapter and verse on whether you or your children are eligible to become British Nationals, and if you are we can advise you on the best way to go about things. We can also ensure that your applications are prepared so that they stand the best possible chances of success.
