Applying for UK citizenship is the most important step that an immigrant can take to make their residence permanent. For the people who have built their lives in the UK, getting citizenship earmarks their years of hard work and planning. Once citizenship is granted, the person is eligible to live, work, travel with a UK passport and utilise the public funds and facilities such as free medical care just as an average UK citizen. Therefore, the application submitted should be up to the mark because if it is denied, it will be a massive loss to their investments that were made for years to procure it.
British Naturalization is the application undertaken by foreign residents in the UK to get full citizenship. All the applications are considered case by case by the government. Even though citizenship requirements are mentioned clearly, no applicant can claim to have a right on citizenship by virtue if s/he meets them. The government takes the decision on a discretionary basis.
Once granted, the ILR status gives a person permission to stay in the UK for as long as they please with no time limitations. The person is free to live, work, access facilities and build a life in the UK. The person can also qualify and sponsor the immigration of family members from overseas to the UK. The children born to a person with an ILR status are considered as British citizens. If the ILR status is given after the child is born, then a registration application can be sent. But this ILR status can be revoked as opposed to British citizenship which is revoked only under certain serious circumstances. Thus, the person in question can be deported. Usually, if the person stays outside of the UK for 2 years or more at a stretch, the ILR status is revoked and to return, the person is required to make an application for a visa.
In case the person wishes to make an application for British citizenship once they are granted the ILR status, s/he is supposed to wait for 12 months from the date of grant of the ILR status to make it. The person is eligible to make the application only when s/he has spent a minimum of five years in the UK. If the person in question is married to a British citizen and has lived in the UK for at least three years, s/he can make an application as soon as s/he has been granted the ILR status. It is the only way a person can receive UK citizenship by marriage.
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Thereafter, the person is supposed to wait for the much-awaited decision, usually taken in 6 months. If the decision made is in favour, the person will receive an Approval Letter followed by a Citizenship Invitation Letter.
The person is required to arrange for a citizenship ceremony as soon as possible at his/ her local registry. At the ceremony, the person takes the oath of allegiance to the UK and a promise to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK. The citizenship is finalised only after the ceremony has taken place and the citizenship by naturalisation certificate is received. The person is then eligible to apply for a UK passport.
Osborne Pinner has an Expert Team of Immigration Solicitors who are highly qualified, professional and dedicated to provide best advice to people regarding citizenship. Osbourne Pinner knows that the UK citizenship law can be challenging as it is a bit complicated. The team spends quality time with the clients to make sure that they understand each and every step of the process. The expertise of the team comes in handy for our client to get a successful UK citizenship application.
