Criteria

To apply for citizenship, the following are necessary:

  • You need to be of legal age, ie over 18 years of age.
  • You can't have a serious criminal record, or been involved in any negative business with the Home Office or the Immigration Bureau in recent times.
  • You have to be planning on staying and living in the UK after you get your UK visa.
  • You will need to pass a couple of tests – they are entitled 'The knowledge of English' and 'Life in the UK' exams. They are not overly difficult, but some prior work will be necessary.
  • You have to have been living in the UK for at least 5 years before the time of your application.
  • You cannot have spent over 450 days outside of the country during that time.
  • You cannot have spent more than 90 days outside of Britain over the past year.
  • If you are from outside the European Economic Area, you should have had 'indefinite leave to remain' status for at least the last 12 months.
  • While in the country, it is important that you have not broken any immigration laws.

There are a few different rules if your partner is from the country and you are hoping to gain a spouse visa and in some cases, registration as a UK citizen is suitable. 

There you have it, a quick guide on what's necessary for you to pursue your goal in becoming a UK citizen. Most of the criteria is probably what you would expect, but the tests do catch some people off guard. Also, handling all the paperwork can be very time-consuming, especially so if you are not familiar with the system. In a worst-case scenario, your application for UK citizenship will be declined because of a simple yet costly oversight or error. 

For this reason, it is highly recommended that you seek the guidance and expertise of the professionals. At Immigration.uk, our experts will provide you with all the information you need, ensuring that you meet all the fundamental requirements at every stage of your visa application. Where you have doubts or concerns, we will make sure that you have answers to your questions, and because we have so much experience of making visa applications, you can be sure that your documentation will include all the information that is required in order for your UK visa application to be a success. Contact us today and receive a consultation from the visa experts.

Disclaimer: Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as, advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any action based upon this information. Please do not disregard professional advice or delay in seeking advice because of something you have read on this website. Astons professionals will be pleased to discuss any specific questions you have.