NATURALIZATION
As a general principle, Naturalization relates to the legal procedure resulting in a non-citizen
becoming a citizen of another country. In the same vein, UK naturalization is the legal procedure
resulting to a non-British person who have lived in the UK for a pre determined period of time gets to
be British.
It is essential to be aware that that there are different ways to becoming a British person; and
naturalization is one of them and it is the most common. Asides from making a case for your British
citizenship through your lineage, you will in all probability be needing to apply for a naturalisation.
Where you have been granted an Indefinite Leave to Remain, or have resided in the United Kingdom
as a European Economic Area National for the required timeframe, the last step in setting up your
life in the UK is securing your British passport; in this case your UK naturalisation. For this, you will be
given a document that you can use can then use to apply for your British passport.
An applicant may be qualified for UK Naturalization if: 1. The applicant has been living in the United Kingdom at least 5 years before he makes the
application for Naturalisation; and
2. The applicant already has an Indefinite Leave to remain (also known as an ILR) for at least
one year.
3. The applicant is legally married to/the civil partner of a British person for a period not
exceeding 3 years.
Irrespective of the length of the applicants stay in the UK lawfully and continuously, the applicant
will need to have acquired an Indefinite Leave to remain or Permanent residence status in the United
Kingdom before they can be considered for Naturalisation.
The usual procedure is that after the applicant has been granted an Indefinite Leave to Remain, they
must then be able to demonstrate to the United Kingdom Visa and Immigration that such an
applicant has: 1. Been lawfully residing in the UK for the last five and/or ten years.
2. Has had an Indefinite Leave to remain or permanent residence for the last 1 year.
3. The total number of absences by the applicant is do not exceed four hundred and fifty days
in the last 5 years prior to the application for UK Naturalization.
4. The applicant must also be able to show that he has been of a good character while in the
UK. This may be easily evidenced by the applicant not have a tangible criminal conviction
during the applicants stay in the UK.
5. The applicant must have taken and passed the Life in the UK test.
6. The applicant must also be able to meet the English language requirement. The English
language requirement may also be met by have completed a degree in the UK or coming
from a country whose first and official language is the English. The English Language
requirement entails that the applicant must have scored at a B1, B2, C1 or C2 from a
recognized English Test from an approved Test centre (visit www.reissedwards.com for more
information on meeting the English language requirement).
