United Kingdom - Apply for Naturalisation as a British Citizen

Procedure

1. Before you apply for naturalisation, make sure that you are eligible for the said procedure. There won't be a refund for denied applications.
2. Before you proceed with the application process, you should read the guidance documents, Booklet AN and Guide AN. These will provide you full details of the requirements that you must meet, and how to complete the application form. You will need to confirm on the application form that you have read and understood both documents.
3. Download and complete the AN Form.
4. Check out ways on how you can proceed with you application and where to send you application
5. Processing of your application
6. Once your application is approved you will received an invite for the Citizenship ceremonies or you will be asked to proclaim an Oath of allegiance where you will receive your registration certificate. You will not need to attend a citizenship ceremony to take the oath.

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Required Documents

See Checklist of Required Documents

Evidence of your identity (any of the following)

• Passport
• Nationality identity card
• Home Office travel document
• Home Office entitlement card
• Home Office application registration card
• Immigration status document
• Residence permit

Evidence of knowledge of English and of life in the UK

• Certificate of progression from one English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) level to another, with a letter from the college confirming that you completed an ESOL with citizenship course; or
• Letter confirming that you have passed the 'Life in the UK' test, stamped and signed by the test supervisor; or
• Confirmation that you met this requirement in order to obtain settlement.

For applicants from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you should contact the Lieutenant Governor for details of the evidence required.

For applicants from any other country, you should contact your nearest British diplomatic post for details of the evidence required.

You must provide evidence from your doctor of your current condition keeping you from fulfilling this requirement.

Evidence of lawful residence

• Passport

If you are unable to present your passport, you must explain why on page 13 of the application form. If you do not provide your passport, you should provide letters from employers, educational establishments or other government departments indicating your presence in the UK during the qualifying period.

If your passport is not stamped when you enter the UK (because you have the right of abode in the UK, or you are a national of Taiwan or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus), you should send your passport and alternative evidence of residence. This evidence could take the form of letters from employers, educational establishments or other government departments to show your presence in the UK during the qualifying period.

Proof that you are free from immigration time restrictions

• your passport showing permission to remain in the UK permanently
• Home Office letter giving you permission to remain in the UK permanently

For applicants seeking asylum in the UK, you should provide evidence that you were not in the UK without permission between exhausting your appeal rights and being granted indefinite leave to remain.

If you came in the UK before 1971 and were not put under immigration time restrictions, you should provide evidence that you were freely landed as a Commonwealth citizen before 1971 or because you arrived as a child on your parent's passport.

For European Economic Area and Swiss nationals

• Evidence of your nationality (any of the following):
  • passport
  • nationality identity card

• Evidence of exercising treaty rights for 5 years (any of the following):
  • P60 tax certificates
  • employer's letter confirming employment
  • benefits letter confirming job seekers' allowance claimed
  • benefits letter confirming incapacity benefit claimed
  • documentary evidence confirming pension received
  • copy of your workers registration scheme certificate (if you are registered)

Notes:

• For self-employed or a businessperson, you should provide evidence from HM Revenue & Customs confirming that you have paid tax over the relevant period.
• For students, you should present a letter from the educational establishment confirming that you were enrolled on a course of study throughout the qualifying period. You must also be able to present evidence that you have comprehensive sickness insurance cover for you and your accompanying family members.
• For self-sufficient individuals, you must present bank statements covering the qualifying period to show evidence of funds and evidence that you have comprehensive sickness insurance cover for you and your accompanying family members.
• For retired applicants, you should provide evidence that you are receiving a state pension.
• For those unable to work due to ill health, you should provide a doctor's letter or medical report confirming that you have been unable to work. The letter or report should state whether you are likely to be able to return to work.

Requirements for applications on the basis of marriage or civil partnership to a British citizen

• your partner's passport or birth certificate; and
• your marriage or civil partnership certificate.

Requirements for applications on the basis of Crown service or of marriage to a British citizen in Crown or designated service

• date and place of recruitment; and
• the position held; and
• the extent to which it would be in the employer's interest for the application to be granted.

Requirements for self-employed individuals

• If you do not pay tax through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) arrangements, you should provide the most recent HM Revenue & Customs self-assessment statement of account.

For Referees

• Your application must be endorsed by two referees.
• To held you with the requirements read the following documents:
  • Nationality guide
  • [http://www.u

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Office Locations & Contacts

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Eligibility

Seven standard requirements you need to meet before you apply for naturalisation:

• You must be aged 18 or over.
• You must be of sound mind.
• You must intend to continue living in the UK, or to continue in Crown service, the service of an international organisation of which the UK is a member, or the service of a company or association established in the UK.
• You must be able to communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree.
• You must have sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
• You must be of good character.
• You must meet the residential requirements:
  • been resident in the UK for at least five years (this is known as the residential qualifying period)
  • been present in the UK for five years before the date of your application
  • not spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period
  • not spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months of the five-year period
  • not been in breach of the Immigration Rules at any stage during the five-year period

Requirements for naturalisation if you are married to or the civil partner of a British citizen:

• You are aged 18 or over
• You are of sound mind
• You can communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree
• You must have sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
• You are of good character
• You are the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen
• Your husband, wife or civil partner is in Crown or designated service outside the United Kingdom.
• You meet the residential requirements:
  • have been resident in the United Kingdom for at least three years (this is known as the residential qualifying period)
  • have been present in the United Kingdom three years before the date of your application
  • have not spent more than 270 days outside the United Kingdom during the three-year period
  • have not spent more than 90 days outside the United Kingdom in the last 12 months of the three-year period
  • have not been in breach of the immigration rules at any stage during the three-year period.

Note:

• For children of British Nationals under the age of 18, have the child registered.

Fees

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Validity

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e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites. 	
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

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Instructions

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e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

Required Information

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e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

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Need for the Document

Citizenship represents the link between a person and a state or an association of states. Possession of citizenship is normally associated with the right to work and live in a country and to participate in political life.

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

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Others

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