If you’ve lived in the UK for five years and hold Indefinite Leave to Remain, you may be able to apply for British citizenship. This will allow you to stay in the UK permanently with the same rights as UK citizens. Our immigration solicitors can help you and your family with your application to make sure you meet the requirements for citizenship.

When you come to applying for your citizenship, we understand that this can be the last step over a long period of time. We’ll work closely with you from the beginning to end to make sure your application has the best chance of success. If you’re still a few years away from applying for citizenship, we can also advise on how you can prepare for your application in future.

We have particular expertise in helping people with applications that may be complicated. Sometimes the Home Office can use their discretion in cases where you don’t meet the strict requirements. This can happen if you’ve spent too much time outside the UK, in these situations we can advise on what your options are. If the Home Office has unfairly rejected your application, we can challenge their decision by requesting they reconsider.

Contact our team today on 0370 1500 100 or fill out our online form to discuss how we can help with your British citizenship.

What Is British Citizenship?

British citizenship is a form of British nationality under the British Nationality Act 1981. It gives you the right to:

• Overseas protection
• Vote in UK referendums and general elections
• Stand for Parliament in the UK
• Work and live in the UK permanently.

Anyone that’s not a UK citizen can apply for British citizenship by following the steps to naturalisation. Going through these steps to get your citizenship is a big commitment so getting expert legal advice will help you put the best possible application together.

Our team will look at your situation and pinpoint any areas that could cause issues with the Home Office. We’ll then work efficiently to help you sort them out so when the time comes, your application is as strong as possible.

Who Can Apply For British Citizenship?

To apply for British citizenship you’ll generally need to:

• Have lived in the UK continuously for at least five years
• Have spent less than 450 days outside the UK in the five years before you apply
• Have held Indefinite Leave to Remain for 12 months
• Have spent less than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months before you apply
• Be 18 years or older
• Be planning to continue to live in the UK after you get citizenship
• Speak a good level of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
• Have a good character with no criminal record and you’re not bankrupt
• Have passed a Life in the UK test.

You’ll need to include various documents in your application to prove you meet these requirements. Our immigration lawyers can help you understand what documents will be accepted by the Home Office and how to get them.

Contact us on 0370 1500 100 to start your application.

How Long Does The Application Take?

Once you’ve gathered all your documents, we’ll put your application together in a format that the Home Office prefers.

The application process takes about four to six months. You can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision and your Indefinite Leave to Remain status will stay the same.

If your application is successful, you’ll be invited to a Citizenship Ceremony where you’ll officially become a British citizen. After this you can apply for a British passport. Our solicitors will guide you through the entire process so you’ll always know what to expect and where you stand.

Why Choose Us?

Our immigration lawyers have detailed experience with British citizenship applications. We have a good relationship with the Home Office and understand how best to meet their requirements.

Many people don’t realise there are restrictions around how many days you can spend outside the UK leading up to your citizenship application. By coming to us early, we can help make sure any travel plans you have won’t affect your chances of getting citizenship in future. If you think you’re already over the limit, we can look at your circumstances to see if the Home Office will use their discretion to allow your application.

It also doesn’t matter what type of visa you came to the UK on. We can help if you have an entrepreneur, investor, spouse or work visa. If you have family members who qualify for British citizenship too, including young children, we can advise on how to prepare all your applications together.

Understanding the strict rules and requirements can be time consuming and frustrating. Our team will be on hand every step of the way to explain what you need and answer any questions. If your application is complicated, we’ll look at all your options to make sure it succeeds. If we need to, we’ll also help you challenge any unfair decisions made by the Home Office.

For a private talk about your situation, call us today on 0370 1500 100.