Congratulations on your settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)! When applying for British citizenship (naturalisation), there are six key things you need to know.
Twelve months after being granted Settled Status under the EUSS scheme, or immediately if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you may be eligible to apply for naturalisation. The process can be daunting, but here are six tips to increase your chances of a successful application.
1. You meet the residency requirement
Before submitting your application, you must have resided in the UK for five years, or three years if you are married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen. If you are applying based on five years’ residence, you must also have held Settled Status for at least 12 months.
2. You must apply on the correct day
You must have been in the UK on the first day of the qualifying period – either five or three years, in accordance with the above. If you were not in the UK on this date, your application may be refused by the Home Office.
3. Be mindful of your absences
If you are applying on the basis of a five-year qualifying period, you must have been out of the UK for no more than the 450 days in the 5 years preceding your application, and 90 days in the last 12 months. Where applying on the basis of a three-year qualifying period, you must have been outside for no more than 270 days in total, and 90 days in the last 12 months. Only whole days out of the UK count as an absence, so if you left the country and returned the following day, this does not count as an absence.
The Home Office has some discretion to waive absences incurred for certain reasons, however, this will depend on the facts of the case and evidence provided.
4. Pass your Life in the UK test
The Life in the UK test is a computer-based assessment designed to prove that you have sufficient knowledge of the UK. You will need to correctly answer 75% of questions relating to UK history, law, traditions, customs and politics. The test is not academically rigorous, however, it requires revision. You do not need to pass the test if you are 65 year or older.
5. Demonstrate your English proficiency
Applying for British Citizenship requires demonstrating a certain level of English proficiency. This is assessed through an interview by an approved test provider, who will test your speaking and listening abilities.
If you hold a degree from a UK university, you meet the requirement automatically. A degree taught abroad may also qualify, depending on the country and language the course was taught in.
You will also be exempt if you come from a majority English speaking country, such as the USA or Australia.
As with the Life in the UK test, you do not need to pass an English test if you are 65 years old or above.
6. Choosing the correct referees:
The Home Office requires that you provide two referees who can verify your identity. You should have known both referees personally for at least three years. The first referee must be a British passport holder and at least 25 years old. The second referee should be of professional standing, meaning that their occupation is on the approved list for referees.
It’s advisable to select your referee with extra caution, because if they do not meet Home Office requirements, your application is likely to be refused.
Gherson specialises in UK citizenship, and can guide you on your application; from eligibility for settled status, to helping you build a strong submission with supporting documents and references, we are your trusted partner.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on nationality matters, including delivering bespoke advice for people who have a range of circumstances at every stage of an application. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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