UK Naturalisation & British Citizenship

To apply for Permanent Residence in the UK, and thereafter British Citizenship (also known as Naturalisation), you need to complete a qualifying period. Not all UK visas count towards the qualifying period. The general rule to follow is that you can apply for Permanent Residence in the UK after 5 years of living and working in the UK with a status that allows for full-time employment. This means that time spent in the UK on a Working Holiday Visa or Student Visa does not count towards the qualifying period. If you have been in the UK under HSMP / Tier 1 or an employer-sponsored work permit then this time counts towards the qualifying period, although it should be noted that prior to Tier 1 of the Points Based System being introduced your qualifying period would start again if you switched from HSMP to a Work Permit.

If you are in the UK as a Spouse or an Unmarried Partner then the qualifying period is reduced to 2 years.

Permanent Residence in the UK

In order to apply for Permanent Residence (Naturalisation) you will first need to pass the Life in the UK Test. Once you have passed this you will then need to evidence that you meet the qualifying period with a suitable status in the UK during that period. As a general rule you should not spend more than 90 days outside of the UK in any of the qualifying years if you want to ensure the best chance of approval.

British Citizenship

After spending one year in the UK with Permanent Resident status you can apply for British Citizenship and obtain a British Passport.