Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR is a type of settled status which is applicable to those who have spent a specified period of time in the UK. You must hold ILR in order to then apply for British citizenship, and following this, you are can then obtain a British passport.
In some cases, you can apply for British citizenship right after you get ILR status, however this only applies to people who are already married or have a civil relationship with a British citizen. If you are in any of these conditions, then you can apply for a British citizenship application right away.
Moreover, if you are a child under 18 and your guardian or parent holds Indefinite leave to remain status, you can straightaway apply for British Citizenship.
In other cases, you must have been on ILR for at least a year before you can apply for a British passport after ILR.
Eligibility for British Citizenship with ILR Status
In order to get British nationality, you must meet a range of conditions about how long you have resided in the UK and whether you are eligible to be granted British citizenship:
- Before applying for British citizenship, you must not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK.
- You have not breached any immigration laws during your time in the UK
- You must be able to prove that you are of good character and do not have any criminal background during your time in the UK.
- You have a good standard of English language.
- You have a good understanding of a country’s history and customs by passing a UK life test.
- You must have valid intentions of settling in the UK.
Applying for British Citizenship with a Settled Status
The easiest way to apply for British citizenship is to apply online, in which you need to fill out the required application form. This way you can submit the application and the fees online and directly.
When applying, make sure that you have all the supporting documents including:
- Current Passport and Biometric residence Permit
- Evidence of your marriage
- Evidence of lawful residence
- Knowledge of the English language and proof of your life in the UK test
Ensure that all these documents are in English, if not, then make sure you submit the translated copies, otherwise you can face delays in your British passport processing time or even rejection.
After completing your application, you will be requested to attend an in-person appointment at the visa application center to provide your biometric information.
Applying for British Passport
Once you are a British citizen, you can apply for a British passport. The process is quite simple, either you can apply by post or apply online. You also may need to attend a face-to-face interview so that they can verify your identity.
The British passport processing time can take up to six months for a decision to be made. However, during the process time you are allowed to live in the UK under your present status.
How can Farani Taylor Help you?
We can help. We have expert legal advisers who specialise in British immigration with years’ worth of experience helping people with their British citizenship issues.
We can help you with your eligibility for British citizenship, assist you in your application process, and even help you stay connected with the Home Office to keep track of your application.
For more information, get in touch with us today on 0207 242 1666