British Citizenship

If you have completed 10 years continuous lawful residence in the UK you may be entitled to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK under the Long Residence Rule. This category provides a path to permanent residence for people who hold or have held visas that do not necessarily lead to ILR including visit and student visas.

The basic requirements for a long residence application are that you have held continuous lawful visa permission for 10 years and that you have not been absent from the UK for more than 18 months over the 10 year period.

Previous applications that have been submitted to the Home Office late may impact on the prospects of a successful 10 Year application.

Zenith Solicitor accredited immigration solicitors will guide you through the complex evidential requirements and assist you from start to finish with your application. We will take the worry out of the process and ensure the application satisfies the legal requirements for obtaining indefinite leave to remain under the Long Residence Rule.

What is it?

British citizenship in technical terms is confirmation of your right of abode in the UK. In plain English, it confirms your right to live in the UK without the need to hold a visa. British citizenship will enable you to live, work and travel freely in the UK and Europe. There are also many other countries where British citizenship allows holders to enter without needing to obtain a visa first. Holding British citizenship entitles you to vote in national elections and to the protection of the British Consul when travelling abroad and, while the UK's future in the European Union is in doubt, British citizenship is a valuable guarantee of European nationals' right to stay in the UK should the country vote to leave.

How do I get British citizenship?

You may be able to apply for British citizenship if you:

• are over 18, of sound mind and good character;
• have held indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) for 1 year;*
• have lived lawfully in the UK for at least 5 years with absences below 450 days during that time;* and intend to make the UK your main home.*
• Please note that the rules are different for applicants married to British citizens.

Since December 2014 the Home Office has placed much greater emphasis on the good character of British citizenship applicants and is looking back beyond the most recent 5 years lawful residence. Our British citizenship solicitors will assess your good character before submitting an application on your behalf.

How do I apply for British citizenship?

You can obtain British citizenship by applying to the Home Office to naturalise as a British citizen. You will need to produce evidence of your identity, your residence in the UK and your good character. As accredited specialist British citizenship solicitors we will ensure that your application is presented properly with detailed legal representations. With the application fee for a standard British citizenship application standing at £1005, it is important that you receive professional and reliable legal advice.

Can I lose British citizenship?

If you naturalised or registered as a British citizen, you can lose your British citizenship if you obtained it by deception or withheld relevant information in your application. You can also have your British citizenship revoked if you engage in serious criminal acts or terrorist related activities.

How we can help you? If you have believed that you fulfill all the requirements of application or need the advice to assess your immigration matter or have other immigration issues relating to you/your family members, just give us a call or drop an email and leave the rest to us.

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