Have you been trying to apply for the coveted British passport and be a citizen of the UK without success? You are not alone. Research shows that many people from many other countries would want to work and stay in the UK and that is why the queues are long in most of the embassies. On this page, you will understand a few things on how to apply for British citizenship; the terminologies, how to obtain a UK citizenship. You will also get to know how to obtain a partner visa.

Naturalization

Naturalization is where one obtains citizenship of another country through work, business, marriage and other circumstances that are approved by the country. Every country has its own requirements that you must satisfy and the best thing would be to instructsolicitors who would take you through the process and ensure that you get the naturalization rights.

How to Apply for British citizenship?

Becoming a British citizen can either is through marriage, work, business, and asylum or could even is through ancestral rights. Here, you must comply with the residency period demands, life in the UK test and an English competency certificate- this would prove that you can speak the English language and therefore you will easily integrate into British society.

Point Based Work Visa Route

If you look forward to securing the highly coveted UK citizenship then you can do that as a skilled worker. Here, you need to comply with Tier 2 requirements and you must have stayed in the country for a minimum of five years and you have been granted indefinite leave to remain.

Private life visa

If you have been living in the UK for quite some years, and you have some exceptional circumstances on why you should remain here. For instance, you have been living here and got married or your engagements that are genuine and which you must attend. You have secured indefinite leave to remain in the UK then you may qualify for British Citizenship.

Asylum protection visa

This is a special visa given to those people who flee their countries because their life is in danger.  Here, you will be granted  sixyears of living under asylum or refugee status after which you can apply for indefinite leave to remain free of charge and later for your citizenship. Again, for you to apply for British citizenship, several screening processes must go through by the immigration department. It may take up to six months to get a decision on your application.

The ancestry visa

This is a visa that is applied by those people who belong to the commonwealth countries and have at least one grandparent who was born in the UK. You can use this visa to work or even to gain eligibility to acquire indefinite leave to remain (ILR).  Following is the summary of the requirements;

As you apply this visa from outside the UK, not for those that are already living in the country.

You must be from among the fifty-three member states of the commonwealth.  You will not qualify for this kind of visa if your country is not a member of the commonwealth.

You must show proof that one of your grandparents was born in the UK and that you are able and would like to work in the UK.

You must be aged above seventeen years and have enough money that can support you and any other dependants.  Again, you’ll be required to prove that the said grandparent was born in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channels Islands. However, you cannot claim ancestry through grandparents.  With this type of visa, you have no limitations on the type of work that you can do. You could begin a business, self-employed, and this makes the ancestry visa more attractive and the most preferred than the business-related visa scheme.

When you want to apply for British citizenship, you will need to show your birth certificate, grandparent’s birth certificate, the marriage certificate for your parents, In case you or your parents were adopted, you’ll need to show proof for that also. Most importantly, you will need to show evidence that you have enough money to sustain yourself and your dependents if any.

It is important to note that if you have a different type of visa existing, you cannot apply for the ancestry visa.  With this visa, you are allowed to work anywhere and you can even move around the country freely- it’s such a flexible visa type. That means you can also study as you work on a part-time basis when you have this type of visa.

What is a British citizenship ceremony?

In a citizenship ceremony, people take an oath of allegiance to the queen and this is the last step toward becoming a citizen of the UK.  In this ceremony, all the successful applicants of UK citizenship who are above eighteen years must take an oath. The ceremony is conducted by the local registrar. The ceremony is celebrated with a lot of pomp and a welcoming note. Here, the participants have an opportunity to bond with others and get assimilated in the local communities. During the oath, your identity will be verified.

How can citizenship be obtained for a child?

Often, citizenship is usually obtained through the parents. If you are born of UK parents, then you’re eligible to be registered as a British citizen. The issue of nationality in the UK is guided by the British Nationality Act of 1981. As a child, you will be required to show that you were born in the UK on or after 1st January 1981. At least one of the parents must be a citizen of the UK at the time of birth and upon application; the person should be a minor.

If you are looking forward to becoming a citizen of the UK, then you need to follow the guidelines on registration carefully. This will help you avoid frustration and delays that may inconvenience you as you apply for British citizenship. Again, you need to look for an immigration solicitor who will take you through the process smoothly