Applying online - naturalisation and child registration

Hi,

I am completing online application for naturalisation for myself and my son. He will turn 18 on 6th September and I desperately want to submit it before his 18th birthday so this can be done as a child registration.

Both myself and my son are EU citizens and have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, granted over a year ago.

There are several questions on the online form that are confusing and I am still not sure what to put there, even after reading the guides and posts on this forum. I would appreciate if anyone could help.

1. Eligibility criteria for child registration

Both me and my husband have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. If only I apply for British Citizenship and add my son to my application - does my son still have a chance to be granted citizenship?

2. Cut-off date for child registration

As my son’s 18th birthday is in less than 2 weeks, I want to make sure I don’t miss the cut-off date for him to be eligible as a child. I understand from previous posts that the application date is the date the online form is submitted and paid.
So I am right that it doesn’t matter if I do the biometrics and upload the documents after his 18 birthday?

3. Referees for the child

The online form (in the child section) says: ‚referees must know or have known the applicant personally for more than 3 years‘.

One of my son’s referees is his Sixth Form teacher who only have known him for 1 year. Would this be an issue? That person was the only teacher we could get hold of during the school holidays.

Also the „Nationality Policy - General Information“ booklet says that „The referee must have known the (adult) applicant for at least 3 years“. Therefore I was under the impression that the 3-year period is not required for a child. Is that correct?

4. Immigration details (child):

The form does ask whether the child has settled status and when the status was granted. But there is no space to provide reference number for settled status (as in the main applicant’s section). Have I missed anything on the form, or is it simply not required for a child?

Also, the online form is not asking to provide dates of absences from UK for the child. Is that right?

It is confusing because the paper form MN1 asks for these.

5. Professional referee (adult application):
One of my referees is Head of Marketing in a solicitor firm which is a LLP (limited partnership). She is not a solicitor, but has a professional marketing qualification from the Institute of Data and Marketing and is a member of that Institute (she said she can use the letters IDM after her name). Would that qualify her as a professional referee?

If not, my other referee is a Database Manager at a local Fire and Rescue Service. The list of acceptable professions includes ‚Fire services official‘, but I am not sure whether being a Database Manager is equal to being an official.

6. Work history:
I was continuously employed part-time over the last 5 years. But at some point in that 5-year period, I was also self-employed in addition to my main part-time job. Should I add the self-employed job to my work history, or is it not needed?

7. „Do you have any dependants not applying with you at this time?“ - is my husband classed as dependant? He is self-employed with very small income, so he’s relying on me financially.

8. Passport and national ID card - issuing authority: this may seem a silly question, but do I need to put the issuing authority name exactly as it stands in my passport / ID card? I am just a little bit concerned that HO would not know what ‚Burmistrz Miasta Darlowo‘ means, so maybe it’s better to put it as ‚Mayor of Darlowo‘? Or simply ‚Darlowo“?
Similarly, from my passport, should I put ‚Konsul w Londynie‘ or ‚Polish Consulate in London‘? Or simply ‚London“?

I am sorry to be asking so many questions, I may be overthinking, but I really want to get it right. Thanks in advance for your time.

Hi again,

The minute I published my post I realised it was far too long and had too many questions to ask in one go. I tried to edit it to make it shorter, but after a minute of editing, the editing tool closed and came up with a message 'you can no longer edit this post'. So sorry again for this lengthy post from yesterday.

Maybe if I paste the most burning questions here, it would make it easier to reply.

The most burning questions are the top 2 from my list which are:

1. Eligibility criteria for child registration

Both me and my husband have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. If only I apply for British Citizenship and add my son to my application - does my son still have a chance to be granted citizenship?

2. Cut-off date for child registration

As my son’s 18th birthday is in less than 2 weeks, I want to make sure I don’t miss the cut-off date for him to be eligible as a child. I understand from previous posts that the application date is the date the online form is submitted and paid.
So am I right in thinking that it doesn’t matter if I do the biometrics and upload the documents after his 18 birthday, and it can still be done as a child registration?

I presume the answer to the above will be ‚yes‘ and I am mostly looking for reassurance that my understanding is correct.

I would greatly appreciate if someone could reply.

You have asked a lot of questions, many of which are covered in the guidance and posted many times on the forum daily.

1. Eligibility criteria for child registration

Both me and my husband have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. If only I apply for British Citizenship and add my son to my application - does my son still have a chance to be granted citizenship?

The requirement is that one parent must be applying at the same time as the child and the other parent is settled.

2. Cut-off date for child registration

As my son’s 18th birthday is in less than 2 weeks, I want to make sure I don’t miss the cut-off date for him to be eligible as a child. I understand from previous posts that the application date is the date the online form is submitted and paid.
So I am right that it doesn’t matter if I do the biometrics and upload the documents after his 18 birthday?

Date of application is the date you submit and pay online. As the potential approval will come after the 18th birthday, you will be asked to pay the ceremony fee of £80 and he will have to attend a ceremony.

3. Referees for the child

The online form (in the child section) says: ‚referees must know or have known the applicant personally for more than 3 years‘.

One of my son’s referees is his Sixth Form teacher who only have known him for 1 year. Would this be an issue? That person was the only teacher we could get hold of during the school holidays.

Also the „Nationality Policy - General Information“ booklet says that „The referee must have known the (adult) applicant for at least 3 years“. Therefore I was under the impression that the 3-year period is not required for a child. Is that correct?

For an older child, any professional referee is fine. They must have know the child at least.

4. Immigration details (child):

The form does ask whether the child has settled status and when the status was granted. But there is no space to provide reference number for settled status (as in the main applicant’s section). Have I missed anything on the form, or is it simply not required for a child?

If you have added the child to your form, then no it won't ask but you must submit evidence of settled status for both of you.

Also, the online form is not asking to provide dates of absences from UK for the child. Is that right?

There is no absence limit for children under 18.

5. Professional referee (adult application):
One of my referees is Head of Marketing in a solicitor firm which is a LLP (limited partnership). She is not a solicitor, but has a professional marketing qualification from the Institute of Data and Marketing and is a member of that Institute (she said she can use the letters IDM after her name). Would that qualify her as a professional referee?

It needs to be someone who is on the list of HO approved professions.

If not, my other referee is a Database Manager at a local Fire and Rescue Service. The list of acceptable professions includes ‚Fire services official‘, but I am not sure whether being a Database Manager is equal to being an official.

No, a database manager is not the same thing. Note you only need ONE professional referee of any nationality. The other referee must be British and over 25.

6. Work history:
I was continuously employed part-time over the last 5 years. But at some point in that 5-year period, I was also self-employed in addition to my main part-time job. Should I add the self-employed job to my work history, or is it not needed?

The form asks for ALL employment. You need to state all your employment.

7. „Do you have any dependants not applying with you at this time?“ - is my husband classed as dependant? He is self-employed with very small income, so he’s relying on me financially.

Not relevant.

8. Passport and national ID card - issuing authority: this may seem a silly question, but do I need to put the issuing authority name exactly as it stands in my passport / ID card? I am just a little bit concerned that HO would not know what ‚Burmistrz Miasta Darlowo‘ means, so maybe it’s better to put it as ‚Mayor of Darlowo‘? Or simply ‚Darlowo“?

State it as it appears in your passport. You don't need to submit an ID card.

Similarly, from my passport, should I put ‚Konsul w Londynie‘ or ‚Polish Consulate in London‘? Or simply ‚London“?

Thank you CR001, I really appreciate your help!