Questions about Naturalization

Hello All:

Would be appreciative if anyone could provide me the following information - based on the fact that I got my ILR in March 2003 due to the fact that I am married to a British Citizen and came to UK (31st march, 2002).

1) when am I eligible to apply for my British Citizenship?
2) What forms do I use to apply?
3) How long before I get my citizenship?
4) My ILR stamp is in my Pakistani passport which is due to expire in July 2005 - how can I get it transferred to my renewed Pakistani Passport (i.e. if I do not get my British pssport before my Pakistani passport expires).

Thanks

Have a look at this link for the naturalisation requirements.

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en ... ation.html
In particular - Requirements for a person applying as the husband or wife of a British citizen


Regarding your expired passport, when you move ILR stamp from expired passport to a new one, you will need to pay a fee for it. Search the forum as I have seen others ask the same question.

Thanks

Manchesterman, I see that you are married to a British Citizen and therefore a three year period is relevant. (And not the normal five year period.)

I also see that you came to the UK on 31.03.02 and three years after that is of course 31.03.05.

Thanks to a provision in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 IND are now legally able to charge above-cost fees to deal with certain applications and that includes visas renewals in the UK and naturalisation. Already IND has announced that in-UK visa fees will rocket as from 01.04.05, although the the new levels have not been firmly fixed. Admittedly I don't think that they have announced new fees for naturalisation applications but it is possible that fees for those might also go higher as from 01.04.05?

It tends to be the case that it is the day of receipt by IND that matters. So you might want to ensure that your naturalisation application is received by IND on exactly 31.03.05. Any earlier and you will fail the "were you in the UK exactly three years before IND received the application" test .... any later and the fees might be higher. All that means is that you would need to use a Special Delivery envelope and post it on 30.03.05.

Food for thought? Do note that your two referees need to certify that they have known you at least three years. Might that cause a delay in your application?