Leaving UK for a few months after naturalisation application

Hi,

I have a couple of questions regarding my application for British citizenship by naturalisation. I will appreciate any advice you can provide on these.

1. Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad?

After reading the extensive info in this forum, I am aware that in this section, I need to mention all my previous visa applications to this date. I don't remember the application dates (even the months) for most of my applications as these go back as far as 10 years. However I still have the letters that Home office sent with my previous visas which all have case id's on them, so I was able to fill in the case ids for all of my previous visa applications. Can you please confirm if this information will be enough? From what I understand, the important bit of information we need to provide here is in which name I made these applications which is same as my current name, so I didn't have a problem providing this information.

2. A referee who has professional standing

I am a mechanical engineer so I have friends/colleagues who are also mechanical engineers like myself. They work at respectable companies such as xxxxxxxx. From the info I have read on this forum I can not submit their details as my referees unless they are members of professional bodies such as Institution of Mechanical Engineers which doesn't any sense in my view. Anyway, I am going to provide the details of a friend who is a senior lecturer at a university. His title is "Doctor". I am guessing he doesn't need to be a member of a professional body to be able become my referee. Can you please confirm if his reference is acceptable? I can see that Lecturer is in the list of acceptable professions.

1. That's ok - provide the information you have and approximate dates/years as necessary.
2. The referee should be ok.

Thank you very much alterhase58!

I have another question regarding the referee with professional standing.

The question "How does the referee know the applicant?" - does it matter whether we have a professional or personal relationship with this referee?

The referee I am thinking of putting in my application is not only the partner of my colleague and he is also my friend.

Is it ok to answer this question simply as "Friend"?

Miles-can wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:12 pm

The question "How does the referee know the applicant?" - does it matter whether we have a professional or personal relationship with this referee?

The referee I am thinking of putting in my application is not only the partner of my colleague and he is also my friend.

Is it ok to answer this question simply as "Friend"?

Yes it's fine. There is no requirement that you must have had a professional relationship or worked with the professional referee.

That's great, thank you very much!

Hi,

I am ready to apply for naturalisation but I also would like to go to my home country for a few months as soon as possible due to current situation.

1. I believe I have to attend an appointment after my application. I will have to wait for this appointment before I travel. Approximately how soon after the application will this appointment will take place?

2. After I attend the appointment, is there a time limit on how long I can stay abroad? If I stayed too long, would it affect my application?

Thank you for your help.

1. The biometrics appointment is booked by yourself online once you have submitted/paid your application. Note that due to the current situation UKVCAS are only just starting to catch up with cancelled appointments so it may be a while before you get an appoinment. https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/home-internal
2. Be aware that UKVI can ask for further documents or clarification. There are no rules as to how long you are away after the application. Clearly you don't want to miss the ceremony once your application has been decided.

Thank you very much for the information alterhase58.

I will be abroad for 5 weeks. From reading the information you have shared, I believe I can submit my application before I leave the UK, and I can book my appointment for when I return to the country.

Do you think there is any issues with this approach?

I understand that once the online application is submitted/paid you are taken to a page where you register and book with UKVCAS. Not familiar whether you can log in later to book the appointment. I'm sure recent users can advise further.

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 26, 2020 12:46 pm

I understand that once the online application is submitted/paid you are taken to a page where you register and book with UKVCAS. Not familiar whether you can log in later to book the appointment. I'm sure recent users can advise further.

Correct. After you submit and pay online via UKVI, you create an account on UKVCAS to upload your documents and book biometrics appointment. You can access both UKVI and UKVCAS accounts on a later date. Normally you have to book biometrics within 2 months - the last date is mentioned on the further actions page but due to the current situation there is no penalty for missing the deadline as biometrics appointments are not yet fully functional.

Thank you both very much alterhase58 & CULLINAN.
I will submit my application before I go abroad.

I have attended my biometrics appointment in August. I would like to go abroad for a few months to spend some time with my parents. I have already spent a few weeks outside UK this year. As there are no rules to how long I can be abroad after my application, would it be a problem if I stayed away for more than 90 days in total this year?

They could see my absence in the system while deciding my application. They could also see this when I am applying for the British passport.

There are no rules on how much you can spend abroad AFTER submitting your application.
However, your behaviour should not lead to any possible doubts in your future intentions to live in UK.