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Hi all, We're in the process of applying for Naturalisation as a family.
We received ILR in Oct 2010. Myself, wife and infant son.
"How to apply for proof that you have not become a British citizen" NQ form at £88 each, is this per applicant? ie is there no benefit in applying together?
Thanks in advance.

Why are you looking at form NQ if you wish to apply for naturalisation?

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We're currently on South African passports and would be applying for dual citizenship. The process is we obtain the NQ form from the UKBA to prove we dont have UK citizenship, the returned NQ form is then sent to the SA Embassy for them to give "permission" for us to have dual citizenship. My understanding is that if we apply directly for UK citizenship we're effectively forfeiting our South African citizenship which we dont want to do. The NQ forms application is £88 each so I need to know if I require the NQ form per applicant? Thanks again

This is per applicant. There is no group/family discount.

Hi
Like you, I am South African and have also submitted a naturalisation application. However, I have not done the NQ or SA Embassy route as it takes so long (from the SA embassy side).

I was told by the consular service that it is my responsibility to inform them that I have obtained British Citizenship, they are not informed by UKBA in any way. So if you don't say anything, how will they know. They will only know when you renew your passport again as it is one of the questions. My husband has dual SA / British Citizenship (for a 4 of years now) and travels in and out of South Africa on his SA passport. He never did the 'permission' step with Home Affairs.

Whichever way you choose to do it (the cost wasn't justifiable to me as I won't go back to live), it is easy to resume SA citizenship again if you choose to return.

Thanks
Char

Thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated.

Smithy,

For info, you have to pay a similar fee per person to the SA Embassy for them to issue you with a letter giving you 'permission' hence my comment about the cost. My friend who did this route complained about the time it took for both letters (UKBA and SA Embassy) being approximately 5 months.

Thanks
Char

Thanks Char, the turn around time for the NQ form is 10 days and you can take it in person to the SA Embassy (@ £25 per applicant).
ie get the certificate same day.
But again turn around times should be taken with a shovel of salt.
I believe as long as you inform the SA embassy, ie you've sent the NQ form to them, you can apply for naturalisation.

Per SA embassy
"Application for the retention of RSA citizenship is an application that MUST be made before one acquires foreign nationality. South African citizens who take up foreign citizenship without applying for retention of South African will lose their SA citizenship. Persons under the age of 18 years do not need to apply for retention of their South African Citizenship, as they will not loose their citizenship whilst still minors
A person who has lost citizenship by virtue of failure to apply for the retention of RSA citizenship will have right to permanent residency in South Africa – if he or she was born in RSA. Such a person will be allowed to apply for the resumption or reinstatement of South African in South Africa. An application for resumption or reinstatement of RSA citizenship is approved on condition that such an applicant will live permanently in RSA once his or her application has been approved."

I take it I won't need it for my infant son then, saving £113.

Thanks again.

CR001 wrote:Hi
Like you, I am South African and have also submitted a naturalisation application. However, I have not done the NQ or SA Embassy route as it takes so long (from the SA embassy side).

I was told by the consular service that it is my responsibility to inform them that I have obtained British Citizenship, they are not informed by UKBA in any way. So if you don't say anything, how will they know. They will only know when you renew your passport again as it is one of the questions. My husband has dual SA / British Citizenship (for a 4 of years now) and travels in and out of South Africa on his SA passport. He never did the 'permission' step with Home Affairs.

As far as I understand - and you should check with a South African immigration lawyer, if you do not get the permission you automatically lose South African citizenship. In other words, your husband likely isn't a South African citizen any longer and his passport is invalid.

Yes, we are aware of the automatic loss of citizenship and don't really care to be honest as we aren't going back. However, his daughter is still in South Africa and he has had no problems entering and exiting SA on his current SA passport when he visits her.
Char

Like you, I am a South African as well and I chose to retain my S.A. citizenship. You just never know what a country will be like in 20 -30 years time. The whole process for me in applying for permission went smooth. I did it 7 months before actually applying for BC. If you choose to loose your S.A. citizenship and want to apply to get it back can be a headache and costly at the end of the day. One requirement to get this back is that you have to be born in South Africa.

Good and well that you can illegally enter on your South African passport but it won’t last as it has an expiry date. The money you save now will be spent down the line on a visa etc to enter South Africa in years to come.

Yes we are aware of the process and requirements to resume citizenship and we were both born there but we have chosen to make this our home and at some point his daughter will come over to live here too and he won't need to go there. The rest of his family is here and my family is here, so there is no reason for us to go back really.

As we will be retiring in about 18 years time, I think I will take my chances in staying here or in Europe rather than return to SA (well I will stay here, not sure of hubby though but thats his problem) but I do agree that anything is possible in SA in terms of what SA might be like etc in years to come.

We all have our own opinions, reasons and ways of doing things. I chose not to retain it simply because I won't go back and haven't been back for years.

Char

Good on you!

Everybody has their own opinions and ideas and they should all be respected.

Take care and all the best.

Ex - Cape Town