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Hi,

I am a bit confused after going through the eligiblity criteria in https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen

My wife have been here from June 2011 as tier 1 dependant and then got ILR on August 2013. We both planning to apply for citizenship this August . After going through the above link I am bit confused about my wife's Eligiblity . She should wait for me to get the cizitenship and then apply as spouse of British citizen or she can apply at the same time with me since she's completed 3 years period ?

nm wrote:Hi,

I am a bit confused after going through the eligiblity criteria in https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen

My wife have been here from June 2011 as tier 1 dependant and then got ILR on August 2013. We both planning to apply for citizenship this August . After going through the above link I am bit confused about my wife's Eligibility . She should wait for me to get the citizenship and then apply as spouse of British citizen or she can apply at the same time with me since she's completed 3 years period ?

You are not BC yet so if she has to apply with you she must lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application.

But if you apply on you own and once you got the naturalization certificate she will become spouse of BC so her eligibility criteria will change , in that she can apply right after the day you got citizenship provided she lived in the UK for at least the 3 years before the date of your application , which she did in your case.

For More information see Common FAQs

Thanks for your reply Mate, its very useful, I will now plan for my application . its makes me clear that we both can't apply and my wife needs to wait for me to get the citizenship and then apply for her.

nm wrote:Thanks for your reply Mate, its very useful, I will now plan for my application . its makes me clear that we both can't apply and my wife needs to wait for me to get the citizenship and then apply for her.

You are welcome mate.

Hi,

I again have an another question to ask. Wy wife was away for 120 days between August 2013 to Dec 2013. Consider i get my naturalization on October 2014, should I apply for my wife naturalization in October and the 12 months period should be counted from September ? If I can count the 12 months period,then her absense comes less than 90 days in the 12 months period.In this way she will be eligible to apply for naturalization straightaway without any discretion.

Could someone helps me in clarifying this please ?

nm wrote:Hi,

I again have an another question to ask. Wy wife was away for 120 days between August 2013 to Dec 2013. Consider i get my naturalization on October 2014, should I apply for my wife naturalization in October and the 12 months period should be counted from September ? If I can count the 12 months period,then her absense comes less than 90 days in the 12 months period.In this way she will be eligible to apply for naturalization straightaway without any discretion.

Could someone helps me in clarifying this please ?

Could someone helps me answering please ?

If her absence is within the 90 day limit for the 12 months immediately preceding her application, then she will be fine. So if in October 2014 this is the case, then she can apply.

12 months is calculated as follows for example :

If she applies and HO receives her application on 14 October 2014 - they period of calculation will be 13 October 2013 to 14 October 2014.