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Hello everyone,

I'm sorry if this has already been asked and clarified before on here, but I couldn't find it.. I am planning to submit my application for naturalisation next week (although I am yet to book an appointment with NCS). However, I know that the requirement for qualifying period is that the applicant should be present in the UK 5 years to the day (in my case) on the date of receipt of application by UKBA, otherwise it can get declined. My issue is that 5 years ago I was on holiday from 1st April to 10th April. So I guess my question is, in your expert view, would it be better to go ahead and submit the application next week (provided I can get an appointment with NCS) or should I wait until 11th April to do so?
Will me being out of the country literally days after my application might be received by UKBA affect my application in any way? and is there a risk of them not acknowledging receipt until April even if it does get delivered before the end of the month?
I'd like to submit it as soon as possible, but at the same time would like to eliminate the risks...


Thank you for your help in advance!

Kd12 wrote:Hello everyone,

I'm sorry if this has already been asked and clarified before on here, but I couldn't find it.. I am planning to submit my application for naturalisation next week (although I am yet to book an appointment with NCS). However, I know that the requirement for qualifying period is that the applicant should be present in the UK 5 years to the day (in my case) on the date of receipt of application by UKBA, otherwise it can get declined. My issue is that 5 years ago I was on holiday from 1st April to 10th April. So I guess my question is, in your expert view, would it be better to go ahead and submit the application next week (provided I can get an appointment with NCS) or should I wait until 11th April to do so?
Will me being out of the country literally days after my application might be received by UKBA affect my application in any way? and is there a risk of them not acknowledging receipt until April even if it does get delivered before the end of the month?
I'd like to submit it as soon as possible, but at the same time would like to eliminate the risks...


Thank you for your help in advance!

My understanding is that if you submit to NCS next week, technically, HO should get it next working day or two may be. That means, you would be in country; a) at the time of applying at NCS )date of appointment minus 5 years) and b} you would of been in the UK the date HO receives your application (NCS appointment date + 2 or 3 days). If you manage to get the date for early next week, you should be fine.

Also check with the NCS you are planning to book with if they send the post daily. Some NCS offices only send the applications once a week.

Application date is the date+1 that HO receives your paperwork. If they receive it on 1st April and you were not physically present 5 years ago, it will likely be a refusal.

Can you apply this week at all??

Thank you both.

I can't apply this week, as one of my referees is my landlord and he had asked me to post him the application so he can sign it, to save him having to come over to our house just for that (he's a barrister and is quite busy).

I'll check with my NCS (Tower Hamlets) how often they send applications off to HO before making an appointment - hopefully it's daily as I'd like to avoid having to apply after 10th April. Not so much because of the fee increase, more because of the looming general election and I don't know how that might affect their processes / things in general. Perhaps I'm just being unnecessarily paranoid though!

looming general election and I don't know how that might affect their processes

It won't, but your worry is understandable. Anything that happens at the general election will take months if not a year or 2 to be implemented.

If the fee increase is not an issue, I personally (my opinion) would err on the side of caution and apply after 10th/11th April and get the application and everything right. What if your landlord only sends the form back end of next week?

Thank you for your help with this.

You are right, I don't have a guarantee my landlord will return the form in time. I think I will just 'play it safe' and apply on 11th April. This will also give me time to meanwhile apply for an Italian visa for my trip in May (I travel on Russian passport so need a visa to go anywhere and everywhere apart from Vietnam and Thailand it seems!).