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Hi all,

Apologies in advance for a rather long message. I have just been grated Indefinite Leave to Remain (after a few years on British spouse visa) and now start pulling together documents to fill in Naturalisation form. There are a few queries I would appreciate to have your advice please. I will be using the Section no. in the form to keep it easy to refer to if necessary:

1.5 Name as it appears on your passport:
Surname/Family name:
Other names:
This sounds pretty straight forward and I have no problem with Surname part. Yet, in my passport, my other names is in the order of Middle Name 1 - Middle Name 2 - First Name. I am inclined to put it down as it is shonw in my passport. However, if doing so would this be questioned and/or my first name somehow will be initialised and one of my middle names will be used as my First Name in British documents (e.g: passport) later down the line?

1.45 What is your occupation?
I have been on a career break since Dec 2017 so should I write in this section as "Homemaker (currently on a career break since ...). Would it help to provide HO with a few more information as to why I am taking this break and my plan of coming back to work? As I am a little worried being viewed as 'social benefit taker' (while I have never and have no plan in doing so myself).

1.46 Are you:
An employee
A business partner
Self-employeed
A director
Should I add a box saying "Homemaker" to tick?

1.47 Name of employer or business
1.48 Add of employer or business
1.49 Tax reference number
Should in fill in my most recent employer and their details and clearly stating so?

1.50 Employment history
Before getting full-time job, I had a freelance job with hourly rate for a short while. There was no contract whatsoever with the job coordinator (translation company), they only rang me as and when needed. Of course they needed my NI number but the total income I got from this job is way less than minimum taxable income. Do I therefore need to list it in my UK employment history?

2.1 Date and place of first arrival in the UK
While I fully intend to use the blank page in the application form to provide more information yet would appreciate to have your advice as to which date I should put down in this section basing on my situation as follow please:
I came to the UK for grad school in 2009 and left for home to work for a short while. Back in here in late 2011 on post-study work visa. Got married to my partner in mid 2013 before my post-study work visa ran out. I am confused by AN Guide explanation of 'intention to stay here for a long term'. What exactly is considered long term? Sometimes Home Office consider any stay longer than 6 months is long term but if long term means settle my life here in the UK for a long time then the latter was not my intention when I came in 2009 nor 2011. As mentioned earlier, I got married and switched to British spouse visa while I was still on Post-Study Work Visa so what date should I use as date of first arrival in the UK (with intention of staying long term) and place of first arrival (as I am already here in the UK when getting married).

6.7 BRP enclosed?
I planned to tick Yes and go to 6.11 where I do not want Home Office to retain my BRP (and I will return it within 5 days of receiving the grant of citizenship. However, if doing this via the online application, will Home Office return this BRP to me once before the final decision is made?

Supporting Documents
Section 5 - Evidence of freedom from immigration:
I can tick passport again but it is also ticked for Section 3 - Evidence of lawful residence. I think my BRP of ILR is better used in Section 5 however there is no option mentioning this. Would "the Home office letter by which you were given permission to remain permanently in the UK" be ticked while enclosing my BRP?

Section 10 - Evidence of NI contributions
I can't find all my payslips but got some years with me. Also had a confirmation letter from the most recent employer yet still waiting on another employer whose payslips were so long ago I lost them. Don't have any P60 during that old time either. I contacted HMRC but got an email saying they had 28 working days to response. Do you have any other way of contacting HMRC to get confirmation of my NI during my time working in the UK in case my old old firm not responding still please.

I also read somewhere in the forum saying that if one is not EU citizen then this NI contribution is not necessary yet could you kindly confirm as I could not find this information anywhere else in government website.

Last but not least, which way of application is faster, NCS or online NDRS? Reading from the forum I am under the impression that it seems to be quicker to apply online NDRS yet Home Office will keep all our originals (I am only concerned about passport and BRP) while considering? Yet by which way we can apply for both naturalisation and passport? My council does not have NDRS service, only NCS. Is it possible to use a nearby council of which NDRS is provided?

Thank you for reading and responding with advice. Once again apologies for a long message with quite a lot of queries.

A word of advice, start with smaller posts and a few questions. Very long posts put members off from responding as most of your queries are answered in the AN Guidance notes, AN Booklet and on the forum.

1.5 Name as it appears on your passport:
Surname/Family name:
Other names:
This sounds pretty straight forward and I have no problem with Surname part. Yet, in my passport, my other names is in the order of Middle Name 1 - Middle Name 2 - First Name. I am inclined to put it down as it is shonw in my passport. However, if doing so would this be questioned and/or my first name somehow will be initialised and one of my middle names will be used as my First Name in British documents (e.g: passport) later down the line?

Enter the 'Other Names' exactly as they appear in your passport.

1.45 What is your occupation?
I have been on a career break since Dec 2017 so should I write in this section as "Homemaker (currently on a career break since ...). Would it help to provide HO with a few more information as to why I am taking this break and my plan of coming back to work? As I am a little worried being viewed as 'social benefit taker' (while I have never and have no plan in doing so myself).

Write 'unemployed'. It is irrelevant why you are on a career break. Employment is not mandatory for citizenship. Claiming benefits also has NO impact or effect on your application. Don't overthink it.

1.46 Are you:
An employee
A business partner
Self-employeed
A director
Should I add a box saying "Homemaker" to tick?

Leave blank as you have already stated you are unemployed then in 1.45.

1.47 Name of employer or business
1.48 Add of employer or business
1.49 Tax reference number
Should in fill in my most recent employer and their details and clearly stating so?

No, it is asking for CURRENT employer details. Leave blank as you have already stated you are unemployed then in 1.45.

1.50 Employment history
Before getting full-time job, I had a freelance job with hourly rate for a short while. There was no contract whatsoever with the job coordinator (translation company), they only rang me as and when needed. Of course they needed my NI number but the total income I got from this job is way less than minimum taxable income. Do I therefore need to list it in my UK employment history?

You have to list ALL employment.

2.1 Date and place of first arrival in the UK
While I fully intend to use the blank page in the application form to provide more information yet would appreciate to have your advice as to which date I should put down in this section basing on my situation as follow please:
I came to the UK for grad school in 2009 and left for home to work for a short while. Back in here in late 2011 on post-study work visa. Got married to my partner in mid 2013 before my post-study work visa ran out. I am confused by AN Guide explanation of 'intention to stay here for a long term'. What exactly is considered long term? Sometimes Home Office consider any stay longer than 6 months is long term but if long term means settle my life here in the UK for a long time then the latter was not my intention when I came in 2009 nor 2011. As mentioned earlier, I got married and switched to British spouse visa while I was still on Post-Study Work Visa so what date should I use as date of first arrival in the UK (with intention of staying long term) and place of first arrival (as I am already here in the UK when getting married).

It does ask for the FIRST date of entry.

6.7 BRP enclosed?
I planned to tick Yes and go to 6.11 where I do not want Home Office to retain my BRP (and I will return it within 5 days of receiving the grant of citizenship. However, if doing this via the online application, will Home Office return this BRP to me once before the final decision is made?

If you apply online and by post yourself, your original documents are held by HO until your application is approved. If you apply online and use NDRS at the council, you get to keep hold of your original documents while your application is in process. You also get to apply for the passport on the paper passport form too if using NDRS.

Supporting Documents
Section 5 - Evidence of freedom from immigration:
I can tick passport again but it is also ticked for Section 3 - Evidence of lawful residence. I think my BRP of ILR is better used in Section 5 however there is no option mentioning this. Would "the Home office letter by which you were given permission to remain permanently in the UK" be ticked while enclosing my BRP?

Your BRP ILR is your evidence of free from immigration

Section 10 - Evidence of NI contributions
I can't find all my payslips but got some years with me. Also had a confirmation letter from the most recent employer yet still waiting on another employer whose payslips were so long ago I lost them. Don't have any P60 during that old time either. I contacted HMRC but got an email saying they had 28 working days to response. Do you have any other way of contacting HMRC to get confirmation of my NI during my time working in the UK in case my old old firm not responding still please.

Not necessary to send this.

I also read somewhere in the forum saying that if one is not EU citizen then this NI contribution is not necessary yet could you kindly confirm as I could not find this information anywhere else in government website.

You don't need to send it. Simply complete your NI number as appropriate in the form.

Last but not least, which way of application is faster, NCS or online NDRS? Reading from the forum I am under the impression that it seems to be quicker to apply online NDRS yet Home Office will keep all our originals (I am only concerned about passport and BRP) while considering? Yet by which way we can apply for both naturalisation and passport? My council does not have NDRS service, only NCS. Is it possible to use a nearby council of which NDRS is provided?

There is no 'faster' route, it can take a couple of months or many months whichever way you apply. NDRS is the only one where you can apply for citizenship and passport jointly. You can apply at ANY NDRS, it does not have to be your local council.

Thanks CR001 - Much appreciated your prompt and to the point guidance and advices. Not working suddenly has a certain unexpected effect on my confidence when it comes to applying for this type of documents hence the overthinking. Just a little more of your time if I may please.

2.1 - The guide AN, page 8, asks to "Enter the day you first arrived with a view to staying in the UK on a long-term basis, and the airport or seaport through which you then entered". so I reckon entering my first day enter (on Student visa) then provide more info in the blank page to stay on the safe side. What do you think?

Section 10 - Evidence of NI contributions - Noted that you said it is not necessary yet why in some cases the applicant still provide this and may I ask if there is a source clearly states that as a british spouse it is not necessary?

Again thanks a lot.

2.1 - The guide AN, page 8, asks to "Enter the day you first arrived with a view to staying in the UK on a long-term basis, and the airport or seaport through which you then entered". so I reckon entering my first day enter (on Student visa) then provide more info in the blank page to stay on the safe side. What do you think?

Not a trick question. You can state the first date you entered the UK.

Section 10 - Evidence of NI contributions - Noted that you said it is not necessary yet why in some cases the applicant still provide this and may I ask if there is a source clearly states that as a british spouse it is not necessary?

EU citizens for example need to provide it and evidence of residence for example. You do not.

Much appreciated CR001.

Have a great evening.