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Hi there

I am from Pakistan, I completed my Ph.D. in2010 from the UK and came back again to the UK in August 2012 on Tier 2 VISA. Later on, after completing five years of residency, I applied for ILR in Dec 2018 and received ILR in Dec 2018. Now its been more than 12 months since I am living in the UK after the permanent residency i.e ILR. Now I am planning to apply for British citizenship through naturalization. I have read the following information :
Eligibility and fees
You’ll usually be able to apply for citizenship if you’re over 18 and have had one of the following for 12 months:

indefinite leave to remain in the UK
‘settled status’ (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme’)
indefinite leave to enter the UK (permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad)
You will not need to wait 12 months to apply if you’re married to a British citizen.

You must also:

prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application
prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
have passed the life in the UK test
intend to continue living in the UK
be of good character - read the naturalisation guidance

I want to know that after living for 12 month in UK after ILR do i still need to prove five years of living in UK and if the answer is yes what documents would be need to do so.
Regards
NQazi

You need to prove 5 years residency in UK if you are applying in your own right and NOT married to a British Citizen (in that case its 3 years).

You dont need to provide any documents. Only your Pakistani passport and entry/exit stamps covering the last 5 years preceding the date of application are enough.

Dear Cullinan
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. its really helpful. on the same note i have one more query, it says that it make take upto 6 month to procced the naturalisation application for british citizenship. I want to know once i make this application then can i go outside the uk for example holidays or trip back to my country or should i wait until the i recieve the naturalisation certificate.
Kind regards
Nadeem

You are free to travel once you have applied.

nqazi wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:40 am

Dear Cullinan
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. its really helpful. on the same note i have one more query, it says that it make take upto 6 month to procced the naturalisation application for british citizenship. I want to know once i make this application then can i go outside the uk for example holidays or trip back to my country or should i wait until the i recieve the naturalisation certificate.
Kind regards
Nadeem

As CR001 said, you are free to travel. You only become British once you attend the ceremony. You are free to travel on your ILR before you attend your ceremony. After you attend your ceremony, you will have to return your ILR within 5 days to HO and then apply for a British Passport.

Hi there
We (my wife and myself ) have attained permanent residency ILR in Dec 2018 .I am now planning for applying for British citizenship and hence want to apply for naturalisation. I have few queries
Can i apply a joint application with my wife or should we both need to apply separately.
Secondly once we applied for naturalisation , then can we still go outside UK or should we avoid travelling aboard until the naturalising application is approved.
I came to know that now both naturalisation and first British passport application can be applied together, I would appreciate comments on this if it is possible to make a joint application for naturalisation and first British passport together.
Regards
Nadeem

1) Family members can add their applications in the same ACCOUNT but will fill their own forms. Both applications will be processed on its own merits also.

2) You are free to travel until you attend the ceremony. You become British at the ceremony. Your ILR BRP becomes invalid then and needs to be returned to HO within 5 days after ceremony.

3) You have to apply for AN application first. Once approved and you attend the ceremony, you have to apply for BP separately. There is no joint (AN + BP) application anymore. It is the past now.

Topics merged!!!