Immigrationboards.com

Dear forum members,

I would like to confirm when I could send the Naturalisation form (AN), is it 12 months after the stamped ILR date within the passport.

Also, I have a query with regard to the process of getting british citizenship. As I intend to travel very often overseas especially to US and Far East countries, how long would I be stuck with the entire process of naturalisation + British passport. Please an estimate/guesstimate is appreciative.

josh

12 months from the ILR issue date in your passport.
Straightforward BC applications from submission and acceptance - ceremony - passport application - interview - passport issue = on average 3 months.
The initial application seems to be taking around 4 - 6 weeks to process, but the rest depends on how quickly you can book a ceremony and the passport interview.
If you use the NCS, you won't have to be without your original passport.

If you have been residing legally in the UK for the previous 5 years then you can apply to naturalise exactly 12 months after you were granted ILR.

If you were illegal at any point during the previous 5 years, you will have to wait until you have completed 5 years legal residence, including 1 year of ILR

If you are married to a British citizen you can apply for naturalisation after 3 years of legal residence in the UK, regardless of how long you have held ILR

If you have been residing legally in the UK for the previous 5 years then you can apply to naturalise exactly 12 months after you were granted ILR.

The actual rule is slightly different from that. The applicant, not married to (or in Civil Partnership with) a British Citizen, must have been in the UK exactly 5 years before UKBA receive the Naturalisation application.

Also, the application can be made any time after the ILR has been held for 12 months.There is no "exactly" in it.