Immigrationboards.com

Good afternoon,

I am a British Citizen born in 1980 with a Gambian wife.

Wife's Immigration History:

May 2008 - arrives in UK on a student visa
June 2009 - begin cohabiting as unmarried partners
September 2009 - visa extension submitted (in time)
late 2009 - visa refused, appeal submitted (in time)
spring 2010 - appeal refused, flr(o) application submitted (in time)
May 2010 - first child born
May 2011 - 3 years DLR granted (paper residence permit)
June 2011 - married
April 2014 - second child born
May 2014 - visa expires, flr(o) application submitted (in time)
August 2014 - 3 years DLR granted and BRP issued
June 2016 - third child born
August 2017 - BRP expires

I gather that we are entitled to submit a set(o) application after completing six years of discretionary leave, but I am a little clear on when exactly to submit the application. As the first leave was granted in May 2011, and we are entitled to submit an application 30 days before the end of the 6 year qualifying period, does this mean that we can submit a set(o) application in April 2016?

1. Please clarify and advise exactly when the earliest point we can make the application is.
2. Please also advise if this date is different for postal applications and those made at a peo.
3. Finally, please advise whether or not a naturalisation application can be made at the same time.

Thanks in advance for you advice.

1. Please clarify and advise exactly when the earliest point we can make the application is.

No sooner than 28 days before the date that you were first granted DLR

2. Please also advise if this date is different for postal applications and those made at a peo.

Same as above.

3. Finally, please advise whether or not a naturalisation application can be made at the same time.

For who, you?? They are two different department and you need ILR before you can apply for naturalisation. There is no 'same day' service for citizenship.

CR001 wrote:

3. Finally, please advise whether or not a naturalisation application can be made at the same time.

For who, you?? They are two different department and you need ILR before you can apply for naturalisation. There is no 'same day' service for citizenship.

I was hoping my wife could use the same appointment to submit a naturalisation application at the same time as her settlement application. It's my understanding that as I am a British Citizen, my wife is eligible to submit a naturalisation application as soon as she obtains ILR.

angloafrican wrote:I was hoping my wife could use the same appointment to submit a naturalisation application at the same time as her settlement application. It's my understanding that as I am a British Citizen, my wife is eligible to submit a naturalisation application as soon as she obtains ILR.

Yes she can, but she cannot apply in person for a same day decision for naturalisation. She needs proof of ILR to apply for citizenship.

Once she has her ILR BRP card, she can apply for citizenship provided she meets ALL the requirements. She can apply by post or use NCS at the council to apply (she gets to keep all original documents if she does this) and the NCS also has the joint citizenship and passport application scheme.

Do I have to pay all the fees at the time of booking the appointment or do I pay for the booking fee first, and then the application fee later?

You pay all the fees through the online system.

I understand it is best to include as much as possible, but what is the minimum supporting documentation that we will need to provide?

- wife's Gambian passport and brp
- my British passport
- kids' British passports
- kids birth certificates
- proof of address

Is the above and or anything not listed essential?

Is anything else not essential but recommended?

Thanks in advance.