Can spouse of ILR holder directly register as Brit citizen?

[lawabidingimmigrant]

Dear forum members,

Situation is I've got my ILR sorted last month. We have applied to register our 2 year old kid born in the UK as a British citizen through NCS under Section 1 (3) in MN1.

My partner has lived in the UK as a PBS Dependant for 5 years (we arrived in the UK together) & still has a PBS Dependant visa valid till 01/2018.

Just wondering if PBS dependant partner of ILR holder can directly register as a British citizen? Is there a way PBS dependant can directly register as a British citizen along with the ILR holder who is the main applicant if the PBS dependant is going to live in the UK as primary country of residence & has already spent 5 years? By the time I apply to register as Brit citizen next year, she will have already legally spent 6 years in the UK as PBS dependant. She has already passed Life in the UK test & qualifies for ILR as a dependant. Can she directly register as Brit citizen next year with me without having to go through the ILR process as her visa is still valid till 01/2018?

I did read some thread about a case of two teenagers who were born outside UK who had applied for registration directly without going through ILR as their parents were already settled in the UK. Will something on similar lines be relevant here?

Appreciate your valuable inputs in this matter. Any quick pointers will be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Casa]

Your wife will need to have been granted ILR before she qualifies to apply for British Citizenship.

[WR1]

I did read some thread about a case of two teenagers who were born outside UK who had applied for registration directly without going through ILR as their parents were already settled in the UK. Will something on similar lines be relevant here?

Only if one of the parents of your partner is a British Citizen or has settlement status (ILR), just as your were able to register for your kid's nationality, otherwise the answer is No.

[lawabidingimmigrant]

Thanks Casa & WR1.

If we have to send a postal application for ILR, can we pay the fees using credit card or does it have to be cheque or postal order only for postal applications? Are card payments only accepted for premium appointments? Just double checking as on the form it says (for postal applications only) for cheque & postal order payments.

[WR1]

Credit card is fine.

For postal applications, you can pay by Cheque, Postal Order, Credit card, Debit card and Banker’s draft.

For premium appointment, because the booking is done online, the system only allows payment by either Credit card or Debit card.

[lawabidingimmigrant]

Thank you so much for confirming.

I'll be posting the ILR application along with supporting docs tomorrow & paying by credit card.

Hope application goes fine.