Naturalization application and going away for long period

[sonub4ualt]

Hi all,

I will be applying for my wife's naturalization application next week. Is it ok for her to travel after submitting her biometrics and return at the time of ceremony of citizenship. Will there be any problem for applying british passport as she will be away for longer period. She is planning to be away for 1 year.

Thanks
Sonu

[CR001]

Should be ok. No issues with absence and passport application.

[sonub4ualt]

Should be ok. No issues with absence and passport application.

Thanks for your quick response.
Could you please also clarify if there would be any questions regarding her absence at the passport interview.

Thanks,
Sonu

[CR001]

No. British citizens are not required to declare absences. They can live where they choose or holiday for as long as they wish.

[sonub4ualt]

Hi All,

We both husband and wife applied for naturalization via NCS on 8th Oct'15. The application was held at NCS as the adviser said that we cannot fulfill the residency requirements as we were away between those dates. I was away from 3rd Oct-12th Oct 2010 and wife was away from 3rd Oct-23rd Oct'2010 (you have to be physically present in the UK 5 years prior to your application on the date which you submit your application). So, as per travel dates the NCS adviser sent my application on 13th Oct'15 and my wife's on 27th Oct'15 and the home office acknowledged our applications via email and correspondence.

After submitting our biometrics, we had a family wedding in India so we traveled on 26th Nov'2015. Wedding was on 29th Nov and the marriage celebrations went on until the 8th Dec'15. Unfortunately, my wife fell off some stairs and sustained an injury to her back. MRI report confirmed she has a slipped disc and she is undergoing physiotherapy. I had to travel alone on 10th Dec leaving behind my wife and 2 kids (aged 3 and 1, both British) .

After returning i found post from Home office asking my wife to re-sign and re-date the application as they mentioned in the letter that they will consider the date of application as the date the application was signed (very strange, as the date of application received will be the date of application in general terms). Anyway, she resigned section 6 and couriered me the signed application back, which in turn I reposted on 23rd Dec'15.

Questions:
1.As she is medically unfit to travel, can she have the ceremony arranged in India.
Note: The council has been informed that she is away, as we are on HB.

2.If this can happen, how long will it take for her to apply for a British passport from India

Thanks
Sonu

[CR001]

1. I doubt she can. A slipped disc doesn't take years to get better, it usually takes a couple of weeks. I have 3 in my lower back and just get on with things

2. 6 months to 1 year as ALL passports are processed in the UK.

[geriatrix]

1.As she is medically unfit to travel

Who has determined that - you or a specialist doctor?
You can request for extension of the time limit to attend a ceremony (from 3 months to 6) but this will require a specialist doctor's (equivalent of UK consultant) certification that the applicant is unable to travel.

According to the guidance, one may request to attend a ceremony abroad only if the application is made under s6(2), i.e.- as spouse of a British citizen, not when the application is made under s6(1).

[sonub4ualt]

thanks sushdmehta for your reply..i am hoping that she will be back sometime mid Jan'15...Now i understand that we can extend the ceremony by some time...this is the only answer i was looking for.

thanks CR001...I forgot to mention she earlier had a fall in her early teen's and was wheelchair bound for 3 months and the doctor has said that the most recent fall might have aggravated the symptoms and made it a little worse. This is a pre-existing condition. Hope she recovers soon and gets back to normal.

sonu

[CR001]

Have you received approval letters yet? I am guessing not, so would suggest wait for these and see how things go. You could even book her ceremony as late as possible once the ceremony invitation letters are received.

[sonub4ualt]

No not yet...we will wait and see if she returns before approval it is well. Hopefully we expect the approvals to come in the month of Jan'16 looking at the current processing timelines.