Help please - Questions regarding AN online application form

[AnnieDK123]

Hi everyone,

I would be very grateful if anybody could help me please. I’m an EU national and has had settled status for 1 year now. I now want to apply to naturalise. the application requires that I prove 5 years lawful residence, which I understand as having to prove that I was a worker for 5 years. The problem I’m facing is that 5 years ago I just started on my maternity leave (I received maternity allowance from October 2015-April 2016). Do I need to wait until may 2021 in order for me to apply to naturalise or can I apply now?

Furthermore which document would I need to submit?

Thank you in advance

[Zerubbabel]

Hello

You can apply now. No issues with maternity as long as you were in the UK 5 years ago.

Fill the application online. Then, it will give you a checklist for documents specific to your case.

[AnnieDK123]

Thank you so much for your help. I was so worried that I couldn’t apply now, as I would be on maternity leave 5 years ago. Home Office can be a pain to deal with sometimes, so thank you so much for your help

[AnnieDK123]

Hi,

I would be very grateful if someone could help me regarding the AN application.

I’m a bit unsure what to answer to the last three sections in the form:

1. Are there any reasons why you cannot meet the requirements to become a British citizen? (I answered no)
2. If you do not meet the statutory requirements to become a British citizen, are there any special circumstances why you think the Home Secretary should still grant your application?

I answered no, but I’m not sure if my maternity leave now and my leave 5 years ago should be stated here? I am an EU national and At this time 5 years ago I was on maternity leave, but do not have any payslips from that period as I received maternity allowance back then. I just started working for my current employer back then l, so I didn’t qualify for statutory maternity pay. I have been working there ever since, but in that time I was on leave I didn’t get any payslips and my p60 for that year shows my income as very low. the guidance for the AN application says that an EU national needs to prove that they were working/ here lawfully, but my income for that year is far below the amount for when HO sees you as a “worker”. Or should I state this in the last question which is:

3. do you have any other details that you would like to be considered regarding this applicant and their application to become registered as a British citizen?

Thank you

[alterhase58]

Answers to 1) and 2) should be "no"
There are no specific earnings requirements for naturalisation, indeed employment is not a requirement. Depending on how long you have been on maternity leave you may wish to include another official document such as council tax bill, HMRC communication, NHS letter, etc, covering the period. If you are not comfortable with this you could still explain under 3).

[AnnieDK123]

Answers to 1) and 2) should be "no"
There are no specific earnings requirements for naturalisation, indeed employment is not a requirement. Depending on how long you have been on maternity leave you may wish to include another official document such as council tax bill, HMRC communication, NHS letter, etc, covering the period. If you are not comfortable with this you could still explain under 3).

Thank you so much

[AnnieDK123]

Hi everybody.


I have one more question please. The qualifying period of 5 years, is it proof of 5 years of lawfully residence from the application date and 5 years back, or is it 5 years BEFORE settled status under the EU settlement scheme?

Thanks

[CR001]

Date of citizenship application and the 5 years immediately before that date.

[AnnieDK123]

Date of citizenship application and the 5 years immediately before that date.

Thank you very much for your help