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British/Naturalisation Citizenship

A section for posts relating to applications for Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen. Naturalisation

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ale45
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Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2025 7:15 pm
Italy

British/Naturalisation Citizenship

Post by ale45 » Mon Mar 10, 2025 7:19 pm

Hi there,
I'm about to submit the application for naturalisation and have a question re the documents to upload to prove the presence in the UK for the last 5 years.
I understand utility bills and bank statements are not suitable proves, however i was out of job in 2020 and cannot provide any letters from employers. What alternative doc or proof can I provide in this case?
Thank you in advance!

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contorted_svy
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Posts: 3710
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2022 6:10 pm
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Re: British/Naturalisation Citizenship

Post by contorted_svy » Mon Mar 10, 2025 7:27 pm

How long were you unemployed for in 2020?

You have a few options:

- Provide council tax in your name (some members report that to have worked as proof of address)
- Request a SAR
- Depending how long you don't have proof of address for and when exactly in 2020 it happened, you can explain to the HO that this happened during lockdown and even though you don't have proof of address you couldn't have travelled.
All advice comes from personal research and experience and should not be regarded as professional opinion.

ale45
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2025 7:15 pm
Italy

Re: British/Naturalisation Citizenship

Post by ale45 » Tue Mar 11, 2025 5:01 pm

HI,
Thank you for getting back to me.
I was unemployed from March 2020 to January 2021.

Please see my comments below:
- Provide council tax in your name (some members report that to have worked as proof of address.
I have Council tax in my name however they say it is not suitable proof of presence in the UK
- Request a SAR- What is it?
- Depending how long you don't have proof of address for and when exactly in 2020 it happened, you can explain to the HO that this happened during lockdown and even though you don't have proof of address you couldn't have travelled.

It's all very confusing. Do you know people who faced this issue and who have been granted citizenship?
Thank you in advance!

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contorted_svy
Respected Guru
Posts: 3710
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2022 6:10 pm
Italy

Re: British/Naturalisation Citizenship

Post by contorted_svy » Tue Mar 11, 2025 5:44 pm

Council tax bills have been reported as being accepted so together with your other proof of address that should cover it.

You can request a SAR here https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration specifying you need the dates when you crossed the borders in the last 5 years.

Were you claiming benefits? If so, letters from the DWP dated in that time period will be OK.


From the guidance https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... #page%3D16
Absences
You must check the available evidence to see whether an applicant meets the
residence requirements.
The following can be used as evidence of residence:
• passports or travel documents which have been stamped to show arrival in the
UK and entry and departure from other countries: these should be checked
against the list of absences that applicants are asked to provide on the
application form
• Home Office records
• if the applicant does not have passports to cover the qualifying period, other
evidence such as employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters:
o in such cases you should assess whether there is sufficient evidence to
show that that applicant has been resident in the UK during the qualifying
period, giving them the benefit of any doubt where claimed absences are
within the limits we would normally allow and there are no grounds to doubt
the accuracy of the claim
You must not normally accept doctors' letters on their own as proof of residence.
However, if nothing else is available and the doctors can confirm that they have seen
the applicant on a regular basis during the period concerned these may be accepted.
If there are gaps in a person’s evidence of residence and it is clear from the
information available that they could not have travelled, you must accept this.
Examples of this might include a refugee who has no means of travel or where
immigration records confirm continuous residence.
You must only count whole days' absences from the UK. You must not count the
dates of departure and arrival as absences. For example, a person who left the UK
on 22 September and returned on 23 September will not be classed as having been
absent from the UK.
An applicant only needs to have been physically present in the UK for the purpose of
the act. They do not have to have been ordinarily resident or domiciled here.
All advice comes from personal research and experience and should not be regarded as professional opinion.

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