Post
by f3681 » Tue Mar 25, 2025 10:00 am
My wife's application... a very non-standard case and consequently 4½ months wait, but all successful in the end. She applied directly, without immigration solicitors. Because of the very rare exempt vignette, application was directly for naturalisation after 3 years in the UK, bypassing the ILR stage, which I believe makes it the shortest possible path to UK citizenship.
Details
Eligibility: Spouse of British citizen + living in the UK for 3 years + being on the exempt vignette on the day of application — exempt from immigration control as an employee of an international organisation, section 8(2) of the Immigration Act 1971
Nationality: Russian
Language: Trinity College London
Timeline
Submitted: 13 November 2024, online
Biometrics: 29 November 2024, Cambridge Central Library, free
Approval: 24 March 2025, email from Home Office Atlas
Ceremony: 31 March 2025, Cambridgeshire, private — the last day it costs £130, as it would raise to £200 from 1 April
Notes
Chased FNE on 13 February 2025, then chased FNE and CS on 13 March 2025. Not sure if this made a difference in the end, because all correspondence ended up arriving on the same day: first council email, then Home Office Atlas notification, then reply from citizenship.support.