Applying for UK citizenship and moving abroad - process

[Kotiara]

I am considering moving abroad after I apply for British citizenship. My intention is to come back to the UK eventually, but I need to go abroad for a few years for family reasons. The sooner I can move the better. What is the earliest time I can move out starting from the date when I apply?

My current thinking is as follows:

1. Apply for citizenship via NCS. Have to be in the UK for at least 5-10 days after that (somebody told me NCS had told them that).
2. Wait for a confirmation letter which may take how much time to arrive? 2 weeks? A month? Do it need to be in the UK physically? Do i need to maintain an address here (keep renting) or can I get a representative (lawyer) so that all correspondence goes to him?
3. Once the letter arrives, call a local authority to schedule a naturalisation ceremony. AFAIK i don't have to be in the uk physically all the time before the ceremony. I can just come for a coule of days to attend it and then go abroad again.
4. I'll be given a naturslisation cert. at the ceremony. Then I can go wherever I want, can I?
5. I'd like to apply for the first passport abroad. Is it possible?

If anybody has done anything similar or can tell me whether or not this plan is sensible and answer some of my questions, i'll highly appreciate it. Obviously the purpose is to find out when i can leave if i play by the rules rather than break them.

[Spartac]

Technically, you don't qualify for citizenship based on that. The extract from the Home Office for citizenship eligibility is as below - see the third one:

There are seven requirements you need to meet before you apply:

- you are aged 18 or over; and
- you are of sound mind; and
- you intend to continue to live in the United Kingdom, or to continue in crown service, the service of an international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member, or the service of a company or association established in the United Kingdom; and
- you can communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree; and
- you have sufficient knowledge of life in the United Kingdom; and
- you are of good character; and
- you meet the residential requirements

Practically it might work, but its best to stay in the UK till you get your citizenship to be safe. Once you are a citizen you have the same rights as everyone else and then you can move abroad. There is a thread relevant to this on the forum somewhere but I can't recall where at the moment.

[Kotiara]

I have mentioned that i do intend to live in the UK, but I have to spend some time abroad for family reasons.

[Spartac]

I found the thread where this was discussed earlier, might be useful in making your decision, particlarly the link to the caseworkers' guidance:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=47810

Regards - Spartac

[Kotiara]

Thanks a lot, but it's still unclear. Here is the quote from that topic:

The intention to live in the UK on a permanent basis is quite important as British Citizenship is only granted to applicants who intend to live in the UK. However, after being naturalized, it is not legally possible to maintain such a requirement, therefore this requirement is in place only whilst an application is pending – once the application is successfully completed, the requirement no longer pertains, and one is no longer constrained to live in the UK.

I'm not sure at which point an application becomes successfully completed. Is it when you receive a confirmation letter asking to contact the local authority and arrange a ceremony or is it after the ceremony?

[Spartac]

The application is successfully completed when you attend the ceremony and get your citizenship certificate. You become a citizen at that point.

If your application is successful and you do not attend the ceremony within 90 days (I think), you may have to start the entire application all over again.

Hence, the application process is complete once you attend the ceremony.

I am not sure how you go about applying for your first passport overseas. I think you can but not sure.

[imb-victor]

Well once you are naturalised after ceremony, your old passport will be invalid to travel ( unless dual citizenship is recognised by your first country ), so technically you can't go abroad without your passport.

After you get your British passport, you'll also need to get visa for the country you are visiting ( if needed )

[global gypsy]

Safest would be to get your passport from within the UK, then travel outside. There are extra requirements for your first passport, which may be harder to meet if applying from abroad.

[Backer]

I strongly disagree with most advice given here:

1. Once you naturalize (i.e. get your certificate) you can leave and.or enter the UK just like any other British citizen.

2. The fact that you get British citizenhip does not affect your existing foreign passport. Even if your original country does not allow dual citiznehip - from a ptacticel point of view - how will they know you are also a British Citizen?

3. Once you are a British Citizen and have possession of your certificate you can apply for a British passport at your local British embassy or consulate in your country of origin. In fact, you might get it faster and easier than the UK (and even without an interview - depending on the country)

4. Until then you can still leave and enter the UK with your original passport.

[djb123]

I strongly disagree with most advice given here:

1. Once you naturalize (i.e. get your certificate) you can leave and.or enter the UK just like any other British citizen.

2. The fact that you get British citizenhip does not affect your existing foreign passport. Even if your original country does not allow dual citiznehip - from a ptacticel point of view - how will they know you are also a British Citizen?

3. Once you are a British Citizen and have possession of your certificate you can apply for a British passport at your local British embassy or consulate in your country of origin. In fact, you might get it faster and easier than the UK (and even without an interview - depending on the country)

4. Until then you can still leave and enter the UK with your original passport.

1. Yes, but the point is that if you weren't planning to live in the UK technically you are not eligible to apply for British Citizenship.

2/4 If your original country doesn't recognise dual citizenship or require you to re-acquire your citizenship then your original passport is invalid. Your ILR visa will definately be invalid. Though you are very likely to get away with using them.

[Kotiara]

Safest would be to get your passport from within the UK, then travel outside. There are extra requirements for your first passport, which may be harder to meet if applying from abroad.

Do you know what these extra requirments are?

[Casa]

A face to face interview. The questions will include home address, telephone number in the UK etc.

[Kotiara]

A face to face interview. The questions will include home address, telephone number in the UK etc.

Can't a British citizen get a first passport in a different country? Is having an address in the UK a requirement when applying for the first passport?

[Backer]

I believe you can do it abroad.
Once you completed your naturalization and recieved your naturalization certificate you are a british citizen and should be able to apply for a first passport at your local British embassy or consulate. Contact them and/or check their website about the procedure and related forms.

[ya75khan]

my wife is in the same situation.
I have a contract in Middle east that I have to start soon.

My wife will join me in two months after applying for BC. We plan to maintain an address here. Plan is for to come back when the approval is received, do the ceremony and get the British passport before joining me again.

I do not have any dual nationality issues. But can we do the above?

How would Home office would know that she has traveled abroad after applying?

[Glc]

Kotiara,

You might find this link about first british passport application while abroad useful:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_183772

Just to reinforce what other forum members have mentioned, you only become a british citizen when you attend the ceremony. You may also still use your current passport with the ILR stamp to enter the UK even when you have become a BC. However, if it's possible to get a british passport, then just do it as soon as possible to avoid any problems in the future.

I suppose going abroad and staying there temporarily after becoming a BC shouldn't be a concern especially since you'd still maintaining ties here in the UK, would you?

[ali_bat]

Just to add some clarification to the thread in general, but particularly in reply to Spartac. It seems it is possible to attend the citizenship ceremony in another country, or postpone it, rather than having to start the whole process again.

I recently made this enquiry to the UKBA:

I am planning to apply for British citizenship, under the 3-year married to a British citizen qualifying rules. I will be in the UK when I aim to apply, and plan to go through the Nationality Checking service so that I will have my passport available for travel. However, I will be travelling in early 2013 for a period of ~ 3 months for work and am worried that this might fall into the 90-day period in which I am allocated to attend a citizenship ceremony.

I have two questions:
- can the citizenship ceremony be attended in another country? (under the circumstances with which I am applying)
- can the citizenship ceremony 90 day period be postponed? If so, for how long?

This is their response:

If your application is successful, it is possible, should you not be able to attend the Citizenship Ceremony, that you can ask to have this transferred to a foreign consulate.

If however you are not able to attend on the date, and unable to have it at a consulate then you can apply for an extension of taking the ceremony, which usually gives you three more months to schedule an appropriate date with us.

[Jambo]

See the policy in 6.11.22.11.

[codem2013]

Have you managed to apply successfully? Can you share your experience with us?
Thanks

[CR001]

Have you managed to apply successfully? Can you share your experience with us?
Thanks

This topic is from 2010 and the member no longer active on the forum.

Please refrain from digging up old topics to tag questions onto.