UK nationality eligible period for dependents- 5years/3year

[bavaarun]

Hi,
I have finished my 5 years in UK (4 years in WP + 1 year in ILR) on last March 2006. I now got my UK nationality application form and booked an appointment with nationality checking service on 12th May 2006. One of my friends raised the following question: I got married and brought my wife during Nov 2001. She has finished only 41/2 years now. He said she needs to finish 5 years before apply for her UK nationality. Only the UK nationality dependent only eligible to apply for UK nationality after 3 years and rest of dependent have to finish to 5 years. Is this correct? Please confirm me at the earliest. Both of us passed the nationality test. Could you please tell, is she eligible to apply UK nationality along with me now or wait until she finish 5 years.
I look forward to hear from you soon.
Thanks
Kumar

[ppron747]

It is three years if you're married to a British citizen, and five years if you're not....

So you're wife shouldn't apply in May, because you're not yet a British citizen, and she hasn't done her five years. However, as soon as your application has been approved, and you've had your ceremony, you will be a BC, and your wife will be able to apply immediately, as she'll be the wife of a BC, with more than 3 years residence.

Alternatively, you could both wait until she has done five years, and then you could apply together - IIRC a joint husband/wfie application saves a couple of hundred pounds, and it wouldn't be long to wait, would it?

HTH