Form AN

[unxepktylwvhl]

Hi,
After a year of waiting since my ILR, time has come for me to apply for citizenship. Yay!

While filling in the form, I came across section 2.1, which states,

2.1 Date and place of first arrival in the United Kingdom (see page 7 of the Guide).

To give you a background of my stay in the UK, I first came here in 2004 on a working holiday visa and left in March 2006 when my visa was expiring and then came back in June (so I was absent from the UK for a little over 2 months) in the same year on a work permit, which is when my qualifying period for ILR began. During my stay here (going back to 2004), I always maintained one primary address and in section

1.17 Please provide your addresses for the past five years.
I actually put down 15/05/2004 in the from field.

2.1 is asked in a way where I thought I should put down 2004 as my arrival year, but then looking at the guidance, it seems to say,

2.1 Enter the day you first arrived with a view to staying in the UK on a long-term basis, and
the airport or seaport through which you then entered.

This seems to indicate that I should say 2006 should be the year? Searching the forum was confusing because everyone seems to suggest the former, i.e. 2004.

Can you please clarify?
Thank you.

[Jambo]

Choose one of the two. I would put 2004 but it's doesn't really matter much. You won't get refused because of your answer to this question.

[unxepktylwvhl]

Thank you! I think I'll go with the latter date (makes sense with the guideline provided).

Choose one of the two. I would put 2004 but it's doesn't really matter much. You won't get refused because of your answer to this question.

[geriatrix]

Hi,
Seems that I'm royally shafted on this one. The guidance of section 2.2 Please give details of all absences from the United Kingdom during the last five years states:

Please note: You should also check that you were physically present in the UK 5 years (3
years if you are married to or in civil partnership with a British citizen) before the date that
the application will be received by the UK Border Agency

My official ILR period began in the UK in 06/06/2006 when I came here on WP and granted an ILR on 17/06/2011 and I was planning to send in my application on the 17th of this month.

However, due to business travels, I was away from 03/06/2007 to 10/09/2007 in 2007. Does this mean that I can't send out my application till 10th September? That would be one hell of a turn off

Thanks!

[geriatrix]

The residential qualifying period is calculated from the day when we receive your application. Most unsuccessful applications fail because the applicant was not present in the UK at the beginning of the residential qualifying period. You must make sure you meet this requirement before you make your application. For example, if we receive your application on 25 March 2010, you must show that you were in the UK on 26 March 2005.

[unxepktylwvhl]

This is immensely frustrating indeed and very disappointing. Is there a way that I can appeal against this? Waiting for three months is a tall order and I couldn't have applied earlier anyway because I had to wait for minimum one year after being granted ILR too. A real catch-22!

Anyway, thanks for the clarification, much appreciated.

The residential qualifying period is calculated from the day when we receive your application. Most unsuccessful applications fail because the applicant was not present in the UK at the beginning of the residential qualifying period. You must make sure you meet this requirement before you make your application. For example, if we receive your application on 25 March 2010, you must show that you were in the UK on 26 March 2005.

[Greenie]

No you can't appeal. This is the law and everyone needs to meet this equirement.