Naturalisation after ILR (10 year rule)

[Jay Menon]

Hi Guys

3 months ago my wife and I acquired ILR in the UK after having lived here for 10 years. Ordinarily you need to have been here for 4 years (5 years now), but I had originally come in 1996 as a junior doctor on permit free training. Therefore my wife and I were required to have been resident in the UK for 10 years.

Now we want to apply for British Citizenship. Do we have to wait for a full year (i.e. no restrictions on our stay for the last year) or can we apply now? (We're shortly due to sit the Life in the UK test).

Jay

[John]

In your circumstances ... not married to or in Civil Partnership with a British Citizen .... you need to have held ILR for a minimum of one year prior to applying for Naturalisation.

However there is nothing stopping you and your wife studying for, and hopefully passing, the Citizenship Test as soon as you want. That is, there is no expiry date on the pass certificate.

[Jay Menon]

Thank you John.

Regards

Jay