British Citizenship

[Disha2023]

Hi all,

My brp about to expire end of this year, I’ve applied for British Citizenship last year and it’s still in process. Home office sent me email to prove the presence in UK at the beginning of my 3 year time. I’ve no utility bills and also I didn’t work at that time. Therefore only I had bank statements with child benefits income at that time. I didn’t travel anywhere at that time therefore no passport entry or exit stamp in particular month. I didn’t claim any benefits either. How do I prove the physical presence during that month and year. Please advise. Thanks.

[contorted_svy]

Does your passport get stamped at exit/entry from the UK? if that is the case strange they would ask, as your passport proves you didn't leave (I m assuming you sent copies of all pages). You can do a SAR with the border control to prove you were in the country. You could also provide letters that prove you were on child benefits or any government letter dated in that month. If your child was going to school you could ask a letter from the school stating you regularly picked up your child.

[Disha2023]

Thank you for the reply controted_svy,

My passport is Canadian and they don’t stamp on my passport. Only few times I got stamped. But I sent all my pages of my current and previous passport. If I went anywhere else I could have got stamped on passport. Which is not in my case. Is my bank statement enough to proof. Thanks

[contorted_svy]

Bank statements aren't generally accepted. Do you have any of the other evidence I suggested? How long do you have to respond, could you try a SAR with border force?

[alterhase58]

Bank statements aren't generally accepted. Do you have any of the other evidence I suggested? How long do you have to respond, could you try a SAR with border force?

Members keep quoting guidance that bank statements and utility bills are not accepted - been saying this for years - am I wrong?

[Disha2023]

Bank statements aren't generally accepted. Do you have any of the other evidence I suggested? How long do you have to respond, could you try a SAR with border force?

I’ve to respond before January 12,2024. SAR will take long time right. No other options is available but I’ve submitted my current and previous passport all pages. Don’t know what to do.

In the case of refusal of my citizenship for not having enough proof, what will happen to my current ILR no time limit status. Thanks.

[meself2]

Nothing - it'll stay as it is.

[contorted_svy]

Bank statements aren't generally accepted. Do you have any of the other evidence I suggested? How long do you have to respond, could you try a SAR with border force?

Members keep quoting guidance that bank statements and utility bills are not accepted - been saying this for years - am I wrong?

I am referring to this https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... #page%3D16 page 16. No reference to utility bills or bank statements being accepted as evidence of residence, they are useful for EUSS though that I know of.


Absences
You must check the available evidence to see whether an applicant meets the
residence requirements.
The following can be used as evidence of residence:
• passports or travel documents which have been stamped to show arrival in the
UK and entry and departure from other countries: these should be checked
against the list of absences that applicants are asked to provide on the
application form
• Home Office records
• if the applicant does not have passports to cover the qualifying period, other
evidence such as employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters:
o in such cases you should assess whether there is sufficient evidence to
show that that applicant has been resident in the UK during the qualifying
period, giving them the benefit of any doubt where claimed absences are
within the limits we would normally allow and there are no grounds to doubt
the accuracy of the claim
You must not normally accept doctors' letters on their own as proof of residence.
However, if nothing else is available and the doctors can confirm that they have seen
the applicant on a regular basis during the period concerned these may be accepted.
If there are gaps in a person’s evidence of residence and it is clear from the
information available that they could not have travelled, you must accept this.
Examples of this might include a refugee who has no means of travel or where
immigration records confirm continuous residence.
You must only count whole days' absences from the UK. You must not count the
dates of departure and arrival as absences. For example, a person who left the UK
on 22 September and returned on 23 September will not be classed as having been
absent from the UK.
An applicant only needs to have been physically present in the UK for the purpose of
the act. They do not have to have been ordinarily resident or domiciled here.

[contorted_svy]

Bank statements aren't generally accepted. Do you have any of the other evidence I suggested? How long do you have to respond, could you try a SAR with border force?

I’ve to respond before January 12,2024. SAR will take long time right. No other options is available but I’ve submitted my current and previous passport all pages. Don’t know what to do.

In the case of refusal of my citizenship for not having enough proof, what will happen to my current ILR no time limit status. Thanks.

You should at least have letters about the child benefits you were claiming?

[alterhase58]

EUSS is immigration and naturalisation is nationality, best to mix up separate requirements.

[contorted_svy]

Yes - which is why I was quoting the naturalisation guidelines. no mention there that utility bills/bank statements are accepted, not explicitly at least, for immigration applications they are accepted instead, which is the distinction I made.

[Disha2023]

Thank you all!