What identification can we use if passport is expired?

William the Conker · Post by **William the Conker** » Sun Nov 16, 2025 8:40 pm

Hello,

My wife and I are applying for naturalisation under the 5 year Tier 2 route.

My wife's Canadian passport has expired and we are being asked:

"Which identity document will you supply?
(Required)
- Valid passport
- Travel document
- Nationality identity card
- None"

We have none of the above options.

The AN- guide offers a longer list of identification to accompany the BRP:

"If you were issued with a Biometric Residence Permit, you must provide/use it in support
of your application, alongside:

• Your passport* or
• National identity* card or
• Home Office travel document* or
• Home Office entitlement card* or
• Home Office ARC letter* or
• Your birth certificate or
• Your photo driving licence* or
• A bank, building society or credit card statement issued to you within the last 6
months"

We have both her birth certificate and a UK driving licence.

1) Can we submit her BRP plus birth certificate or photo driving licence?
2) If so, which option do we select from the list at the top? "None" and then explain in the dialog box what we will include?

Many thanks for your help.

William the Conker · Post by **William the Conker** » Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:06 pm

My wife and I are preparing our applications for naturalisation under the 5 year Tier 2 route.

As part of the documents we need to submit is:

"Proof of living in the UK for [name] for 5 years if applying in your own right or 3 years if applying as the spouse of a British Citizen
If you are a Non-EEA National, you need to include your passport to prove you have lived in the UK for the relevant 3- or 5-year period.
If you do not have your passport or it was not stamped when you entered the UK, you need to include letters (for example, from your employer or government department) as proof.

Our passports have not been stamped by the UK border for over 5 years now. We've travelled a number of times but only have a few stamps from European countries. We have no stamps from when we've visited Canada, where we are originally from.

1) I've read on the forum that passports are usually sufficient. Is this true even with no UK stamps for the past 5 years?

2) The web application specifies that "Bank statements or household bills are not suitable proof you have been living in the UK", but Annex A: documentary evidence of continuous residence in the UK lists bank statements and council tax bills among the "preferred evidence". Is this out of date?
(link to policy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -in-the-uk)

Many thanks for your help.

razergd1 · Post by **razergd1** » Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:13 pm

I guess you are Canadian and used the automated gates to enter the UK.
UKVI should have records of your border activity (e.g. enter/leave).

If you want to validate apply for SAR. You should include a scan of your passport and a list of your travels.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration

It takes 30 days and free.

Post by **alterhase58** » Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:16 pm

William the Conker wrote: ↑
Sun Nov 16, 2025 10:06 pm
My wife and I are preparing our applications for naturalisation under the 5 year Tier 2 route.

As part of the documents we need to submit is:

"Proof of living in the UK for [name] for 5 years if applying in your own right or 3 years if applying as the spouse of a British Citizen
If you are a Non-EEA National, you need to include your passport to prove you have lived in the UK for the relevant 3- or 5-year period.
If you do not have your passport or it was not stamped when you entered the UK, you need to include letters (for example, from your employer or government department) as proof.

Our passports have not been stamped by the UK border for over 5 years now. We've travelled a number of times but only have a few stamps from European countries. We have no stamps from when we've visited Canada, where we are originally from.

1) I've read on the forum that passports are usually sufficient. Is this true even with no UK stamps for the past 5 years?
Even if your passport is not stamped Border Force scan your passports which registers entry (i.e. digital stamp). They validate your data against their systems.
2) The web application specifies that "Bank statements or household bills are not suitable proof you have been living in the UK", but Annex A: documentary evidence of continuous residence in the UK lists bank statements and council tax bills among the "preferred evidence". Is this out of date?
(link to policy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -in-the-uk)
The document you refer to is for the EU Settlement Scheme, an immigration application. Naturalisation is not part of immigration and there are different requirements and different rules and law governing nationality apply.

Many thanks for your help.

Post by **contorted_svy** » Mon Nov 17, 2025 8:01 am

Yes. You can also explain in a cover letter if you wish.

William the Conker · Post by **William the Conker** » Mon Nov 17, 2025 11:22 am

Thank you alterhase58 and contorted_svy for your help.

William the Conker · Post by **William the Conker** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:40 pm

I am nearly ready to submit my application for naturalisation and have a final question:

If my wife's passport is expired, can it still be used to prove her knowledge of English?

contorted_svy was helpful to confirm that my plan to submit her Canadian birth certificate and UK photo driving licence is sufficient for proving identity and residence, but do they satisfy the English language requirements?

Many thanks.

Post by **contorted_svy** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 8:17 pm

I would say so, as proof of English is given by her being a Canadian citizen, which she still is, even with an expired passport.

It would be a good idea to try to renew the passport while she is waiting, just in case.

lolo2 · Post by **lolo2** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 8:18 pm

William the Conker wrote: ↑
Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:40 pm
If my wife's passport is expired, can it still be used to prove her knowledge of English?

Canadian citizens don't need to prove knowledge of English at all.

https://www.gov.uk/english-language/exemptions

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