OK People

Here's a slightly different slant on the subject of getting UK citizenship for a Thai national.

Any information that I am able to glean from various websites seems to be only concerned with the scenario where a UK national (usually but not always male) wants to import his Thai wife to the UK and to settle there. In this scenario, the process of naturalisation apparently takes 3 years for a married couple and five years otherwise. Various crtiteria have to be met and the stages of FLR and ILR have to be gone through.

But, what about the scenario where a UK citizen is married to a Thai national and they do not wish to live in the UK? The granting of UK citizenship to the Thai, in this case, would considerably ease the problems of obtaining visas for travel to most countries and would be well worth doing. It might well confer other benefits as well.

But, does anyone know if this is even possible? I suspect not but if anyone has any info or experience about this I would be interested to hear about it.

Thanks

DM

PM Scouser if he doesnt reply first

DM,

Unfortunately not. In order to obtain naturalisation, the applicant, if a spouse of a British citizen, has to have largely spent the qualifying three years in the U.K.

However, once qualified, there's nothing stopping the individual from then deciding to return to Thailand to live, keeping the entitlement to a British passport.

Scouse.

DM,

Unfortunately not. In order to obtain naturalisation, the applicant, if a spouse of a British citizen, has to have largely spent the qualifying three years in the U.K.

However, once qualified, there's nothing stopping the individual from then deciding to return to Thailand to live, keeping the entitlement to a British passport.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouser.

I rather thought that this might be the case. When you say 'largely spent the three qualifying years in UK' what percentage are we looking at? Is it one of those 180 days per year type things?

Dm

I rather thought that this might be the case. When you say 'largely spent the three qualifying years in UK' what percentage are we looking at? Is it one of those 180 days per year type things?

Not really, In order to apply for citizenship she must hold some sort of indefinite leave to remain in the UK. To get that she would, in her position, have had to have entered UK on a settlement visa which is unlikely as you intend to continue to live in Thailand.

She cannot be granted ILR having entered UK on a series of visitors visas

See also BN7 - Naturalisation as a British citizen