Qualifications needed to become a UK Citizen

[malct]

Hi All, Well we have finally got my wife's IIR and her card arrived last week, So we are feeling very chilled out now planning on my wife becoming a British Citizen, I fully understand that my wife needs to pass her Life in the UK test which is not easy, even for me, But regarding the B1 qualification, Is that just a matter of turning up at a test center and speaking and listening for 8 minutes or am i missing something, I have watched the 8 minute video on the trinity site and its not much different to the A1 test my wife done in Preston.

Regarding applying for British Citizen, My understanding is, My wife can apply after the 21st Feb 2014 since my wife came into the UK on a tourist Visa on the 21st Feb 2011 on a Holiday Visa, Returning back to BKK on the 20th August 2011 and then returning back to the UK on the 3rd October 2011 giving her 45 days out of the UK!!! Am i correct?

Is there anything else i need to consider?

I am unsure of the total cost, But the Life in the UK tests are about £50 a try and the B1 with trinity is £125.

Just like the IIR, Its better to get the British Citizen done ASAP, then everything is all sorted.

Thank you for any help

Malc

[7by7]

I have not taken a B1 speaking and listening test, nor do I know personally anyone who has done so; but it wont be much different to the test your wife took for her initial visa; except that a higher standard is required.

See here.

I suggest that you contact one or more of the test providers for full details of their test and find out about suitable courses if required.

Part of residential requirement for the spouse of a British citizen is that they must have been legally in the UK on the exact date three years prior to the date the Home Office receives the application. The type of visa held at that time doesn't matter.

She was legally in the UK between 21/2/11 and 20/8/11; so she would meet this part of requirement if the Home Office receive her application anytime between 20/2/14 and 19/8/14.

But she would not do so if they receive it between 20/8/14 and 1/10/14 as she was not in the UK on the required day three years prior.

See 'Start of the residential qualifying period' on this page.

There is some disagreement over whether or not the full 24 hours need to have been spent in the UK on the appropriate day or not; I can find nothing official to say yea or nay to this.

The second part of the residential requirement for the spouse of a British citizen is that during the qualifying period the applicant must have spent no more than 270 days in total out of the UK with no more than 90 days in the final year. from what you say, she has no problem there.

In addition to the cost of the LitUK test and B1 test, plus any tuition necessary, there will, of course, be the naturalisation application fee itself. Currently £874.

ILR has to be done between qualifying and the expiration of one's current visa or leave to remain; otherwise one would have to make and pay for an application for FLR or be in the UK illegally.

There is no such time pressure on a naturalisation application. Once qualified one can make it at anytime; provided one was in the UK on the right day three years prior.

You may find British citizenship basics helpful.

Edited September 22, 2013 by 7by7

[malct]

Thank you so much for your Help and advice 7by7

[thomasteve]

The 270 days limit can be extended up to 300 days if necessary. More if there are good supporting reasons.

The day of leaving and arriving back in the UK are not counted as absences from the UK either.

I have submitted an application where departure from UK was on the first day of the 3 year qualifying period so will

post here the outcome.

[7by7]

The 270 days limit can be extended up to 300 days if necessary. More if there are good supporting reasons.

I think it's safer to say 'may be extended' rather than 'can be extended' as while the guidance says they would normally use their discretion and disregard absences of up to 300 days, there is no guarantee that they will.

For them to disregard absences of longer than 300 days requires specific conditions to have been met; see the guidance.