How long to obtain UK passport pls? (citizenship question )

[kunash]

My Thai wife has nearly been in the UK 3 years ( 2 years on sett visa and nearly 1 year indef leave to remain ). - 1 november 2014. in those 3 years we had 2 x 3 week holiday.

lets presume my wife has life in uk test , and has an entry level 3 ESOL english language spoken certificate.

Can i ask please at what date can she send in her citizenship application form? is it from the 1st November onwards?

Will she need to send in any other papers or will i have to provide any other papers ?

i understand it can take anything from 6 - 9 months from sending in the application to getting the apssport interview. is this still the case?

[Stanaris]

Hi Kunash

The citizenship and Passport applications are two different things. Your wife applies for Citizenship which at the moment is taking about 3 months, things have improved, but can take up to 6 months.

This application is about her and all you need provide is your passport, or a copy if you are using the checking service.

When the Citizenship acceptance arrives you then have to arrange to attend a Ceremony where she will be awarded the certificate.

When she gets this then she can apply for a UK Passport which normally takes about 6 weeks for first time applicants.

Hope this helps and good luck in her application

[kunash]

hi

sorry worded it wrong

when can she apply exactly? and does she have the correct qualifications - LIUK test and level entry 3 in esol speaking

dates as per my first post. i read 3 years or 5 years.

if 3 years then that can be soon. she entered the uk originally 1/11/11. got sett visa about 20/10/13 ( or there abouts )

so when can she apply for citizenship pls?

[7by7]

I assume that you are a British citizen.

In which case to satisfy the residential qualification she must have been in the UK on the exact day three years prior to her application being received and during that three years have spent a maximum of 270 days out of the UK with no more than 90 days in the final year; although there is some flexibility on time out of the UK.

She does need to have no time limit on her stay in the UK, i.e. ILR, but as the spouse of a British citizen there is no minimum time she needs to have held this.

So, based on your saying she will have in the UK for three years on 1st November 2014, that is when she can apply; provided she was physically present in the UK on 1st November 2011 and meets all the other requirements.

However, if you are not a British citizen then the residential requirement is 5 years, with a maximum of 450 days out of the UK during that time, and she also must have held ILR, or the equivalent, for at least 1 year.

Her LitUK test pass is fine, and if her entry level 3 ESOL meets the requirements shown here then that is fine, too.

See Become a British citizen for full details and how to apply; you may also find British citizenship basics helpful.

Edited October 21, 2014 by 7by7

[wooloomooloo]

i understand it can take anything from 6 - 9 months from sending in the application to getting the apssport interview. is this still the case?

It's hard to tell. My wife attended Nationality Checking Service with her citizenship application on 1 August 2014. Application was received in Liverpool on 4 August (I tracked it). So getting on for three months for her.

My wife's friend applied back in April and she breezed through at six weeks, ceremony two weeks later and passport issued two weeks hence.

I know a bloke that applied a week before my wife and he was granted citizenship last week.

My wife and I are none too concerned how long the application takes. As I've previously stated, we used the checking service which allowed my wife to retain her passport and we go to Thailand next month. We wouldn't be going anywhere if we applied by post at this rate.

I highly recommend using the checking service if you want to get on with your life in the interim. For us, it was £65 well spent.

[kunash]

thanks 7 and Wool

my wife's english qualification is ok. thanks again

[englishinsiam]

If its any use we applied 30th May and my wife's Citizenship was granted 23rd September. The ceremony was a week later we are now waiting for her passport.

[wooloomooloo]

My wife attended Nationality Checking Service with her citizenship application on 1 August 2014. Application was received in Liverpool on 4 August (I tracked it). So getting on for three months for her.

Talk of the devil... my wife's citizenship invitation came today. So, 87 days or just shy of 12 weeks.

My wife should be able to attend the ceremony before we go on holiday, mid-November. Will have to leave the passport application until we get back, though.