Apply for citizenship if your spouse is a British citizen

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1. Eligibility and fees

You can apply for British citizenship by 바카라 사이트˜naturalisation바카라 사이트™ if you:

• are 18 or over
• are married to, or in a civil partnership with, someone who is a British citizen
• have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application

You can apply as soon as you have one of the following:

• indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK
• 바카라 사이트˜settled status바카라 사이트™ (also known as 바카라 사이트˜indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme바카라 사이트™)
• indefinite leave to enter the UK (permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad)

You must also:

• prove you were in the UK exactly 3 years before the day the Home Office receives your application
• prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
• show you바카라 사이트™ve passed the life in the UK test
• be of good character - read the naturalisation guidance

This is one way to apply for British citizenship. Check if you바카라 사이트™re eligible another way - including through the Windrush scheme.

If you have pre-settled status

You may be able to apply for citizenship, if you can show all of the following:

• you have pre-settled status
• you바카라 사이트™re from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (or you바카라 사이트™re their family member)
• you바카라 사이트™ve lived in the UK 5 years in a row and in that time you바카라 사이트™ve been working (or looking for work for up to 3 months), studying or you바카라 사이트™re self-sufficient

Residency requirements

You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application.

You cannot include any time spent in the UK when you바카라 사이트™re exempt from immigration control as a:

• diplomat
• member of a diplomat바카라 사이트™s staff or household
• member of visiting armed forces

You also should not have broken any UK immigration laws.

If you have indefinite leave to enter or remain, the Home Office will not usually check if you broke any immigration laws before then.

Time you바카라 사이트™ve spent outside the UK

To be eligible, you should not have:

• spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the 3 years before your application
• spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months

You may be exempt from the residency requirements if your partner works abroad either for the UK government or an organisation closely linked to government.

When to apply

You must have been physically present in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office receives your application. 

Your application may be rejected if you were not in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office received it. This depends on the reason why you were not in the UK.

The Home Office will consider if there are special circumstances, for example:

• you were not able to live in the UK at the start of the 3 year period because of health reasons or travel restrictions
• you were told to leave the UK during the 3 years but this decision was later overturned

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If the Home Office receives your application on 20 June 2022, but you left the UK on 10 June 2019 and returned to the UK on 25 June 2019, you will not qualify. You바카라 사이트™ll need to wait until 24 June 2022 to apply.

The date the Home Office receives your application depends on how you apply. If you apply online, your application will be received on the same day. It will take longer if you apply by post.

How much it costs

It costs £1,735 to apply. This includes the £130 citizenship ceremony fee. 

How long it takes

You바카라 사이트™ll usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications can take longer. If yours will take longer you바카라 사이트™ll be told before 6 months have passed.

Children under 18

Your child is usually automatically a British citizen if they were born in the UK and their other parent was a British citizen. 

Check if there are other ways your child is eligible for British citizenship.

If your partner has died

You cannot apply for citizenship as the partner of a British citizen if your partner has died. Check if you바카라 사이트™re eligible another way - for example if you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK. 

2. How to apply

There are 2 ways to apply for British citizenship by naturalisation. You can either:

• make an application yourself
• use an agent or representative

Make an application yourself

Read the guidance to check if you can apply and what documents you need to provide.

.

You바카라 사이트™ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).

You do not need to send your documents anywhere. You can either:

• upload copies into the online service
• have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

You can also apply by post.

You must have been physically present in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office receives your application. If you apply online, your application will be received on the same day. It will take longer if you apply by post.

If you바카라 사이트™re applying from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory

If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, you have to apply by post or in person instead. Check which you can do with your governor바카라 사이트™s office.

You바카라 사이트™ll be told where to give your biometric information after you apply.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you바카라 사이트™re applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

Apply through an agent or representative

An agent or representative is a private company or individual that can help you with your application and give you advice.

Check if an agent or representative is registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA).

You can also use some solicitors or barristers that are not registered with the IAA. The solicitor or barrister must be registered with one of the following organisations instead:

• General Council of the Bar
• Law Society of England and Wales
• Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
• Faculty of Advocates
• Law Society of Scotland
• General Council of the Bar of Northern Ireland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland

3. After you바카라 사이트™ve applied

You바카라 사이트™ll usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications can take longer. If yours will take longer you바카라 사이트™ll be told before 6 months have passed.

You바카라 사이트™ll be told if you need to provide more information to help with your application.

If your circumstances change

You should contact UK Visas and Immigration (part of the Home Office) if your situation changes during your application (for example, you move house, get married or are arrested).

Nationality contact centre
nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

You might be asked to attend an interview where you바카라 사이트™ll need to speak without an interpreter.

Attending a citizenship ceremony

You바카라 사이트™ll need to attend a citizenship ceremony if your application is successful.

4. After you get your certificate

You must send your biometric residence permit (BRP) back to the Home Office within 5 working days of getting your certificate of British citizenship.

Cut your BRP into 4 pieces and put it in a windowless envelope.

Include a note saying you바카라 사이트™re returning your permit because you바카라 사이트™ve become a citizen. Include your name, date of birth and the document number (found on the front of the card) in the note.

Naturalisation BRP Returns
PO Box 195
Bristol
BS20 1BT

You바카라 사이트™ll be fined up to £1,000 if you do not return your permit within 5 working days.

Travelling to and from the UK

Once you have a British passport you must use this to enter the UK.

If you do not want a British passport you can apply for a certificate of entitlement instead.

You cannot enter the UK using your BRP or certificate of British citizenship.