British citizenship will take 5 years now

[darren-b]

so whats the advantages of having a british citizen and only having a permanent residency here in UK?

aside from you dont need a visa if u want to go to others countries and aside from u can vote ?

ILR can be lost if you spend too much time out of the UK, which citizenship wouldn't be. Might not be an issue for you.

Entitlement to benefits is something else that I believe might be different if you have citizenship rather than ILR. Again might not be an issue for you but...

Bear in mind that the government doesn't like people remaining in the UK on ILR so things may change over time to make it more beneficial to have citizenship rather than ILR.

[darren-b]

I believe a Filipino regaining their citizenship has the same rights as they did before. I believe an ex-Filipino still remains some rights (in terms of land ownership, etc) even if they didn't regain their old citizenship.

I personally don't believe there is any disadvantage doing it. My wife was pretty keen to do it (wanted the little red book...) so I would have had to come up with some big disadvantages to stop her.

[ljarvis]

Can I be naturalised as a British citizen?
If you are over 18 and have been living in the United Kingdom for the last five years (or three years if you are married to or a civil partner of a British citizen) you may be able to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. You may also be able to apply for naturalisation if you or your husband, wife or civil partner is in crown or designated service outside the United Kingdom. Applications for naturalisation are made using application form AN.

check out the home office website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

[joebloggs]

If you are the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen then:-
You need to have been in the UK on the exact day 3 years prior to applying. It doesn't matter what type of visa you first entered the UK with, as long as you are now the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen.
You must have spent no more than 270 days out of the last three years out of the UK with no more than 90 days during the final year.
You must be free of any time restriction on your leave to remain, i.e. ILR or the equivilent. There is no minimum time you need to have held this status.

So, provided the first two criteria are met the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen could apply for citizenship on the day they recieved their ILR.

but always check with UKBA as no doubt there are going to be changes very soon

[flomike]

outlines new citizenship rules for immigrants

Under the proposals, outlined in a green paper, a limited number of migrant categories would be granted the status of probationary citizens for a set period in which they could earn full citizenship or permanent residence.

Full access to benefits - such as jobseeker's allowance and income support – would no longer be granted to some migrant categories until after the immigrants had been in the UK for five years.

government proposed to defer full access to benefits and services until migrants had successfully completed the probationary citizenship phase, so that they are expected to contribute economically and support themselves and their dependants until such time as they become British citizens or permanent residents.

there were new moves to review how European nationals in Britain were able to claim some benefits in the UK.

The government will set up a cross-departmental unit to look at access to benefits for European Economic Area nationals.A bill proposals is due this summer with full legislation expected in November.

Changes will apply to new arrivals after the new laws are passed, and not to foreigners already living in the UK, so reforms are only likely to affect migrants arriving from 2010.
More likely this bill will only affect the new comers from 2010, not us whose already here

how about that voluntary work is it only for the new comers as well?

[flomike]

Foreigners who planned to marry British citizens and settle in the UK would have to pass an English test.

They will introduce a new English language requirement for those applying for a marriage visa and planning to settle in the UK - both as part of their determination that everyone who comes to live in UK should be able to speak English and to make sure that they cannot be exploited.

[darren-b]

More likely this bill will only affect the new comers from 2010, not us whose already here

how about that voluntary work is it only for the new comers as well?

Can't personally see how the bill can only affect newcomers. Some parts will, but other parts would have to affect people already here otherwise the BIA would be having people applying under different rules and requirements forever.

[joebloggs]

Can't personally see how the bill can only affect newcomers. Some parts will, but other parts would have to affect people already here otherwise the BIA would be having people applying under different rules and requirements forever.

true, and as for 2010, they could do it a lot sooner, as they did with raising the age of a settlement visa to 21

[flomike]

Can't personally see how the bill can only affect newcomers. Some parts will, but other parts would have to affect people already here otherwise the BIA would be having people applying under different rules and requirements forever.

its hard to tell what's the future will be....but you know Home Office...unpredictable? I do agree with many that a simpler option would have been to put a limit on the number of immigrants allowed in to the UK.

[darren-b]

its hard to tell what's the future will be....but you know Home Office...unpredictable? I do agree with many that a simpler option would have been to put a limit on the number of immigrants allowed in to the UK.

In recent years the Home Office have been very predictable - every year they made immigration for non-EU harder and more expensive. Can't see that changing for a while.

[Mrs Daddy]

I`ll just go with the flow then what might be the outcome result for this Bill to be implemented.cant do anything to stop it can I?!

[Ann07]

I`ll just go with the flow then what might be the outcome result for this Bill to be implemented.cant do anything to stop it can I?!

I second to that

[Tiggers0608]

I second to that

i just agree to that too lol

[flomike]

I'd been qualified for the last 2 years but im hesitant and contented to be residence here. Looking back 2 years ago may be naturalization fee is a bit cheaper? When I got my ILR it cost us £325+ i think (sorry not sure in my numbers) I didn't take the exam but bec I decided to be naturalize just last year I have to take the exam and pay huge amount of fee

as we are planning to have a family soon that's what make me decided to be naturalize as a citizen of this country and we can stay in Phils as long as we want in the future without worrying that I only need to be out of the country a limited time or else my residence permit might be in trouble.

I think its the fee that worrying specially if your partner don't earn too much a £655+ is a lot of money or more for sure in the future Like my husband said like me contributing tax for the last 5 years and didn't claim any benefits at all should be exempted paying this huge fee but what can we do....he's just a poor british man choose to marry a foreigner and paying tax for the last 35+ years still the govt wants more out of his pocket!

[darren-b]

If you had applied for natualisation prior to the 2nd April 2007 you would have paid £268 rather £655. Having seen the price for ILR rise from £335 to £750 on the same date (my wife applied for ILR a few months later) it became very obvious to me that it was best to get through the immigration process as quick as possible.

I don't agree it should be free if you've paid taxes for a few years as a lot of people wouldn't then end up paying for naturalisation (and even more would apply if it was free...). The trouble is now the application fee is appearing to be used to subside other things like the searching for illegal workers (anyone who thinks overstayers who work aren't causing any harm shouldn't moan about the applications fees) rather than just the cost of processing your application.

[flomike]

If you had applied for natualisation prior to the 2nd April 2007 you would have paid £268 rather £655. Having seen the price for ILR rise from £335 to £750 on the same date (my wife applied for ILR a few months later) it became very obvious to me that it was best to get through the immigration process as quick as possible.

oh my my husband got a big sigh from £268 now he's going to pay twice. since the time we applied for spouse visa its a big fee then ILR...may be to be naturalize as a spouse of Brit citizen there's small consolation that's all Im thinking. I mean for example, those people on workpermit, if they get their dependant its about £100? to pay, if they apply for their extension its always one fee for all the dependant under 18 then if they applied for ILR its one fee as well and same thing with citizenship as joined application. Too bad for me then coz im on my own nothing to spread the cost. Just rant i think..sorry

[joebloggs]

Europeans don't have to pay for visa's , and if i remember correctly neither do asylum seekers, so why should a Brit pay

[somebody]

Europeans don't have to pay for visa's , and if i remember correctly neither do asylum seekers, so why should a Brit pay

Because they can get away with it while they cant with the other two and the sun and daily mail readers like it.

[somebody]

Where do you think part of the 100's of billions signed off today will come from yes members of this site and other applicants.

[Tiggers0608]

Where do you think part of the 100's of billions signed off today will come from yes members of this site and other applicants.

hope things will be for the benefit of the good people lol