SRU - Revocation of British Citizenship

Hi All,

Apologies in advance for the long detailed post.

In Jan 2019, I was advised by the Status Review Unit – Deprivation and Revocation of UK Visa and Immigration, that they were considering revoking my Citizenship as they believed that I had committed fraud by leaving the country immediately after I received Citizenship in contravention of the future intentions declaration.

In my response I explained that I had travelled on a return ticket and that I returned a few months later to start a business in the UK, therefore did not violate the future intentions requirement. Being a dual Citizen, I held a Sri Lankan passport so I didn’t prioritise applying for a British Passport until my BRP was withheld when I returned to the UK after a trip to Canada. The IO advised me that I should apply for a passport, but as I had planned to travel to Sri Lanka a few days later, I submitted my application from Sri Lanka where I was planning to be for a few months. They asked for additional information which was provided promptly and then invited me for an interview which I attended. Thereafter, despite my regular calls the HMPO helpline, there was no update to my application except that it was undergoing mandatory checks - until I received that bombshell on 1st Jan 2019.

My wife and child are still in Sri Lanka as they don’t have a visa to join me in the UK and would not be successful in obtaining one whilst my status is in question. I haven’t seen them in over 7 months and it has been emotionally draining. My MP has been extremely supportive, but the responses his office has received seem to simply push the blame on me for leaving the UK without applying for a passport (which I now realise was a grave mistake) and underplaying the effect of 15 months my case simply sat with the SRU. They also claim that I can visit my family whenever I please because they have now returned my passport – but a link they cited in the same letter states that the Naturalisation Certificate is not valid for travel, which now explains why Sri Lankan Immigration Officials initially refused to allow me to travel on it.

Since my initial response in January, I have had a few requests for additional information, all of which have been responded to within the stipulated time frame. In the most recent communication received by my MPs office they’ve indicated that they to complete their investigation in 8 weeks, which ends today. Naturally, I have grown sceptical so I am not expecting this to end anytime soon.

I’m wondering if anyone else has been through a similar experience or had to deal with the SRU and if they know how I might be able to expedite my case.

I would also like to know if anyone here has successfully received damages from the Home Office for negligence/inaction.

Background:
• Moved to the UK on a Working Holidaymaker in Feb 2008
• Switched to a Tier 1 (General Migrant) in May 2009
• Extended Tier 1 (General Migrant) in April 2012
• Applied for ILR using Premium Same-day Service in April 2014
• Applied for Naturalization in April 2015
• Naturalisation application approved in Oct 2015
• Citizenship Ceremony in Nov 2015 (Flew to Sri Lanka on the same day on a return ticket)
• Returned to the UK in April 2016 to start my business (used BRP for entering UK)
• Returned from a trip to Canada in Oct 2016 (BRP withheld by IO at point of entry)
• Travelled to Sri Lanka a few days later
• Lodged Overseas British Passport Application from Sri Lanka in Nov 2016
• Payment collected by HMPO in Dec 2016
• Additional information requested and provided in Jan 2017
• Interview at local VFS office in June 2017
• Received a letter from SRU in Jan 2019

The main baffling question is why apply for naturalisation in the first place when you clearly didn't really intend to get a British passport anytime soon?! You could have even easily applied for one upon your return to UK in April 2016. Sure will make anyone question your future intentions for applying to naturalise. The Home Office has clearly stated that, you MUST apply for a British passport after naturalisation if you ever intend to travel out of the UK. You clearly got yourself in this mess and could have saved yourself all this trouble. Simple instruction! I hope it all gets sorted for you anyway.

Hi Olax88,

Thanks for weighing in. When I applied in April 2015, I didn't have any travel plans that year. At the time of application my intention was to obtain my naturalisation and my passport immediately thereafter.

My grandmother suddenly took ill and was hospitalized so I booked my flight a few days before the citizenship ceremony so I could visit her ASAP. In hindsight, it'd all have been a lot easier if I had waited for my passport.

Home office in the last few years has taken a hard stance against the abuse of british citizenship by dual nationals. The number of people who have been deprived of the privileges are increasing. Your actions clearly contradicted what you declared on the naturalisation application. You need to wait and see what the Status Review Unit will conclude on your case.

Duly Noted. Thanks for your insight Zimba.

I add some background situations as it might help to understand where they are coming from.

There have been fraud cases in the UK and elsewhere where people simulated a presence in the country, then applied for citizenship.

As example, a friend who lives in Canada told me he knows about many people who have residence cards in Canada while in fact they don't even live there. They simulate a presence by sending their mail to some family member, sometimes "renting" their id to an illegal who would then work so they can show professional activity. Sometimes they just setup as self-employed and do business transactions with other self-employed in similar situations. Many were even able to apply for Canadian citizenship like that. They just fly in when they get it, then they take next flight home with the certificate and the passport.

When you get the UK citizenship, you are supposed to give them back your residence card. You traveled with it and it was eventually seized by an immigration officer at a point of entry.

They are also very picky about passport applications especially the first one. As they got it with Sri Lankan stamps all over it, it probably attracted some attention.

All this to say, don't throw away any document, letter, proof of address, photos, activities documents... from the last years.

Stick to the intentions you signed for when you applied: staying in the UK. So make sure the center of your life is demonstrably back in the UK for good.