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Apply for naturalisation after ILR but EEA family member

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 4:59 pm
by Louai
Hi there

I was eligible to apply for PR ( I am an EEA family member ) on the 20 of May 2016 (the wedding was on 20st of May 2011) but I did not apply for PR because I wanted to use the presume same day service as I needed my passport to travel and visit my sick mother and my solicitor never told me I could request my passport in the EEA route without having to withdraw the application ! !! so I took the 10 year rout and applied for ILR on November 2016 and already received it

my question is when the nearest date I can apply for naturalisation? can I still apply on may 2017?

many thanks

Re: Apply for naturalisation after ILR but EEA family member

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:05 pm
by CR001
You need to spend a full 12 months on ILR before you can apply for citizenship. The only time you do not have to wait is if you are married to a British Citizen.

Re: Apply for naturalisation after ILR but EEA family member

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:10 pm
by secret.simon
I think the OP's line of reasoning is that as s/he has acquired PR in May 2016, s/he can apply for British citizenship in May 2017.

It is doable, but for that to work, you will need to acquire a PR Card, submitting the relevant proof of your EEA spouse's exercise of treaty rights/PR and make sure (via an SAR on the Home office) that they have got the correct date of the acquisition of PR on their system. These process cumulatively may take longer than six months anyway.

So, to summarise, you can apply for British citizenship either 12 months after the date of grant of ILR or after the date stated for acquisition of PR on the Home Office system. The latter approach would only work if you acquire a PR Card.