Page 1 of 1

Applying from overseas

Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:56 pm
by KhristyAnna
Dear adviser,
I have recently attended a ceremony in UK and got a naturalisation certificate. Now I am outside the UK ( in EU) and I want to apply for a British passport through this link:
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.

I would like to know the following:

1) In the first step of this link, they ask if you live in the UK which at the moment I don't - would that have any negative effect on the type of nationality I will get if I apply for British citizenship while being outside UK?
2) in that questionnaire they also mention that you may be asked to attend an interview - what is that purpose of the interview? Can it effect if they give me a British passport or not?
3) How long it can take to get UK passport when applying outside UK?

Much appreciated!

Re: Applying from overseas

Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:59 pm
by CR001
1) In the first step of this link, they ask if you live in the UK which at the moment I don't - would that have any negative effect on the type of nationality I will get if I apply for British citizenship while being outside UK?
You don't 'get a type of nationality' when you apply for a passport. You are already British. A Passport is just a travel document.
2) in that questionnaire they also mention that you may be asked to attend an interview - what is that purpose of the interview? Can it effect if they give me a British passport or not?

Requests for interviews are random and rare these days. It is purely to confirm your identity and information HO hold.
3) How long it can take to get UK passport when applying outside UK?
Anywhere between a few weeks to a few months and depending on where you are, up to a year.

Re: Applying from overseas

Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 4:02 pm
by KhristyAnna
Thank you, CR001, for such a prompt answer, much appreciated!

Re: Applying from overseas

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 3:54 pm
by guru1s
KhristyAnna wrote:
Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:56 pm
Dear adviser,
I have recently attended a ceremony in UK and got a naturalisation certificate. Now I am outside the UK ( in EU) and I want to apply for a British passport through this link:
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.

I would like to know the following:

1) In the first step of this link, they ask if you live in the UK which at the moment I don't - would that have any negative effect on the type of nationality I will get if I apply for British citizenship while being outside UK?
2) in that questionnaire they also mention that you may be asked to attend an interview - what is that purpose of the interview? Can it effect if they give me a British passport or not?
3) How long it can take to get UK passport when applying outside UK?

Much appreciated!

You can apply for British Passport any time (even in 20 years time), as you are already a BC.

Re: Applying from overseas

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:04 pm
by secret.simon
KhristyAnna wrote:
Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:56 pm
1) In the first step of this link, they ask if you live in the UK which at the moment I don't - would that have any negative effect on the type of nationality I will get if I apply for British citizenship while being outside UK?
I would be cautious about applying from abroad for your first British passport. Remember that one of the requirements of naturalization is the intent to reside in the UK. If you leave the UK immediately after naturalisation and apply for your British passport from abroad, the HMPO and HO may misinterpret your intention to reside in the UK.

Also see this (admittedly two year old) thread, where the HMPO unilaterally withdrew the passport application in a scenario not dissimilar to yours.