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Naturalisation British Citizen

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:22 pm
by AtifKhan007
Hi

I got my ILR last year Oct 2011 and since then i travel out side the UK for 85 days!! which is under 90days limit. Now the application for Naturalisation is taking upto 6 months!!

My question is can i leave UK on holidays while my application is at UKBA for Naturalisation and come back into the UK just time for the ceremony ?

Regards

Atif

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:19 pm
by gidoc
The date of your application will be the day received by UKBA, this will set the clock for your 5 yr residential requirements( counted backwards).
If you apply via NCS you can travel until you take the ceremony for naturalisation.

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:04 am
by AtifKhan007
Hi gidoc

Many thanks for your reply, i meant to say i got ILR in Oct 2010, I am applying through a solicitor and they are advising that i cannot leave UK while my application is at home office for Naturalisation, reason for that is i am so close to 90 days limit!! if home office ask for my passport and my days will exceed more then 90 and may be in danger of refusal ? but they dont ask for the passport but they can ask for it?

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:37 am
by sonya24
if you apply through a solicitor you will need to send your orginal passport with the application and you will not be able to travel untill they make a decision its better if you apply through nationality checking service which is available at your local council.they will charge you a small fees of 25 pounds my council charged me 25 pounds they will check your application if you have filled it correctly they will photocopy your orginal passport and all supporting documents and stamp them saying that they have seen the orginal and they will post it to homeoffice sameday you can then travel anywhere you want.I would suggest you to use ncs because naturlusation is quiet an easy process its not like ilr rest is upto u.

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:58 am
by 1664
sonya24 wrote:if you apply through a solicitor you will need to send your orginal passport with the application and you will not be able to travel untill they make a decision its better if you apply through nationality checking service which is available at your local council.they will charge you a small fees of 25 pounds my council charged me 25 pounds they will check your application if you have filled it correctly they will photocopy your orginal passport and all supporting documents and stamp them saying that they have seen the orginal and they will post it to homeoffice sameday you can then travel anywhere you want.I would suggest you to use ncs because naturlusation is quiet an easy process its not like ilr rest is upto u.
heck - Lewisham charged me £55 but worth going through NCS only because you get to reatin your passport as Sonya has mentioned!

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:03 pm
by AtifKhan007
Thats great news so i shall save some money going through the solicitors.
but my question is i have been out of the UK for 80days, which is under 90days limit in the last year!!

Now when i send my application for Naturalisation use the NCS service, i shall keep my passport, can i travel out of the UK then freely and return back just in time for the ceremony ?

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:11 pm
by Jambo
Yes.

There is no requirement to be in the UK while the application is with the UKBA. There is a requirement is to be physically in the UK when the HO receive the application. NCS are likely to ask you if you intend to travel within 5 days after the application as they would like to make sure you are in the UK when the application is received.

(I guess the lawyer wanted to cover his a** in case the application is not accepted and then you will need to resubmit but I never heard of such cases).

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:20 pm
by AtifKhan007
Many thanks Jumbo

thats great so the 90days limit does not apply once the application is accepted by the home office, i can leave the UK and return back to the UK just in time for the ceremony ?

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:34 pm
by Jambo
Read the first word of my reply.

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:12 pm
by 1664
AtifKhan007 wrote:Many thanks Jumbo

thats great so the 90days limit does not apply once the application is accepted by the home office, i can leave the UK and return back to the UK just in time for the ceremony ?
YES :)