UK Nationality

[SJ]

Dear all,

I am on a work pemit in UK and just have a few questions.

1. On average, how long does it take to obtain a british passport from the date of application?

2. After completing 4 years on a work permit and an year on ILR, can one apply for the british nationality and then leave UK immediately and return only to collect their passport? Is your stay away from UK, after meeting the 5 year conditions, relevant in anyway to your application for nationality?

3. Is your wife eligible for ILR along with you even if she has been married to you and has been in UK for only a year? Is the 5 year period still applicable to her for naturalisation?

4. If you have a baby born in UK before you have your ILR, would the baby get the british passport immediately after you get your ILR?

Thanks

[Epiphany]

Answers to your questions.
1. Dont quite know the actual timescales. The IND website talks about a 6 and half month average timescales.
2. Stay outside the UK is not NOT relevant once you have sent in your citizenship application.
3. Yes, she is still eligible for ILR. If you have secured your British citizenship, then your wife can apply on a 3 Year residency basis, for her citizenship. So say she came to the UK in Jan 2003 and you got ILR in Jan 2004 and applied for citizenship in Jan 2005 and got it in August 2005, your wife will be eligible to apply for her BC in jan 2006
4. Yes, the baby can be REGISTERED as a BC after you received your ILR.
Cheers