When can I apply for naturalisation

forwardever · Post by **forwardever** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:50 am

hello all i am new to this forum have been readin other peoples questions and the way you guys answered them,i must admit that you guys are great mostly you john...anyway i am obviously here to seek advice like others...i came into the UK april 2008 on a 1year student visa got married decemember 2008,partner(British citizen) applied for FLR after marriage and was granted 2009..on my ID card its says issued 1st of june 09 and valid until 11/05/2011 so i was abit confused, i called the home office and explained and i was told that if its says valied untill 11th may 2011 then the start date wuld be 11th of may 2009 and that the issue date might be the date its was issued out to me..anyway i have booked appointment at PEO for april next month...i was wondering if my stay as a student for 1 year counts toward residency and also if i can apply for naturalization a month after ILR is granted...pls guys i would appriciate your advice as this has been bugin me for sometime now as i heard that the rules wuld be changin sometime in july or so...if anyone here has been granted citizenship with a 1yr student visa plus 2yrs spouse visa i wuld appriciate if u can share your story ...thanks

Post by **John** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:17 am

Having got your ILR, given you are married to a British Citizen, you can apply for Naturalisation as British. You can apply but need to take account especially of the "applicant must have been physically in the UK exactly 3 years before UKBA receive the Naturalisation application" test.

In other words, check your exact dates in the UK, and out of the UK, and ensure that you were in the UK exactly 3 years before your Naturalisation application will reach UKBA.

i was wondering if my stay as a student for 1 year counts toward residency

Any legal time in the UK can count, when applying for Naturalisation, even time in the UK as a visitor.

forwardever · Post by **forwardever** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:55 am

thanks for your reply john..im happy to know that i can apply straight away after ILR is granted...john i entered the uk in 4/4/2008 got married decemenber 2008 applied and got FLR june 2009... traveled to turkey from 24th of oct 2009 to 1st of novemeber 2009...on my id card its says spouse visa is valid until 11/05/2011 i have booked for an apopointment next month on the 13th...so from 4/4/2008 to 4/4/2011 is 3year...not sure about the 7days i spent outside the uk..what do you think john...thanks

Post by **John** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:03 pm

The 7 days outside the UK is not a problem, either for the ILR or the Naturalisation.

forwardever · Post by **forwardever** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:53 am

Sorry about the PM..will open a new topic for that..thanks

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When can I apply for naturalisation

advice.naturalization wiv 1yr as a student+2yrs spouse visa.