British Citizenship By Marriage

British citizenship by marriage is an option for those who marry British citizens. Knowing the prerequisites, deadlines, and supporting documentation is crucial if you plan to apply for British citizenship after marriage. To learn more about the application process, consult with our immigration advisers.

Please contact us at 02033844389 to receive quick assistance with your matter. We are here to assist you online, by phone, or in person.

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How to get British citizenship by marriage?

Getting British citizenship by marriage is an important step for foreign partners who want to live with their partners in the UK.

After becoming a naturalised British citizen, you won’t have to go through any visa checks to live or work in the UK.

Keep in mind that this way to become a British citizen is only open to people who are married to or in a civil union with a British citizen and have had Indefinite Leave to Remain for at least three years.

Talk to our team of professional immigration lawyers to find out more about the services. We helped various people to become British citizens.

Overview: British Citizenship

Can you marry someone and become a British citizen?

UK nationality law says that just because you are married to or in a civil partnership with a UK citizen does not mean you instantly get British citizenship.

You need to go through the naturalisation process if you want to settle down in the UK with your partner. This lets you become a citizen of the United Kingdom, but only if you meet certain requirements.

People who want to become British citizens must live in the UK for five years before they can apply. People with a Spouse Visa, on the other hand, are usually only qualified after three years.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

How do I become a British citizen by getting married?

You can fill out form AN online to get a UK Citizenship by marriage.

Set up a time to meet at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point after you have turned in all of your paperwork and paid the application fees. This is where your fingerprints and pictures will be taken. This is where you can scan and send in a copy of your papers.

Send your form, documents, and payment slip by mail to the UKVI or, if you are in a British Overseas Territory, to the Governor of the territory. You don’t have to apply online.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

What are the requirements for British Citizenship by marriage?

If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a UK citizen or settled person, you can become a British citizen through marriage.

You also need to meet the following conditions for British citizenship:

You must be at least 18 years old when you apply.
Show that you have “good character,” which means you haven’t broken any UK laws.
Have lived in the UK for at least three years
Have been given the right to stay in the country indefinitely (ILR)
Pass an official language test to show you know enough English.
Take and pass the Life in the UK test to show that you are ready to follow British norms.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

To become a British citizen, do I need to live in Britain?

To become a British citizen through marriage, you must have lived in the UK for at least three years before you apply. The most important thing is that you need to be settled. In fact, having ILR is one of the first things you have to do to become a British citizen.

Before you can apply to become a British citizen, you need one of these things:

Leave to Stay in the UK indefinitely (ILR)
European Union Status Settled
Indefinite Leave to Enter the UK means that a person can move to the UK permanently from another country.

It is important to know that you will need to show proof of your permanent living status as part of your citizenship application.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

What is the Cost of applying for British Citizenship by marriage?

To get British status through marriage, you have to pay £1,300. There is an extra fee of £19.20 to have your personal information taken, which is not included in this fee.

When you apply, you also need to think about other fees, like how much the English test will cost. Also, how much it will cost to have your papers translated into English or Welsh.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

How long does it take to become a citizen of Britain through marriage?

When you send your request to the Home Office, you should hear back within 6 months. However, it might take longer for the UKVI to process your case for British citizenship if you don’t provide enough supporting papers or if you make a mistake on your forms.

You need to let the UKVI know right away if your situation changes during the application process. For example, if you get divorced, you need to let them know right away.

Residency Requirements for British Citizenship By Marriage

If your partner is a British citizen, you should have lived in the UK for three years before applying for citizenship.

You must also meet the requirement that you live in the country. Put simply, you are not allowed to have:

stayed more than 270 days outside of the UK in the three years before your application.
More than 90 days spent abroad in the last year before you fill out the forms
Any time you lived in the UK, you broke any UK immigration rule.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Do I have to be "good character" to become a British citizen?

If you want to be a permanent resident of the United Kingdom and meet the “good character” requirement, you need to prove that you’ve always followed the rules and been a good citizen.

If you have a serious or recent crime record that includes a sentence of more than 4 years in prison, your application for British citizenship will be turned down. The same applies to individuals who have violated visa laws in the preceding 10 years or who entered the country illegally for the first time.

Your citizenship application will be affected by any 12- to 4-year sentence unless 15 years have passed.

What does "sound mind" mean?

To become a British citizen, you must be of sound mind, no matter what your immigration situation is right now. You need to understand the requirements and steps for becoming a UK citizen.

The Home Office may relieve some applicants from this condition if British naturalisation is in their best interests.

If you are applying for citizenship on behalf of your spouse who is not mentally sound, you will need to include a letter saying that you are the legal representative of that person and other proof of their mental illness.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

After getting my British citizenship, what happens?

After getting your proof of British citizenship, you have 5 business days to give the Home Office your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

Do not forget to include a note stating why you are returning the permit. You could be fined up to £1000 if you don’t send back your BRP by this date.

You won’t be able to use your BRP to get into the UK after you become a British citizen. Until you get your passport, you can use your proof of citizenship.

You can get proof of entitlement instead of applying for a British passport if you don’t want to.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Should I attend a citizenship ceremony if my application is accepted?

British citizens aged 18 and up must attend a citizenship celebration at the end of the application process. This is true whether they became citizens through marriage or some other means.

After getting an offer from the Home Office, you have three months to book your ceremony. Your local council will plan the event, and you can usually bring up to two friends with you.

Going to a group ceremony costs £80. Private events may cost more, based on the rules set by your local council.

You can ask the embassy or consulate in the country where you live if you can have your wedding there if you are not in the UK.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Can I get a British passport if I'm married to a UK national?

To get your first adult passport, you will need to wait for your British citizenship proof. If you are a British kid, you can still use your passport until it runs out, even if you are an adult.

You can show that you are a member of the United Kingdom with an adult passport that is good for ten years. You can also use it as proof of identity when traveling abroad.

Getting a passport and becoming a citizen of the UK will let you leave and come back to the UK whenever you want without an application for a visa.

Between February 2024 and March 2025, applying online will cost £82.50, and applying on paper will cost £93. Forms sent from outside of the United States may have different fees.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

If I marry someone from the UK and become a citizen, will my children also be British citizens?

In general, a child immediately becomes British if they were born in the UK to at least one parent who is a British citizen or settled person.

However, you should always talk to a lawyer to see if there are any other ways for your children to become British citizens.

Can I become a British citizen through marriage even if my partner has died?

Regrettably, you can’t apply for citizenship if your British partner died before you sent in your paperwork.

You may be able to become a British citizen through other visa routes, though, if you have Indefinite Leave to Remain, EU-settled status, or permanent residence status.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Most of the time, a child needs a visa in order to live in the UK. For instance, if their parent is a foreign national working or studying in the country, the child may need a Child Dependant Visa.

How do I begin the process of becoming a British citizen by marriage?

You can only apply for naturalisation by mail. So you will need to get all of the papers you need ready before you send in your application. You will need to fill out Form AN, which is an Application for Naturalisation as a British Citizen. It is 30 pages long and comes with a guide and instructions.

You might have to take a language test and a test about life in the UK before you can finish your Naturalisation application. You will also need to show proof of where you’ve been travelling for the past five years. We recommend that you gather this information before applying.

Before you send your Naturalisation application by mail, you should make a copy of it. After you send in your application, the UK Home Office will check it carefully. They will look at your past record to see if there is any reason why you shouldn’t be able to become a British citizen.

If your application is accepted, authorities will request your attendance at a service where you will receive a Certificate of Naturalisation. This is the last step to getting a British passport. The British passport is the most common form of ID for British people.

How long does it take to become a British citizen?

Processing times for British naturalisation can change. It could be up to four weeks after sending your application before you hear back. Then, it will likely take about 6 months for your Naturalisation application to be decided. Some people may ask you to go to an interview where you will have to talk without a translation. This is when you can apply for your first British passport after getting your proof of citizenship.

If you want to visit more than one Schengen country, you need to apply at the port of the first country you wish to visit.

For the best results, send in your Schengen Visa application at least 15 days before your planned journey. Still, you can’t send in your application form earlier than three months before you plan to enter the Schengen Area.

In what ways can UK Immigration Solicitors assist?

The process of applying to become a British citizen can be hard and stressful. Our team of specialised lawyers at UK Immigration Solicitors is committed to helping you deal with this worry. We will:

make sure that you have all the necessary papers for the application.
Also, make sure you meet the standards to become a British citizen;
Ensure that you provide sufficient proof of your marriage or civil partnership.
assist you in making sure that all the details on your application form are correctly filled out so that your Naturalisation application has the best possible chance of being approved;
Help you to prepare for the Life in the UK test. You will need to pass to move forward with your visa application.

Call 02033844389 or send an online message to talk to an immigration lawyer about your application to become a British citizen by marriage.

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