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Obtaining citizenship is a golden opportunity for residents living in the UK on different visa categories. Applicants must consult the UK home office to apply for citizenship to avail of this milestone. After applying, the second step towards achieving citizenship is the enrollment for the biometric appointment. Applicants’ pictures and fingerprints will be verified so they can make BRPs during this appointment.
However, after this step, applicants wait for the decision. The general processing time of the application is six after biometrics, which can vary due to case complexity. So, it is essential to understand those factors that increase the application processing time. The details about those factors are mentioned below, so keep reading.
What Is UK Citizenship?
Citizenship in the UK grants various responsibilities and rights regarding the ability to work freely, study without time restriction, live independently, benefit from public funds, and have free healthcare. Besides, the people with citizenship can cast votes and get government jobs in the UK. Applicants must meet financial, language, and residence requirements to obtain citizenship. The requirements, application process, and eligibility criteria are mentioned below.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for getting UK citizenship are mentioned below:
- Individuals who have held ILR for the last year or have continuous residence for the previous five years.
- Applicants with no criminal records, having good behavior, and UK law compliance are eligible.
- People who want citizenship must know about UK history, traditions, and culture. For this Life in the UK, the test is mandatory.
- C2 or C1 level English test is mandatory for any person who wants to get citizenship.
What Are The Requirements Of UK Citizenship?
The requirements for UK citizenship are mentioned below in detail:
- To get citizenship, applicants must have continuous residency or ILR. Applicants can stay within the UK for less than 90 days in one year, and a 5-year absence period should be at most 450 days.
- Applicants who break the rules have criminal records and abusive behavior will not get this opportunity. Good character is an essential requirement.
- Life in the UK test is required to cover topics like UK culture, history, and tradition. The test includes 24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes.
- The minimum language requirement is passing levels B2 or B1 and C2 or C1, ensuring applicants can read and understand English.
Application Process
The application process for UK citizenship consists of the following steps:
Application Submission
The first step is to gather essential and supporting documents and make a file of these documents along with a receipt of the paid fee. Documents needed are:
- Proof of travel document
- Proof of Passport
- Residence proof such as bills and bank statements.
- Two photographs in passport size
- Documents that prove you have passed the Life in the UK test and language test.
Biometric Appointment
After submitting the application and documents, the next step is biometric enrolment. In this appointment, fingerprints and colored pictures of applicants will be captured and used in BRP. Further, in the future, these are used to verify the applicant’s background and current status.
Processing Time After Biometrics UK Citizenship
Once biometrics are submitted, the process will be continued with application processing. At the start, the home office gives six months to every applicant, but as they proceed deep into the application, they confirm every detail you mentioned. If something is doubtful, they take more time to process until they are satisfied. Applicants who mention wrong details or miss some information will face rejection, or their application processing time will reach up to 12 months.
Factors Affecting UK Citizenship Processing Time After Biometrics
Factors that affect the UK citizenship processing time after biometrics are mentioned below in detail:
Application Complexity
Significantly, the complexity of the case impacts the processing time. Applications that are completed, and have all documents attached process faster than complex ones. Simple application processes within six months, while complex application takes time. Home officers check whether the information you mentioned is correct or not and try different sources, then call the applicant to confirm, and after that, give a decision.
Workload In Home Office
Sometimes, the workload is too high in the home office at the start of the year, near vacations, and at the beginning of the academic year. So, avoid applying during these peak times. Moreover, due to the extreme workload, policies changed, directly impacting processing time.
Supporting Documents
At the time of application submission, try to submit all additional documents along with the application. Home officers will call the applicants in case of confusion and request supporting documents. That’s why it is crucial to submit them in advance; delays in the visa process might cause other difficulties.
Interviews
In a few cases, applicants are called to the home office for an interview before a decision. In this interview, the home officers ask about your details or details that need to be mentioned correctly. It can prolong the processing time.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is essential to understand the processing time after biometrics to navigate the process towards citizenship. There is no specified period for the application processing, while the home office aims to decide six months after the biometric appointment. In addition, the period depends on the visa category and the case’s complexity. Further, home offices provide a tracking service online; applicants need to enter their allotted reference number, and the results will show their application status. Overall, applicants who meet the required criteria and requirements will get their decision soon, while those who do not will get rejected.
(FAQs)
Is it possible to travel outside the UK while my visa is being processed?
Yes, it is possible to travel. In addition, it is necessary to provide all the documents and attend biometric appointments before moving from the UK. Moreover, inform the home office about your visit so they can call you back in case of any emergency.
Are there any tests required to get UK Citizenship?
Applicants can pass the Life in the UK and language tests to get UK citizenship. Life in the UK test is required to cover topics like UK culture, history, and tradition. The test includes 24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. In addition, the minimum language requirement is passing levels B2 or B1 and C2 or C1, ensuring applicants can read and understand English.
What are the benefits of having British Citizenship?
The benefits of having British Citizenship are given below:
- Having citizenship provides stability and security in the UK as you can not be revoked from the UK.
- Holding citizenship means you can easily travel anywhere in the UK and EU. UK citizenship holders can travel throughout the EU on a single passport.
- People get political rights; for example, they can vote.
- Citizenship holders can avail themselves of free education, healthcare, and social benefits.
- Further, you can reside in the UK without any time restrictions, work, or study.
What is the processing time of a UK Citizenship application?
The processing time after biometrics is six months. But this period is flexible; this can vary with your case’s complexity. For people who do not provide additional required documents as evidence, their processing time can be 12 months. Further, it is essential to check application status regularly for visa application reference numbers.