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How To Become a British Citizen

Acquiring British citizenship is a momentous occasion. At Optimus Law, our highly experienced team of citizenship specialists will assist you with the application process every step of the way, from helping you collate all the relevant documents and submitting an application on your behalf, to answering any queries you may have and keeping you regularly updated on the progress of your citizenship application throughout the various stages.

You can apply for British citizenship by naturalisation if:

  • You’re 18 or over
  • You are deemed to be a person of good character, e.g. you don’t have an unspent criminal record, and you have not tried to mislead the Home Office or been involved in immigration offences in the last 10 years
  • You intend to live in the UK after citizenship is granted
  • You have met the English requirement and the knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements
  • You meet the residency requirement

What We Can Do For You

Prior to Brexit, nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland automatically received UK permanent resident status if they have lived in the UK for a continuous 5-year period through EEA free movement rights. After this five-year period you will receive an indefinite leave to remain and then may apply for citizenship as long as you meet the below requirements.

With Brexit fast approaching it is important to anticipate your Permanent Residence status if your European. If there is a No Deal Brexit then you may find that your options are limited. We advise you to speak to one of our experienced lawyers prior to Brexit if you have any doubts over your UK settlement.

FAQ's

  • lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application
  • spent under 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years
  • spent under 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
  • been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK (this means there’s no specific date that you have to leave) or permanent residence if you’re EEA national (and you have a permanent residence card or document that shows you have permanent residency)
  • had indefinite leave to stay in the UK for the last 12 months (or permanent residency if you’re an EEA national with a permanent residence card or document that shows you have permanent residency)
  • Finally that they have not broken any immigration laws while in the UK
  • you’re 18 or over
  • you’re of sound mind, e.g. you’re able to think and make decisions for yourself
  • you’re of good character, e.g. you don’t have a serious or recent criminal record
  • you’ve met standard of English requirements and life in the UK requirements
  • you have indefinite leave to stay in the UK (this means there’s no specific date that you have to leave) or permanent residence if you’re an EEA national (and you have a permanent residence card or document that shows you have permanent residency)
  • Unless your spouse or civil partner works abroad either for the UK government or for an organisation closely linked to government, you must usually also have:
  • lived in the UK for at least the 3 years before your application is received
  • spent no more than 270 days outside the UK in those 3 years
  • spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
  • not broken any immigration laws while in the UK

Our team of London immigration lawyers are highly qualified specialists and knowledgeable in Immigration law. The best part is that our initial case assessment is free. We will assess your case with you in detail free of charge. After the discussion we will advise you on the best course of actions.

We also give you a fixed price for your peace of mind. Once you are happy to proceed, a dedicated lawyer will prepare your Citizenship application. We will keep you updated throughout the application process.

From the start of your application until you get the decision, we remain the point of contact between the Home Office and yourself.

To find out how we can help you today.

Contact us on 0203 598 0099 or if you like us to give you call back why not complete our online Quick Response form and we’ll get in touch at a time that suits you.

Testimonials

Our Clients Say

If you are still not sure about choosing us, hear from our clients themselves.

Robina is a very reliable, helpful and experienced immigration solicitor in our area. I had a successful appeal with my Tier 1 applications with the help from Robina.

Laura Jayne

I’ve loved my experience with Optimus Law. Very friendly staff, easy to talk with, they follow up with you and keep you updated! And surely I will keep using their services.

Maroun

I required a premium service application to bring my spouse to the UK in time for Christmas and the team at Optimus Law were great. Managed to do everything well before expectation. Professional service would recommend Robina to anyone!!

Ikram

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