Getting married is an ecstatic occasion for couples, but for some, it can also be a way to gain British citizenship by marriage in a new country. Marriage can be a path to British citizenship for those who have fallen in love and married with someone from the United Kingdom with settled status. You have to process a British Citizenship application if your spouse is a British citizen by birth or a Non-EU British Citizen. However, this process is not as simple as saying, “I do. To ensure the path of UK citizenship via marriage, you must fulfill several requirements of the UKVI. In this blog, we will discuss how marriage can become a path to receiving British citizenship.
First Step to Acquire British Citizenship by Marriage
To Acquire British Citizenship through marriage, the first step towards it is marrying a British national. This may seem obvious, but it is important to note that you cannot simply marry someone who holds a British passport or is a permanent resident of the UK. They must be a British citizen in order to sponsor you for citizenship. Once you are married, you will need to apply for a Spouse Visa. This specific visa allows you to live and work in the United Kingdom for a period of up to five years. During this time, you must continue to live with your spouse and meet the requirements for settlement. This includes meeting the financial needs, which state that you and your spouse must have enough funds to support yourselves without relying on public funds. After you have stayed in the UK for five years, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and process your British Citizenship application. This is essentially permanent residency status and permits you to stay and work in the United Kingdom without restriction. Once you have held ILR for one year, you can also apply for naturalisation as a British citizen.
Specific Requirements for British Citizenship
There are a number of eligibility requirements that must be met in order to be granted ILR and British citizenship. It includes following requirements.
- You must have remain in the United Kingdom for a continuous period of five years
- You must have passed the Life in the UK Test and the English language test
- You must not have any serious criminal convictions
- You must be of good character
Once you have met these requirements and completed the necessary paperwork, you will attend a citizenship ceremony. At this ceremony, you will declare allegiance to the Crown and receive your certificate of British citizenship. It is important to note that the process of becoming a British citizen through marriage can be complex and time-consuming. It is recommended that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor or immigration law firm such as A Y & J Solicitors to ensure that your application is completed correctly. It upsurges your chance to get approval on your application without hurdles.
Challenges of British Citizenship by Marriage
One potential issue that may arise when becoming a British citizen through marriage is if your marriage ends in divorce or annulment. If this happens, you will lose your right to live in the UK and will need to leave the country. However, if you have held ILR for a period of two years or more, you may become able to apply for discretionary leave to remain in the UK. Another challenge is if your spouse dies while you are in the process of applying for citizenship. In that case, you will need to provide evidence that you were married to a British citizen and that the marriage was genuine. If you can provide this evidence, you may still be eligible for ILR and naturalization.
Conclusion
Obtaining British citizenship through marriage is a multi-step process that requires appropriate and efficient planning and knowledge. Fulfilling the requirements of the UKVI can be a complex process, and one minor mistake can become the refusal of your application. However, you can get along with an experienced immigration lawyer to minimize the challenges of this most required path. If you are considering becoming a British citizen through marriage, it is crucial to understand the requirements and steps involved in order to ensure that your application is successful. There are various complex requirements of UKVI that sometimes an applicant needs help understanding. That is why it is advisable to seek help from an immigration law firm. Their incredible team of solicitors generals can make it easier for you by implementing every step accurately. They can process your application with the required documents and make it possible for you to obtain citizenship smoothly.
