How to get a British passport: timeline and immigration routes

Great Britain seems and is an insular country with old traditions, different mentality and complex immigration laws. But it does not mean it is impossible to move here and become British citizen. You can either do it yourself or get professional help, either way it is doable. UK passport means access to social benefits, high standards of healthcare and education, business support through tax allowances and transparent legislation. Your route to UK citizenship is not always as long as it may seem.

How to get permanent residence in the UK

For foreign nationals there are a few common visa routes leading to settlement and then passport. Making a right choice here is vital – you can either rely on your own knowledge or get a qualified lawyer assess your chances. They have knowledge, experience and expertise of preparing and submitting various types of UK visa applications.

Which visas lead to British citizenship?

Let’s have a look on what routes you can obtain an indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and later naturalise in the United Kingdom.

• Family visas, e.g. spouse visa;

• Study visas;

• Investor visa;

• Representative visa;

• Innovator visa;

• Start-up visa only after switching to another visa.

EU nationals and their family members can also get settlement and citizenship under the EU Settlement Scheme.

We did not mention Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa because it was cancelled in March 2019 meaning that new applications are no longer accepted but you can still get settled in the UK.

When can I apply for ILR?

Standard procedure would be getting a visa, applying for extension in 2-3 years and becoming permanently resident in 5 years. However, there are fast-track solutions when instead of extending your visa you apply for settlement straight away.

A good example is Tier 1 Investor visa; you can get ILR in 2 years provided you are ready to invest at least £10 million and in 3 years if it is £5 million. Entrepreneur visa also has an accelerated option (ILR in 3 years) if your business employs more than 10 people or has a turnover of over £5 million. Another category is Innovator visa; compliance with certain conditions will make you eligible to apply in 3 years as well.

When can I get British passport?

If you have settled through fast-track route, you can apply for naturalisation in the UK 5 years after arriving in the country. Standard 5-year route allows to make a naturalisation application in 6 years.

What are the longest routes to British passport?

Foreign nationals studying in the UK are eligible for settlement only in 10 years and UK passport in 11 years. Spouse visa also has a 10-year route if some requirements were not met with 11 years to British citizenship (standard timeline is 5 years).

How to obtain UK citizenship?

Apart from visa-specific requirements (a qualified lawyer will be able to tell you which) there are a few mandatory requirements for all applicants for British passport.

• Knowledge of English (exceptions apply).

• Life in the UK test (exceptions apply).

• No criminal or immigration records.

• Absences from the country not more than 450 days during last 5 years before naturalisation application and 90 days in the last year.

UK passport is not just a dream, it is a reality. However, to get there you might come across some unforeseen obstacles. You can eliminate them and make it easier for yourself by getting professional advice and support all the way to British citizenship. Do not be afraid to trust an expert and you will soon feel like home in the UK.