British Citizenship

Naturalisation is the most common way for adults who were not born British to become British citizens.

To apply to naturalise as a British citizen, they will have to fulfil the residency requirements, and hold Indefinite Leave to Remain/Permanent Residence. They will also need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English Language, and Life in the UK, be of good character, and have the intention to make the UK their home. The good character requirement is mainly based on previous immigration history and an individual’s criminal history.

Although citizenship applications can be complex, our experienced immigration specialists understand the processes, the legal requirements and the issues. Herrington Carmichael will support you every step of the way.

Whether and when you can register as a British citizen is different depending on who your parents are, when you were born and whether you already have some form of British nationality. There are also different rules if you have previously renounced British citizenship or you are a returning resident.

There are specific requirements for those to be met based on a section under the British Nationality Act 1981 that would allow them to automatically acquire British Citizenship. These requirements are very specific and meeting them can be complex. The laws surrounding this section of the act also changes reqularly. 

Right of Abode indicates your right to live and work in the UK without any immigration restrictions. Thus, you will not need a visa and there is no limit to the amount of time you can live in the UK. 

British Citizens automatically have the Right of Abode. Commonwealth Citizens may be eligible too. 

Some people may have British nationality through descent and ancestry, however they may not be sure on how they are able to attain it. A British Nationality Status Trace entails diving into your family history to uncover how you are able to acquire British Citizenship. 

Contact us to start the process.

Most of the visa , settlement routes and citizenship applications can be done by yourself. However, most of these applications can be complex, based on your situation, and more often than not, the fees involved in the application will not be refunded if your application is not successful. 

We recommend using an Immigration Lawyer as it significantly reduces the risk of your application being rejected due to our experience and knowledge in Immigration Law. We have had numerous clients who had first attempted it themselves, failed, lost all of the fees and now have to pay it again as well as paying for lawyers to ensure it is done correctly. 

Our fees depend on the the visa or route you want to pursue and how complex your situation is. Get in touch with us to discuss your situation further and we will give you an obligation-free quote. 

Yes! We know each person is at different parts of their immigration journey and you want to speak to someone before committing to paying fees. We offer a 10-minute free initial conversation where we can help you determine your best course of action. We can also advise on fees and cost after this call. 

We offer a free 10-minute consultation. We will happily chat through your situation with you to help you determine your eligibility for the variuous routes. Get in touch for your 10-minute chat and obligation-free quote. 

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is the formal term for settlement. They are the same thing and the two terms are often used interchangeably.

Using an Immigration Lawyer does not stand you in better stead in the eyes of Home Office, however, using an Immigration Lawyer does result in a better quality application that is correctly filled out and has the correct documents attached. This gives less space for error and increases the chances of the application being successful. This is particularly true in complex cases.