KNOWLEDGE

CENTRE

Nationality and Borders Act 2022: Discretionary Adult Registration and Naturalisation Requirements

The Nationality and Borders Act received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. The Act has attracted a great deal of media attention for its reforms in a number of areas, including asylum, immigration enforcement,...

British Citizenship for Overseas Adopted Children

In this guide we answer the top 10 most frequently asked questions about applications for British Citizenship for children adopted overseas.  If you are a British citizen and you are considering making an application...

British Citizenship Application Refused - What Now?

The requirements to become a British citizen are set out in British Nationality Law; the relevant law is mainly in the British Nationality Act 1981. Some children and adult applicants may be entitled to register...

A Guide to British Citizenship Ceremonies

The final stage of becoming a British citizen is for you to attend a Home Office British Citizenship ceremony where you will be presented with a certificate of British citizenship. If you are not living in the...

Domicile in British Nationality Applications

‘Domicile’ is a complex concept which has been subject to a great deal of analysis by the courts and is relevant to a variety of branches of the law, from family to tax law. It is also often relevant to nationality...

British Citizenship by Naturalisation: Absences from the UK

The British Nationality Act 1981 allows individuals to naturalise as a British citizen under section 6(1) or 6(2) of the Act.  Although there are strict absence requirements, the Home Office may exercise discretion...

British Citizenship by Naturalisation - Top 10 FAQs

If you are at least 18 years old and have been granted indefinite leave to remain or have acquired a right of permanent residence in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for British Citizenship by Naturalisation....

The ‘principal home’ requirement in British citizenship applications

The British Nationality Act 1981 allows individuals to naturalise under either Section 6(1) or 6(2) of the Act. If you are making an application under Section 6(1), you will need to demonstrate that your intention...

Good Character and Breach of Immigration Laws

One of the requirements in order to register or naturalise as a British Citizen is to be of ‘good character’. This applies to anyone over the age of 10 at the date of application.  This requirement...

British Citizenship: The Citizenship Ceremony

If an individual is over 18 and has made a successful application to become a British citizen, they will be required to attend a citizenship ceremony.  The individual is required to attend a ceremony by law.   Background...

UK Visa Requirements for South African Citizens

Many South African citizens have some connection to the UK which may give rise to a basis on which they can apply for a visa to move to the UK.  For example, as a citizen of South Africa, you might have a British...

Excessive Absences in an Application for Naturalisation

The British Nationality Act (BNA 1981) allows individuals to naturalise under either section 6(1) or 6(2) of the Act.  Section 6(2) applies where an individual is married to a British citizen.  An Applicant...