How to Become a British Citizen

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Live in the UK.

   To be a naturalized citizen, generally you must live in the UK for five years prior to applying for citizenship.To live in the UK, you must have some type of visa.Some types of visas that allow you to live in the UK are a work visa, a student visa, a visa granted to family members or partners, a retired person visa, or a visitor visa.
2. 2

   Step 2: Complete the application to settle in the UK.

   This application will ask you about your visa and current situation.
   
   If accepted, you will be allowed to stay indefinitely, and you won't have a specified date for leaving the country like you do with a visa.,This application must be completed a year before applying for citizenship., You must be in good standing to be a UK citizen, though usually minor infractions won't count against you., You must be planning on living in the UK if you want to apply for naturalized citizenship.You also must have lived a certain number of days in the UK prior to your application date; you can only have stayed 450 days out of the UK in the previous 5 years and 90 days in the last year., You must prove you are capable of speaking English, which is expanded on in a later section., This test is on British culture and life, and you'll find more on it in a later section., You must pay a fee based on what type of citizenship you're applying for.You can apply one of three ways: 1) Pull the form from online, fill it out, and mail it in; 2) Visit your local NCS, and they will help you fill it out; or 3) Use a private agency or individual, who can also help you fill it out.
3. 3

   Step 3: Have a clean criminal record.

4. 4

   Step 4: Decide to stay in the UK.

5. 5

   Step 5: Prove your English competency.

6. 6

   Step 6: Pass the Life in the UK Test.

7. 7

   Step 7: Apply and pay the fee.

Detailed Guide

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