Getting a British passport through marriage?

Former Member

Hi,

My brother has been married a few years to a Polish woman.

She wants to get a British passport, purely as her Polish one is due to expire this summer and their life/home/family is here, i was always under the impression that being married to a UK citizen authorises a passport but shes been told by people she needs to complete the life in the uk test and also to have resided here for a minumum 5 years?

Is this correct do you know?


Thanks

Former Member

I believe if it to help stop people from marrying for a passport.

Former Member

It looks like the process is to apply to naturalise as a British citizen and then the passport would follow. Looking at the process I'm tempted to suggest she may want to apply for a new Polish passport as well, as the process may take some time and she'd probably want to avoid being stuck without a passport.

The UK Border Agency outlines the requirements for a spouse who wants to naturalise on the following page -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/naturalisation/spouseorcivilpartnerofcitizen/

Skipping past the legal nitty-gritty the basic requirement looks to be 3 years and an ability to prove a knowledge of UK life - the test you mentioned.

Here's the full run down on the test -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/applying/applicationtypes/naturalisation/lifeintheuk/

It's 24 multiple choice questions based on the booklet - Life in the UK: A Journey to Citizenship You can get it from Amazon for about £7, as well as online from The Stationary Office. The itself costs about £35 and should be over in a few minutes.

Your sister can also run through an example test online to see what it will be like - maybe a useful way to reassure her or see if there are things she'd need to study in the guide - the test is available here and I'd recommend anyone having a go to see how well you do

http://www.ukcitizenshiptest.co.uk/?trackid=002509


It's seems the 5 year limit is because she comes from an EEC country, if she had been resident for 5 years then you can automatically skip past some of the residency checks - but there's definitely a 3 year possibility for a spouse.

There's also a good character check but that should be fine as long as there's no undischarged bankruptcy or unspent convictions -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/goodcharacter/

Here's the page the gives information on the application process and types from the home office -

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/applying/applicationtypes/

Hope that helps, I guess at this stage it's going to be a question of how long she's been here and whether it might be worth getting a Polish passport at the same time. As with this process you'll be going through this process then still be going through the full passport application process afterward.

Former Member

Fuck, that's not an easy test - I just failed

With some study of the book it should be fine though

Former Member

I failed too! Half of the questions were common sense, but the other half were things normal UK residents don't know!

Former Member

I failed too :P

Former Member

Go me, took 4 minutes 36 seconds and I failed 13/24

Former Member

I also failed (12/24). One-way trip to Sangette for me.

Former Member

I guess Americans aren't the only morons who couldn't pass thier own citizenship tests

Former Member

fuck, teamed up with bf and we still only got 12

Former Member

I still have not passed yet.

Does this mean that people who come to live in this country and do pass it, are more British than us?

Former Member

What random questions. What good will it do people knowing this anyway?!

Former Member

Relevant news article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8444360.stm

BBC wrote:

The number of suspected sham marriages by illegal immigrants has leapt by more than half in the past year.

Figures from the Home Office show a 54% jump in suspected cases reported by registrars in England and Wales.