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Getting a British passport through marriage?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
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 :)

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I believe if it to help stop people from marrying for a passport.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    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 MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fuck, that's not an easy test - I just failed :(

    With some study of the book it should be fine though
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I failed too! Half of the questions were common sense, but the other half were things normal UK residents don't know!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I failed too :P
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Go me, took 4 minutes 36 seconds and I failed :p 13/24
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I also failed (12/24). One-way trip to Sangette for me.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I guess Americans aren't the only morons who couldn't pass thier own citizenship tests ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    fuck, teamed up with bf and we still only got 12
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    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 MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What random questions. What good will it do people knowing this anyway?!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    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.
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