British Citizenship Routes For Australians

British Citizenship by Naturalisation

Australian citizens who were not born in the UK can obtain British citizenship by Naturalisation. This route allows those who were not born in the British territory to apply for British citizenship. To qualify for this visa, you must prove that you have obtained ILR after staying in the UK for up to 5 years and have lived in the country for 1 year after obtaining the ILR.

Also, ensure that you fulfil the minimum stay requirements for naturalisation, that is, you must not have stayed for up to 450 days abroad. Additionally, you must not have stayed for more than 90 days away from the UK within the last 1 year before applying for naturalisation.

To apply for naturalisation, you must complete the Home Office application form designed for those seeking British citizenship by naturalisation. You may receive a decision on your application from 3 to 6 months.

British Citizenship by Birth

This route to citizenship confers British citizenship to a child born in the UK. Note that before a child born in the UK obtains citizenship by birth, one of the parents must be a British citizen or settled in the UK at the time of the child’s birth.

If a child is born in the UK to non-British parents, the child will be regarded as a dependent and must comply with the UK immigration rules as their parents do. Note that you didn’t obtain British citizenship by birth if you were born to a settled or British father before July 1, 2006, who was not married to your mother and your mother was neither a British citizen nor settled in the UK.

As an Australian citizen or resident, if you didn’t become a British citizen automatically, you can apply to the UK Home Office to register as a citizen of the UK. For this to be possible, you must meet certain requirements and pay the required fees.

British Citizenship by Descent

Through this British citizenship route, Australian citizens have the right to UK citizenship even if they were born outside the UK because they have British parents. Therefore, Australian citizens can obtain British citizenship by descent through registration or birth outside the UK to a British parent at the time of their birth. If you obtain British citizenship by descent you cannot pass your citizenship to your child born outside the UK, unless you are crown-designated or in EU service.

British Citizenship by Marriage

If you’re an Australian citizen married to a UK citizen, you can apply for British citizenship by marriage. You will not be granted citizenship because you are married to a UK-settled person or citizen. You must live in the UK for up to 3 years continuously on a settled status before you apply for citizenship.

Note that to qualify for British citizenship by marriage, you must either be in a civil partnership or married to a UK citizen or settled person. To apply for citizenship by marriage as an Australian citizen, you must be at least 18 years old, and prove that you have lived in the UK for 3 years before your application date among other requirements.

Eligibility Requirements for British Citizenship by Naturalisation

• Be of good character and don’t break the British nationality law
• Be 18 years or older
• Do not spend more than 450 days outside the UK during the qualifying 5 years of residence or more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 1 year before applying
• Have stayed in the UK for a total of 5 years
• Be proficient in English and have knowledge of life in the UK
• Hold your ILR for at least 1 year before applying
• Intend to remain in the UK permanently
• Have a sound mind

Eligibility Requirements for British Citizenship by Birth

• One of the child’s parents was a British citizen or settled person at the time of the child’s birth
• The child is below 18 years old
• The child has lived in the UK for up to 10 years (where applicable)
• The child was born in the UK before January 1, 1983

Eligibility Requirements for British Citizenship by Descent

• You were born before 1983
• You were born between 1983 and June 2006
• You were born on or after July 1, 2006

The eligibility requirements for British citizenship by descent are more complex than those of other British citizenship routes and its eligibility requirements have changed over time. If you need more clarifications about the eligibility requirements for the British citizenship route, contact our team at Total Law on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or complete our online contact form for immediate assistance.

Eligibility Requirements for British Citizenship by Marriage

• Be a settled person in the UK, that is, you must hold ILR
• Be 18 years old or older
• Be in a civil partnership or be married to your UK citizen or a settled person in the UK
• Have resided in the UK for a minimum of 3 years before you applied. Note that you must not spend more than 270 days outside the UK within those 3 years. Also, you must not spend more than 90 days outside the UK within the last 1 year before your application
• Have good character
• Have a sound mind
• Be proficient in English, Scottish Gaelic or Welsh
• Have knowledge of life in the UK

This test is also called the British citizenship test. It comes with 24 questions based on the British culture, customs, and histories that should be known by British citizens. These questions are largely coined from the information in the Life in the UK Handbook the Home Office provides. Therefore you must study the handbook to pass the test.

The British life in the UK test is compulsory for Australian citizens who want to remain in the UK permanently. To pass this test, you must score a minimum of 75%. If you have already obtained a pass certificate while fulfilling the requirements for ILR you will not be required to take the British life in the UK test.

Those who have a mental impairment (having difficulty in learning another language), a long-term disability or illness and individuals aged below 18 or above 65 are also exempted from taking the test. You can book this test online with one of your nearest 5 centres at least within the last 3 days before the test.

Get your proof of address and the same ID you used to book the test. If you cannot provide the required documentation, you will not be allowed to write the test and you will not be refunded. If you pass the test, you will receive a notification letter about it which you must send to take UK Visas Immigration (UKVI) along with your permanent residence form. However, if you fail the test, you can keep on taking it until you pass it.