British Citizenship by Marriage
Filipino citizens who are married to British citizens can obtain UK citizenship by marriage if they meet the requirements.
To know more about UK citizenship through marriage, call us at +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online. Our immigration attorneys are available to assess your eligibility, gather supporting documents and guide you through the application process.
Obtaining British Citizenship Through Marriage
If you are married to a British citizen as a Filipino, you’ll need to meet further requirements to become a British citizen. Your marriage to a UK national does not automatically confer you the rights of a British citizen. You can only apply for citizenship after getting Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Again, marrying a British citizen does not permit you to leave the Philippines and move to the UK. If you are not already on another type of visa in the UK, you’ll need to apply for a Spouse Visa to move to the UK.
After spending 3 years on the Spouse visa, you can apply for ILR. Upon the approval of your ILR, you can then apply for British citizenship by marriage.
Page Contents
- Obtaining British Citizenship Through Marriage
- Requirements for British Citizenship by Marriage
- Application Process for British Citizenship by Marriage
- Cost and Duration of Acquiring British Citizenship by Marriage
- What Tests Do I Have to Take to Achieve British Citizenship?
- First British Passport After Citizenship
- What Happens if My Application is Refused?
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Requirements for British Citizenship by Marriage
Here are the British citizenship by marriage requirements:
Age
Filipino citizens who want to apply for UK citizenship must be at least 18.
Relationship with a British Citizen
You’ll need to have been married to a British citizen. It is also possible to apply for citizenship by marriage if you are in a civil partnership with a UK national. You’ll need to prove that your relationship with the British citizen is genuine and that the aim was not just to get UK nationality.
Indefinite Leave to Remain
Filipino citizens who want to apply for citizenship must hold ILR married to British citizen. If you were not already in the UK on another visa at your marriage, you’ll need to live in the UK for 3 years on a Spouse visa first. Only after then can you apply for ILR and then citizenship.
Residency Requirement
When applying for UK nationality, you must prove you were physically present in the UK exactly 3 years from the date the Home Office will receive your citizenship application.
Absence from the UK
Within the 3 years you were on a Spouse visa, you must not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK.
Good Character Requirement
You will need to convince the Home Office that you have been of good character since entering the UK. You must prove that you have not been convicted of any criminal offense. To further lend credibility to your good character claim, you’ll need 2 referees. They must not be family members, agents or UKVI staff. They also must be law-abiding citizens, free of criminal offenses in the last 10 years.
Application Process for British Citizenship by Marriage
Filipino citizens married to UK nationals can either apply for citizenship themselves or use the assistance of a legal representative. You can contact us to serve in that capacity. We have immigration attorneys at Total Law who are experienced in UK citizenship and immigration laws. They can help you with every step of your application. Call us at +44 (0)333 305 9375 or send a message online.
If you want to make the application yourself, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Prepare Your Documents
You’ll need to gather every document that proves you are eligible to naturalize in the UK via the marriage route.
Step 2: Fill the Citizenship Form
Next, you must visit the Home Office website and fill out Form AN, Form for Naturalization. The process is entirely online. You’ll also be required to include your referee details.
Step 3: Attach Supporting Documents
After filling out the form, scan and attach the documents. It is vital to ensure your documents are clear enough. Again, the information on your Form AN must match the one on your documents. For example, you cannot have a different date of birth on your birth certificate and Form AN.
Step 4: Schedule an Appointment
Your next step would be scheduling an appointment with the UKVCAS center. The officers there will capture your biometrics. You can also give the officers your documents to upload for you if you had issues doing so yourself.
Step 5: Attend Your Citizenship Ceremony
The Home Office will send you an email if your citizenship by marriage application is successful. They will instruct you to attend your British citizenship ceremony. You’ll get your nationality certificate there.
Step 6: Return Your British Resident Permit
As a British citizen, you don’t need the BRP anymore. So, after getting your certificate, you must cut your BRP into 4, put them in an envelope and seal them.
You must add a note with your name, date and certificate number. Send the envelope by post to:
Naturalization BRP Returns
PO Box 195
Bristol
BS20 1BT
If you do not do this within 5 days of getting your certificate, you may be charged a fine of £1,000.
Cost and Duration of Acquiring British Citizenship by Marriage
Cost
You’ll need to pay £1,605 as an application fee for British citizenship and £130 for the citizenship ceremony.
Duration
It usually takes the Home Office 6 months to decide on citizenship applications.
What Tests Do I Have to Take to Achieve British Citizenship?
The Language Test
Filipino citizens must show proficiency in English, Welsh or Gaelic when trying to obtain UK nationality. This requirement is a way of proving that you can settle in the UK without communication issues. You can prove your language proficiency in the following ways:
- Pass a standardized English test administered by LanguageCert, Pearson, IELTS SELT Consortium or Trinity College London. Note that the results expire after 2 years
- Get a degree from an English-speaking nation
- Get a degree from the UK
- Show proof that your degree in the Philippines or another non-English speaking country was taught entirely in English. The Ecctis will assess your degree if you prove your proficiency this way
Life in the UK Test
When applying for British citizenship, you’ll need to pass the Life in the UK test. The test assesses how much you know about British life. You’ll be asked questions based on the UK’s culture, tradition, politics, food and daily life.
For this test, you’ll have to answer 24 questions. The pass mark is 75%. You’ll need to pay £50 for this test.
You don’t have to take any of these tests if you are 65 and above, hold ILR or have any physical or mental health challenges that can prevent you from passing the tests.
First British Passport After Citizenship
After getting your citizenship certificate, you can then apply for your first passport as a British citizen. This passport is valid for 10 years. There are 2 ways to apply for a UK passport:
Online
Go to the passport portal on the website of the Home Office and fill out the form as required. Attach a recent digital passport photo and pay £94.50 to submit your passport application. Then, choose a respected member of the society to confirm your identity.
The person you choose must be at least 18, a citizen and resident in the UK. It is important to notify this person that the HM Passport office will contact them about you. After they confirm they know you, you’ll be contacted and told where to submit your documents.
Paper
Visit any post office and ask for a passport application form. Complete sections 1-5 and 9. Take the form to someone who’ll confirm your identity. They’ll fill out section 10 and sign and date the photo you intend to use.
Return the completed form to the post office in the envelope you received when you requested the form. Pay the application fee of £107 and then drop copies of your supporting documents.
It can take up to 3 weeks for your passport to be ready. It will be sent to you by courier.
What Happens if My Application is Refused?
If your British citizenship application is refused, you can ask for a reconsideration if you feel there was an error in the judgement of the officer who handled your application. Otherwise, you’ll have to fix the eligibility flaws in your application and apply again.
If your application is refused, your citizenship ceremony fee will be refunded. It is important to note that applying for reconsideration is tedious, and the outcome may still be unfavourable. To avoid this, let us handle your British citizenship application with expertise.
How Can Total Law Help?
Applying for British citizenship is a tedious process, one that requires meticulous attention. Mistakes and oversights can lead to refusals, and refusals can hurt due to the resources and time spent on making the application.
Instead of risking a refusal, why not let our team at Total Law handle the application on your behalf? We have a team of competent immigration attorneys who can help ensure you submit an application of high standards, one that would be almost impossible to refuse.
We are registered with the OISC, showing that we can be trusted to act in your best interest if you give us a chance. We can assess your eligibility, assist you in gathering your supporting documents and act as your legal representative by making an application for you.
Do you want to know more about what we do and how we can help you achieve your dream of being a UK citizen? Call us today at +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not need to renounce your Philippine citizenship when you acquire British nationality. The UK nationality law permits multiple citizenship.
