Citizenship???

Hi, I got my ILR about a year and six months ago. I was wondering what the process is for getting citizenship? If at all possible would someone be willing to list these one by one? How long does it take? What are the costs? Do I need to take any tests? I am in dark about the process, if anyone would be willing to help it would be much appreciated.

You have to fill out and send the AN application form, make sure to read the AN guide as well:
https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen/how-to-apply

You don't need to take any tests, you should have already completed your life in the UK test for ILR. You just need to fill out the form and give the UKBA your money, really, which is now £906 for the AN application.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/301380/Master_Fees_Leaflet_Apr_2014.pdf

You pay £50 to your council (on a weekday, £60 on the weekend) if you want them to look things over, make copies and send authorised copies of your passport, etc for the application. You have to make an appointment with them to do this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nationality-checking-service

It takes the normal time frame of up to 6 months for the process.
https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen/after-youve-applied

If you're successful, you then do a local citizenship ceremony:
https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen/citizenship-ceremonies

It's all on the UKBA website, I would read through that carefully if I were you before sending anything off.

Assuming you are married to a UK citizen, for citizenship, you need to meet the following requirements:

- you can prove you were physically in the UK exactly 3 years prior to your citizenship application date
- you have not been outside the UK for more than 270 days in the last 3 years, with no more than 90 of those days being in the previous 12 months before applying.
- you are currently married to a UK citizen
- you are over 18
- you are of good character (no unspent criminal convictions, no bankruptcy, you pay your taxes etc.)

See here for more information about the process:
https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen/check-if-you-can-apply

You will be asked to provide details of the number of days you have been outside the UK in the past 3 years - when calculating this, you do NOT include the days you left and returned to the UK... so say you went abroad on holiday on Monday and returned on Friday, that's only 3 days outside the UK (Tues, Wed, Thurs).

I was wondering what the process is for getting citizenship?

You make sure you meet the requirements above, then you fill out form AN, include your payment and send it off.

There is a Nationality Checking Service (NCS) provided by the council that you can use to apply if you like - they will check your application, make copies of all your documents, return your passport and documents to you and then send it off for you as well.

Each council charges a different fee for the NCS, so you will need to check how much it is where you live. My local council charges £50 for an appointment, but in the next county over it's £55, and where my parents live, it costs £65.

How long does it take?

It can be a bit faster if you use the NCS, but generally I think it's taking about 2-4 months at the moment.

What are the costs?

Current fee is £906 - this includes both the application fee and the citizenship ceremony fee.

Do I need to take any tests?

Only the Life in the UK test, but you will have already taken that for ILR, so you just need to include the pass certificate again.

However, if you have lost the certificate, you will need to re-take the test in order to get a new one.

Once your citizenship has been granted, you will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony, which I believe you must attend within 90 days of the date of the invitation letter.

When you have attended the ceremony and been sworn in as a UK citizen, you can apply for a UK passport.