How/when do I apply for British citizenship?

Hi everyone -- I'm sure there's prolly a link in here somewheres on this...but I'm short on time right now, so if you know - please post the link.

I know it's still early days...I'm only one year into my LLR visa & will be applying for my ILR early next summer (2006) -- as the American spouse of a British citizen.  How soon can I apply for British citizenship after that?  Can anyone shed some light on the process, timeline, etc?  I'm assuming that I will be among those who have to 'take the test' or whatever, as well?

Thanks!

We're on a very similar timeline, Carolyn. I'll be applying for ILR at the end of next summer. I believe it's 3 years total and one of those years must be on ILR. It's that one year on ILR that screwed me up a bit as I've already been here 2 years, but as far as I can tell, my year on a student visa doesn't get me ILR any sooner. Bah. So you can apply in summer of 2007. And yes, we'll have to take the test.

I believe it's 3 years total and one of those years must be on ILR.

Anne, it's 3 years total and free of time limits for a spouse; it's the economic migrants who need to spend a whole year free of time limits...

Anne, it's 3 years total and free of time limits for a spouse; it's the economic migrants who need to spend a whole year free of time limits...

Really? So can I count my one year on a student visa and two on FLR and skip ILR in favour of citizenship? Oooh, that puts a very new perspective on many things!!!

No, you can't skip ILR, you need to have it.

I am doing one in October for a Kazakh girl; 3 years student, 2 years LLR, which are up in October.  So she goes for ILR and the day after she gets it, BAM, she goes for naturalization....

But still, she needs ILR.

Poop. Hoping to save a bit of money there.  Nonetheless, knowing that I can apply for citizenship as soon as I have ILR rather than waiting a whole year more is fantastic news! Thanks, Garry!!! Sorry for the hijack, Carolyn!!

No worries, AnneR.  Thanks for the info, garry.  So I'm trying to think out my timeline here...what I actually have to do the first of next summer (or so) is send my passport off to the American consulate to get my name changed (to married name) as there was no time in between our wedding last Aug & needing to get the FLR asap (fiancee visa was about to expire).

Our wedding was Aug 14 (2004) -- can't remember the date on my FLR visa, but I guess I'd send off for the ILR sometime around then -- mid-Aug 2006.  THEN -- well I'll have been living in England for three years at the end of March 2007 (when I came over on the fiancee visa), so guess I can apply for citizenship then?

Oh, I thought I had everything down, but I may be missing something. I'm a british citizen, husband is American. We are moving to the UK. He and my children will be applying for spousal/family visas. I have not been told that any of them need ILR or LLR or FLR. In fact, I have no idea what any of these are. Can somebody help.

ILR = indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence)
FLR = further leave to remain
LLR = limited leave to remain

I'm a British citizen in the process of applying for settlement visas for my girls.  Depending on how long you've been married, your spouse will be granted either ILE (like ILR only issued BEFORE settling in the UK) or LLE (like LLR).  I believe if you've been married more than 4 years your spouse will get ILE right away, but I could be wrong on that.  Not sure which your kids will be granted.  I was told mine would be granted ILE right off the bat, as there is no limit on my stay in the UK and their visas will be 'tied' to my status. 

Aack!  Too many acronyms! 
(I work for the government - you'd think I'd be used to them by now!) 

I have not been told that any of them need ILR or LLR or FLR. In fact, I have no idea what any of these are. Can somebody help.

FLR is further leave to remain
ILR is Indefinate leave to remain
LR Limited leave to remain

Basically in my situation I am on a fiance visa , it expires in December, after I get married before December I apply for a FLR visa which is good for 2 years, after that is about to expire I will have to apply for a ILR visa and after that expires after I think 3 yrs I then apply for British citizenship.

I think since he is applying for a spousal visa, thats already considered a FLR after it expires in 2 years he has to apply for a ILR.

If I am wrong on any of this someone correct me so I'm not giving out false info:P

OPPS looks like we posted at the same time closet_hippie lol

Basically in my situation I am on a fiance visa , it expires in December, after I get married before December I apply for a FLR visa which is good for 2 years, after that is about to expire I will have to apply for a ILR visa and after that expires after I think 3 yrs I then apply for British citizenship.

ILR doesn't expire. Citizenship is optional, and you can apply for it after 3 years of living in the UK as long as you have ILR.

I'm a British citizen in the process of applying for settlement visas for my girls. Depending on how long you've been married, your spouse will be granted either ILE (like ILR only issued BEFORE settling in the UK) or LLE (like LLR). I believe if you've been married more than 4 years your spouse will get ILE right away, but I could be wrong on that. Not sure which your kids will be granted. I was told mine would be granted ILE right off the bat, as there is no limit on my stay in the UK and their visas will be 'tied' to my status.

I also believe this is correct-we are applying for ILE for me and our children at the same time-as soon as we sell this bloody house.  (We have been married 5 1/2 years).

ILR doesn't expire. Citizenship is optional, and you can apply for it after 3 years of living in the UK as long as you have ILR.

However, if you leave the UK and live outside it for a long period of time, even with ILR, you may have to apply again to return to the UK to live again.

Which is one reason why citizenship (and a British passport) is a plus.

I met an American woman who lived in the UK for ten+ years during her childhood, and then when she was 17 her parents had moved back to the US. She, like them, had ILR. She went to the US for the last year of high school and then college. She didn't return to Britain for two years, and when she did, the IO didn't believe she was returning to "resume her residence", and cancelled her ILR.

I know that she could have applied to resume her residence, but she didn't. She just took a chance and lost BIG.

I believe in these circumstances it would have been possible to appeal the cancellation of ILR, but she didn't and so she is just an American with a British accent...

Just one example of why it's a good idea to go for naturalisation.

Another is: You can vote and your name is on the electoral rolls - important for all kinds of reasons.