SET(M) and Citizenship

I am just in the process of applying for a second wave of FLM(R) I was just wondering what the next phase will be for my wife.

Presumably it is SET (M) (indefinite leave to remain) and then naturalisation?

I am therefore wondering what the current cost implications are?

Is it as follows:

SET (M) - £2297
Naturalisation - £1282

Am I also right in thinking  these can be applied for at the same time or do you apply for SET(M) then after 12 months citizenship?

Thanks!

If you are married to a UK citizen, you can apply for citizenship as soon as you have the ILR instead of waiting 12 months... as long as you meet the residency requirements (no more than 270 days outside the UK in the previous 3 years, with no more than 90 of those days in the last 12 months before applying).

You can't do ILR and citizenship at the same time though, as you need to hold ILR first before you can apply for citizenship.

While the current price of ILR is £2,297, it is approved to rise to £3,250 in the next year or so, and may well go even higher by the time you qualify. The fees rise in April every year.

Citizenship is currently £1282, but didn't change much in price this last year, however the fees still increase in April every year.

In 2016/2017, ILR was £1,875 and citizenship was £1,236, then for 2017/2018 they are £2,297 and £1,282 respectively.

So, your timeline will be:

- apply for your FLR(M) renewal
- 28 days before you reach 5 years in the UK (which may well be 28 days before the expiry date of the FLR(M)), you can apply for ILR
- once ILR has been approved and issued, you can apply for citizenship, as long as you meet all the requirements.
- once citizenship has been approved you attend a citizenship ceremony within 3 months (I think)
- after that, you can apply for a UK passport

If you don't meet all the requirements for citizenship right away, you just need to wait until you do meet them.

Thanks for your reply so do I need to apply for another FLR(m) after this one?

My wife has already completed 2.5 years and this is the next 2.5 being processed now.

Seems strange you have to apply for another renewal before I can apply for SET(M) is that what you’re saying?

Presumably you mean this round now?

Thanks

Thanks for your reply so do I need to apply for another FLR(m) after this one?

My wife has already completed 2.5 years and this is the next 2.5 being processed now.

Seems strange you have to apply for another renewal before I can apply for SET(M) is that what you’re saying?

No, it's not.

This will be the last FLR(M). I didn't realise your second FLR(M) was being processed at the moment... I assumed you hadn't applied yet, which is why I said you had to apply for it.

The timeline is either:
- arrive in the UK on a 6-month fiance visa
- apply for FLR(M) after the wedding
- apply for a second FLR(M) after 2.5 years
- ILR after 5 years on 2 FLR(M) visas
- Citizenship

Or
- arrive in the UK on a spousal visa
- apply for FLR(M) after 2.5 years
- ILR after 5 years on the spousal visa and 1 FLR(M) visa
- Citizenship

So, you apply for either 1 or 2 renewals in total, depending on which visa you arrived in the UK on.

Thanks so much this is really helpful!

I’ll be buying my wife the life in uk Test book soon haha!