Citizenship Application Question

Hey, everyone, I have a couple of questions, if that's alright?

My US husband is filling in his citizenship forms and it's asking for any other UK immigration applications - he got his initial spouse visa to enter the UK and his ILR, but we don't have any specific documents or anything. What do we need for that? We have his old passport with the dates (you can't see the date of his initial visit to the UK anymore, though) so we have the original visa stamps but beyond that, nothing. Is there something else we need?

Also, we're self-employed - does this complicate things a tonne? Our accountant is one of our referees, actually - is that still okay?

Thanks so much for any help.

Hey, everyone, I have a couple of questions, if that's alright?

My US husband is filling in his citizenship forms and it's asking for any other UK immigration applications - he got his initial spouse visa to enter the UK and his ILR, but we don't have any specific documents or anything. What do we need for that? We have his old passport with the dates (you can't see the date of his initial visit to the UK anymore, though) so we have the original visa stamps but beyond that, nothing. Is there something else we need?

Also, we're self-employed - does this complicate things a tonne? Our accountant is one of our referees, actually - is that still okay?

Thanks so much for any help.

I believe you just need to put as much info pertaining to your previous applications as you can.  I am aware of someone who recently was approved who only had minimal info.

I do not think you are allowed to have someone in your employ or paid by you or who works for you as a referee.


Good luck,

Matt

Hi, thank you for replying.

Forgive me, I'm freaking out now - I was under the impression an accountant was an excellent referee? I know the person can't be representing us with the citizenship application itself, but she's not our employee; we're self-employed and she's our accountant.

This is really worrying me - we're very insular, and really only have the two references. The rest of our people are family, who we can't use. Have I misunderstood?

Apologies, it needs some clarification as it's slightly ambiguous

Provide 2 referees
They must not be: your relative, your solicitor or agent, employed by the Home Office.  [this makes me want to have someone who is not under any commercial obligation to me - I am probably overly cautious]

One referee must be a person of any nationality who has professional standing, such as a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional body, for example, accountant or solicitor (but not representing you with this application).

I am sure your accountant will be fine. They will come back to you if there's an issue.   

I think I am not helping much and should leave it to the experts!...

Thanks again, I appreciate you acknowledging my post

If a mod could possibly help, at all, I'd be very grateful. I'm confused about the immigration visa question, and now slightly worried about the accountant referee.

Thanks.

My US husband is filling in his citizenship forms and it's asking for any other UK immigration applications - he got his initial spouse visa to enter the UK and his ILR, but we don't have any specific documents or anything. What do we need for that? We have his old passport with the dates (you can't see the date of his initial visit to the UK anymore, though) so we have the original visa stamps but beyond that, nothing. Is there something else we need?

You don't need any documents to show this, you just need to list the previous applications on the form.

Also, we're self-employed - does this complicate things a tonne?

Not really - the applicant will just need to include the latest annual HMRC Statement of Account for the self-employment to show they have paid their taxes.

Our accountant is one of our referees, actually - is that still okay?

As long as the accountant is not representing you for the application itself, it should be fine to use them as a referee.

Thank you so much, ksand!

I apologise for all the questions - my nerves are completely shredded anyway, and am dreadful when it comes to bureaucracy/visa stuff, and I don't want to get a single, little thing wrong.

Can I ask another question, please: it's asking for documents for proof of residency. What qualifies as proof?

Also, I am so confused about the process after this. Do we send the documents somewhere? Email them? How do we get his biometrics done? And I saw somewhere that it can be done via an app - does that mean we wouldn't have to go somewhere to get it done?

I apologise again, am honestly a complete mess at the moment and just about hanging on, so the stress of this is kind of pushing me over the edge a bit. Thank you again very very much.

I apologise for all the questions - my nerves are completely shredded anyway, and am dreadful when it comes to bureaucracy/visa stuff, and I don't want to get a single, little thing wrong.

There's really nothing to worry about with citizenship. It's an extremely easy application with almost no required documents.

Compared to a visa application, it's a piece of cake.

Can I ask another question, please: it's asking for documents for proof of residency. What qualifies as proof?

You don't need any proof of residency, just your passport, which will show travel in and out of the UK over the last 3 years.

For a citizenship application where the applicant is married to a UK citizen, usually the only required documents are:

- applicant's current US passport
- evidence of applicant's ILR status (their BRP card...  or visa sticker in passport if ILR issued before BRP cards)
- spouse's current UK passport
- marriage certificate
- Life in the UK test pass certificate
- 2 referee forms
- if self-employed: Latest statement of account

Also, I am so confused about the process after this. Do we send the documents somewhere? Email them? How do we get his biometrics done? And I saw somewhere that it can be done via an app - does that mean we wouldn't have to go somewhere to get it done?

The documents are not sent anywhere anymore, they are all uploaded to the UKVCAS website before attending biometrics (UKVCAS website: https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/home-internal).

Only certain people will be invited to use the IDV app - if this applies to you, you will be told when you apply.

If you are not using the IDV app, the process is:
- fill out and submit your online application and pay for citizenship
- wait for email with registration code for UKVCAS website
- use the code to register an account on the UKVCAS website
- book biometrics on the UKVCAS website (you may have to pay for an appointment, depending on what is available)
- upload your documents to the UKVCAS website before the appointment
- attend biometrics
- wait for citizenship approval by email (could take up to 6 months)
- once you have approval, you can book and attend the citizenship ceremony (within 3 months of approval)
- once you have attended the ceremony, you can apply for your UK passport

You don't need any proof of residency, just your passport, which will show travel in and out of the UK over the last 3 years.

For a citizenship application where the applicant is married to a UK citizen, usually the only required documents are:

- applicant's current US passport
- evidence of applicant's ILR status (their BRP card...  or visa sticker in passport if ILR issued before BRP cards)
- spouse's current UK passport
- marriage certificate
- Life in the UK test pass certificate
- 2 referee forms
- if self-employed: Latest statement of account

Thank you so much again for your help - my blood pressure also thanks you. I wish I could attach a screenshot but there's a page called "Documents", and the text reads (I've copy and pasted it):

Proof of living in the UK for Mr XXXXXXXX for 5 years if applying in your own right or 3 years if applying as the spouse of a British Citizen
If you are married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen, you must have been in the UK for the past 3 years.

If you are not married, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen, you must have been in the UK for the past 5 years.

If you are an EEA National, you need to include letters from employers, educational establishments or other government departments, indicating your presence in the UK during the relevant 3- or 5-year period.

If you are a Non-EEA National, you need to include your passport to prove you have lived in the UK for the relevant 3- or 5-year period.

If you do not have your passport or it was not stamped when you entered the UK, you need to include letters (for example, from your employer or government department) as proof.

Bank statements or household bills are not suitable proof you have been living in the UK.

Is that different from when you applied? I really don't know what information they're asking for here. I've looked at stuff online and watched Youtube videos and the consensus seems to be that citizenship is by far the easiest part of the process, but this documents thing is another stumbling block somehow. Thank you again SO much.

If you are a Non-EEA National, you need to include your passport to prove you have lived in the UK for the relevant 3- or 5-year period.

If you do not have your passport or it was not stamped when you entered the UK, you need to include letters (for example, from your employer or government department) as proof..

Is that different from when you applied? I really don't know what information they're asking for here.

I have not applied, as I am a UK citizen born and raised. However, I have been on this forum and advising people on their visa and citizenship applications for almost 16 years now, so I know what documents are needed for each application.

As it says above:

- If your husband has his passport, he simply includes that as his proof of 3 years of residency.

- If your husband does not have his passport, then he needs, for example, a letter from his employer confirming that he has worked for them for the last 3 years.

I have seen hundreds of people successfully use only their passport as proof of residency for their citizenship applications.

Ah! I assumed you were American

His passport ran out in 2020, and he got it renewed last year, so it's not the one he used to enter the UK. He does still have the old one, though, so would he need to include the letters?

Aye, when we first applied for his Spouse visa in 2011 you walked me through the process. I've never forgotten it!

Ah! I assumed you were American

His passport ran out in 2020, and he got it renewed last year, so it's not the one he used to enter the UK. He does still have the old one, though, so would he need to include the letters?

No, he just includes both the old passport and the new one in order to cover the last 3 years, and also to show when he entered the UK.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay. Thank you so, so much for you help with this! It looks like we have everything we need, then.

When he's a fully-fledged UK citizen I'll come back to thank you. This forum is such a blessing!

So sorry to bother you about this again but we're just about to confirm the application but now I'm stuck on the referee declaration. Do our two referees need to sign them in person or can we email them over? I don't really understand what we need to do with this bit.

It looks like we need to put husband's photo on the declaration... so is this something we'll have to send in the post along with the passports, etc? Will we need one declaration form per referee? These are probably absurd questions, please forgive me.

Thank you so much.

Hello there!

Deep breaths, it's quite easy!! 

In a perfect world it should be done in person, however hypothetically you could do it by email. I think a lot of people probably do.

Scan the referee declaration with the photo on it and email to your referee chum.
Have your chum fill it in and sign it  (one form for each referee)
Your chum then scans the signed copy and emails it back to you.
Submit that signed and scanned copy with your application.

If you are applying online you won't need to send in hard copies. If you are getting Sopra Steria to scan your docs you will need hardcopies.

Does that make sense? 

Good luck

Matt