does anybody really understand???

 what in the world is all this stuff about taking a test if you want to be a british citizen?  I have been reading what i can find- and honestly im not sure what i need to do. All i know is I want to live in the UK with my husband because he isnt allowed in the USA...I do not necessarily want to be a british citizen- and i know nothing about dual citizenship or how it works or if its real or who qualifies... I am not opposed to taking any tests, but as they are collecting money off of us for taking this test- i want to make sure i really need to take it. Also- my visa is good for 2 years- so when would i have to take it? or could i take it now if i wanted to? grrrrrrrrrrrrr! cant anything just be easy!

You don't need to be a citizen to stay in the UK, you don't have to take any test. You will need Indefinite Leave to Remain when your visa is near expiry. That's all. I don't think you could take the test now if you wanted to.

Simpler than you think.

YAY!   does anybody know anything about dual citizenship? Is it possible or myth? Its amazing how uninformed I am, moved all the way over and dont know nearly enough  about the policies... and after a pretty bad experience in the usa with immigration attorneys i am wary to go that route again...
thanks for your reply!



You don't need to be a citizen to stay in the UK, you don't have to take any test. You will need Indefinite Leave to Remain when your visa is near expiry. That's all. I don't think you could take the test now if you wanted to.

Simpler than you think.

Leah's right in that you *don't* need citizenship to stay in the UK- getting Indefinite Leave to Remain (after 2 years as a spouse) means that you can live in the UK for as long as you like.  However, it is a new requirement to take the Life in the UK test to qualify for ILR- just came in last week, in fact.

When does your visa expire? If your FLR expires after April 2007, you are required to take the test and should take it after 2 April 2007 (since that's when they're coming out with a new version of the test...I'm not sure whether it's okay to pass the old version and use that for ILR next April.)  If you are eligible to apply for ILR before 2 April 2007, then you won't need to take the test and can apply for ILR under the old rules.

YAY!   does anybody know anything about dual citizenship? Is it possible or myth? Its amazing how uninformed I am, moved all the way over and dont know nearly enough  about the policies... and after a pretty bad experience in the usa with immigration attorneys i am wary to go that route again...
thanks for your reply!

It's definitely possible- check the dual citizenship sticky thread at the top of the visa board.   If you wish to naturalise as British, it will have no effect on your American citizenship. (FYI, passing the Life in the UK test I talked about in my previous post is presently a requirement for citizenship, but if you end up taking it to get ILR, you won't have to take it again to get citizenship.)

Leah's right in that you *don't* need citizenship to stay in the UK- getting Indefinite Leave to Remain (after 2 years as a spouse) means that you can live in the UK for as long as you like.  However, it is a new requirement to take the Life in the UK test to qualify for ILR- just came in last week, in fact.

When does your visa expire? If your FLR expires after April 2007, you are required to take the test and should take it after 2 April 2007 (since that's when they're coming out with a new version of the test...I'm not sure whether it's okay to pass the old version and use that for ILR next April.)  If you are eligible to apply for ILR before 2 April 2007, then you won't need to take the test and can apply for ILR under the old rules.

what in the world is the ILR AND FLR? Oh man am in troubl, LOL!

what in the world is the ILR AND FLR? Oh man am in troubl, LOL!

Okay.  Very quickly, ILR is permanent residence in the UK- you can live and work in the UK for as long as you like, no restrictions. A spouse of a British citizen is eligible for this after 2 years of residence in the UK.  FLR is extension of stay in the UK- it's what you get after marriage when on a fiance visa, for example.  A spousal visa is equivalent to a marriage FLR (so when I say FLR, I mean the visa you are currently on.)

Detailed  explanation of FLR and ILR

The important thing to answer your question (about the test) is the date your current 2 year visa expires (I'm assuming you're on a marriage visa.)  That will determine whether you need to take any test or not.

thank you very much for your time and information!
mel

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