New Immigration Bill

HM has just announced a 'fully integrated approach' to border control to be included in next year's legislation.

What's that?  The 8th time in 11 years?   

Also phrased it as having to "earn" citizenship, bahhhhhhhhh.

From the BBC website :-

Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Bill

Promises a "fully integrated approach" to border control giving the Border Agency powers to carry out customs checks. The bill says that people who fail to integrate in the UK, or commit "even minor crimes" will have their citizenship applications slowed down. It also says the government will bring in a new duty on the UK Border Agency to recognise the need to safeguard children's welfare. Applies to the whole UK.

To which I say, as regards the mention of "even minor crimes" .... mind how you drive! No speeding!

Even more on this BBC webpage.

'It would also end the "historic cut-off point", which currently enables only those whose mother was born before 1961 to become British.'

That's from the link JohnL mentions.  Oddly enough, my British mother was born before 1961 but I'm not entitled to 'become British.'     They screwed that up...a little!

and when are they gonna finally reveal their bombshell?

If you mean, when is the Bill going to be published, then in the near future the Bill will be presented for its formal first reading to one of the Houses of Parliament, and then it will be published.

In order to ensure that both Houses have something to do at the beginning of the session, some Bills will be started in the Commons, some in the Lords. Not sure yet where this Bill will start.

thanks!

This is the webpage ..... click here ..... where the Bills currently before Parliament are listed, with links.

However, at the time of writing this the list merely says " There are no bills before Parliament at present.", but that will change.

They seem to have hidden the previous/preceding Draft Immigration and Citizenship Bill!

They seem to have hidden the previous/preceding Draft Immigration and Citizenship Bill!

I would like to think they pulled this because of the ILPA (and our) advocacy with the House of Lords, knowing that certain aspects of the proposed legislation would simply get quashed if the continued down the path.

Above I provided a link to the list of Bills before Parliament. Two Bills were presented yesterday, one in the Commons and one in the Lords. And I have to say the names of the Bills are rather strange!

I have found this explanation :-

Clandestine Outlawries Bill: the bill presented proforma in the Commons on the first day of each session; in the Lords the Select Vestries Bill; they each signify the right of Parliament to legislate on matters not included in the Queen’s Speech.

-: a procedure, I admit, I was not previously aware of.

If and when the bill passes how long before they put it into effect? I am curious only because I am filling out my forms now / waiting for documents / references to be returned to me. Would like to get it in quickly as possible at this point I suppose

hellojulie, it will be at least a few months, possibly a year or more, before the legislation takes effect.

When are you time-qualified to apply for Naturalisation?

Yep, I think JohnL is right about the timing.

I figure I'll be applying for ILR in May (possibly under the current rules!?), and then I'll have to decide whether I should sneak in a naturalisation application right away, or wait and register as a citizen through my British mother (I was born before '61, but so was she!). 

Methinks that since I took the most expensive route possible back in 2005, it's going to continue on that way and I'll be naturalising (through my marriage to my husband) rather than registering (through my British mother).   

Whew! Thank you I was eligable early November - so time wise fine, I was delaying it to save up more money ect... But have decided to go ahead and do it now.

Out of curiosity, how will this affect those on ILR that had no urge to naturalize? Will they eventually be forced to? Apologies if this has already been discussed a million times and I missed it