Form AN – British Citizenship Application Guidance

What is Form AN?

Form AN refers to the category of form that individuals applying for British citizenship by naturalisation must fill out.

Legislation and procedures covered by Form AN also refer to wider eligibility criteria and restrictions that apply to potential applicants, such as who can be eligible and who is ineligible.

In most cases, those wishing to apply for British citizenship via Form AN must fulfil general eligibility criteria such as having spent a certain qualifying period of time in the UK, meeting language requirements and being of good character, among other things.

Who can apply for British citizenship using Form AN?

Generally speaking, anyone who is over the age of 18 and is living in the UK who wishes to become a British citizenship by naturalisation can apply using Form AN.

There are other ways to obtain citizenship in the UK, such as through descent or via the Windrush scheme. In these cases, another form would be used to apply for citizenship.

Check if you meet the requirements before you submit your application

The requirements for applying for citizenship using Form AN are as follows. You must:

• Have lived in the UK lawfully for 5 years (or 3 years if the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen), without excess absences
  • For example, no more than 450 days’ worth of absences will normally be accepted if the qualifying period is 5 years
• Have been in the UK on the first day of the qualifying period
• Be free from immigration time restrictions on the date of application and have been for at least 12 months (unless the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen)
• Intend to live in the UK in the future (not applicable to spouses/civil partners of British citizens)
• Have passed the Life in the UK test
• Show that you have sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
• Be of good character
• Be of sound mind

You must also be able to provide details of two eligible referees who can verify your identity.

What is the naturalisation application process?

Before applying for Form AN, you must first ascertain that you meet all of the eligibility criteria for British citizenship.

Once you have done so and are confident you are eligible, you should submit your application online. You cannot apply online if you live in the the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory. If you live in these areas or you live elsewhere and do not wish to apply online, you will have to submit a paper application by post.

If submitting your application by post, it should be sent to the Lieutenant Governor if you are in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or the Governor of the territory if you are in a British Overseas Territory. Alternatively, if you live anywhere else, it should be sent to the following address:

Department 1
UK Visas and Immigration
The Capital Building
New Hall Place
Liverpool
L3 9PP

If submitting your application online however, you will need to fill in the online application and upload your supporting documents.

Once your application is submitted, you will have to pay the fee. You will contacted by the Home Office at a later date with information on providing your biometric information.

It should then take around 6 months to receive your decision. If your application has been successful, you will have to attend a citizenship ceremony.

What information do I need to include?

The subsections of the application include:

Personal information

• Contact details
• Knowledge of language/life in the UK
• Parents’ details
• Partner’s details
• Details of employment – since date of entry

Residence requirements

• Details of all absences from the UK in the last 5 years
• Permanent Residence details (for EEA or Swiss nationals)

Good character requirement

• Details of any criminal convictions/cautions

Crown service (for those in or with partners in Crown service)

Referees and identity

• Further information

Biometric registration/information

Declaration

• Supporting documents

Each section must be completed as accurately as possible to ensure the best chances of success.

What documents will I need to include in Form AN?

The application form for British Citizenship can be extremely complex and can reach up to 100 pages in length. The fee is also non-refundable, so when making your application, you will need to make sure that everything is completed perfectly and to the highest possible standard.

Some documentation you will need to provide will include:

• Life in the UK and IELTS test certificates;
• Evidence you hold Indefinite Leave to Remain or EEA PR;
• Original passport;
• Evidence of previous visas/residency documents;
• All travel documents from the five-year period to show continuous residence.

It is highly advised that you seek the help of an experienced immigration solicitor for this application. The Home Office scrutinise British Citizenship applications thoroughly and the most common refusal reasons include insufficient documentation, incorrectly filled out forms and failure to respond to further queries in time.

What are the citizenship naturalisation fees?

The current fee for naturalisation is £1,630. As previously mentioned, this is non-refundable, so making your application right first time will save you a great deal of money, time and effort.

Using a licenced immigration adviser to complete your naturalisation application form will give you the greatest chance of receiving citizenship first-time.

What is the typical time frame for this application?

Once you have passed the tests and gathered all your evidence, you can submit your application. You should receive confirmation that the Home Office has received this application within four weeks.

Following this, the British Citizenship application processing time is usually up to six months.

What happens after the decision?

Once a decision has been made and you have been granted British Citizenship through naturalisation, you will be invited to a naturalisation ceremony.

There will be an additional fee of £130 for this ceremony and you must attend to complete your application. You and the other new citizens will accept your new citizenship and will officially be naturalised.

If you did not use the Nationality Document Return Service, you will be able to apply for a British passport after the ceremony. If you applied for a passport at the same time, you will be able to use this as identification and to travel with as soon as you receive it.

The British Citizenship application is one of the most important processes you will undergo. Make sure you are properly prepared and in the best position possible to start your life as a British national by calling +44 (0)333 414 9244 or using our online contact form. Contact our London, Manchester, or Birmingham immigration lawyers, or use the office finder to find your nearest branch.