Do you ever think about dual citizenship in the UK? This piece will shed light on the process of acquiring dual citizenship in the United Kingdom.
People from the Asian countries including Nepal go to England for better work opportunities and after they settle down there in terms of jobs and work, they send money to home countries with different money transfer companies. Many people try to acquire British nationality while retaining their country of origin to become dual citizens. It is not only the people from outside of the UK who want to hold dual nationalities, but many UK nationals also try to do so. We will walk you through the entire process of acquiring dual citizenship in England.
Dual citizenship:
When a person is lawfully recognized as a citizen of two countries at the same time, they are said to be dual citizens.
Benefits of dual citizenship:
There are many benefits of holding dual nationality. Here’s a brief look at some of the important benefits of dual citizenship.
- Safety:
If law and order go topsy-turvy in your home country, a passport of another country with political stability and strong law and order can serve as a safety net.
- Increased mobility:
A restricted visa regime between your country of origin and a few others can restrict your international mobility but with another nationality, you can break away from that restricted visa regime and enhance your mobility.
- More business opportunities:
As a dual citizen you can have access to multiple business opportunities both in your home country and the other whose nationality you hold.
- Tax optimization:
Different tax policies in different countries help dual nationals manage their capital more efficiently.
- Life quality:
Holding another nationality of a developed country can help you have access to improved quality of life.
Now let’s see the process of acquiring British dual citizenship.
Becoming a British citizen from living there as an expatriate will help you cast a vote, move around more freely, hold a public office and have access to England’s National Health Service. Here’s is how you can become a British national while having your nationality intact at the same time.
Does UK allow dual citizenship:- The UK allows dual nationality if you meet the criterion and can provide the required documents for the process. There are certain countries whose nationality you will have to abandon before you can become a British national. Therefore, if you belong to one of those countries, you will not be able to become a dual citizen.
List of countries not allowing dual nationality with the UK:
Given that it is a complex process you must seek legal advice. However, the countries that do not allow dual citizenship with the UK are China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE. If you hail from any of these countries and want to become a UK national, you will have to shun your first nationality.
List of countries that allow dual citizenship with the UK:
Some of the countries that allow dual citizenship with the UK include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US. If you belong to these countries, you can become a UK national without having to give up your first nationality.
Multiple citizenships:- There is no bar on the number of citizenships the UK allows. If the number exceeds two, it is called multiple citizenships.
Renouncing British nationality:- You can give up your British nationality if you want to acquire the nationality of a country that does not allow dual citizenship with the UK. These countries are listed above.
Steps:
Following are the steps you are required to take for the said process.
- Make sure you meet all the requirements to be a British national;
- Gather relevant documents and apply;
- Pay fees which are 1330 GBP if you become a national by naturalization;
- Provide biometric information;
- Appear in an interview that will be conducted in English;
- You may undergo ‘Life in the UK’ test if circumstances so require;
- You will attend a citizenship ceremony if your application is approved; and
- After the citizenship ceremony you will apply for your British passport and return a biometric residence permit.
Time duration:
You will have to be living in the UK for five years before your application. After the submission of your application, you are likely to be updated about the status of your application and documents within four weeks. And after that, the actual decision will take about six months.
Cost:
It is not a cheap process. Application fees are 1,330 GBP; 80 GBP for the ceremony; biometric enrollment fees are 19.20 GBP; ‘Life in the UK test will cost you 50 GBP and the IELTS Life Skills Test will cost you another 150 GBP. Besides, the charges of an immigration lawyer will also incur since seeking legal advice in such a complex matter is a must.
Conclusion:
This piece has shed enough light on the process and requirements to get British dual citizenship. Of course, the conditions before you apply for a British passport are fairly stringent but they have to be met. Acquiring British dual citizenship depends on a host of other factors that have been detailed out above.
