british citizenship or not

[tlc_sri]

Need some advise please. Would you rather take British Citizenship or stay as a Filipino citizen here in the Uk?

[CBM]

The practical benefit of British citzenship is that you can travel without a visa to many more countries with a British passport than you can with a Philippines passport, and you can work anywhere in the EU without a work permit.

Remember that the UK permits dual citizenship - the British Government does not require you to give up your Filipino nationality as a condition of gaining British nationality

An awful lot of Filipinos do hold dual citizenship.

So there is really no downside to holding both citizenships.

[tlc_sri]

YOur right CBN, :)
If i apply for british citizenship and its been granted my Filipino citizen will automatically loss and i need to apply for dual citizenship right?

[Terpe]

Need some advise please. Would you rather take British Citizenship or stay as a Filipino citizen here in the Uk?

Things have changed significantly in recent years.
Both the UK and Philippines allows dual citizenship.

If you qualify for British Citizenship and you have the budget for it, then go for it.
There are many benefits and especially concerning ease of international travel.

Once you have taken an oath for British Citizenship you automatically lose your Philippine citizenship and will need to apply to the Philippine Embassy to re-acquire your full Philippine Citizenship. It's not al all expensive or complicated and many people do it all the time. The Philippine Oath taking is a short an simple ceremony with presentation of your certificate. You will need to have a new passport which will take some time (maybe 12 weeks) so just be sure you already have a British Passport before you apply as the Certificate is not a valid travel document.

Go ahead and join that exclusive club of dual cirizens

[tlc_sri]

Things have changed significantly in recent years.
Both the UK and Philippines allows dual citizenship.

If you qualify for British Citizenship and you have the budget for it, then go for it.
There are many benefits and especially concerning ease of international travel.

Once you have taken an oath for British Citizenship you automatically lose your Philippine citizenship and will need to apply to the Philippine Embassy to re-acquire your full Philippine Citizenship. It's not al all expensive or complicated and many people do it all the time. The Philippine Oath taking is a short an simple ceremony with presentation of your certificate. You will need to have a new passport which will take some time (maybe 12 weeks) so just be sure you already have a British Passport before you apply as the Certificate is not a valid travel document.

Go ahead and join that exclusive club of dual cirizens



Thanks for that Terpe, do you know how long is the waiting time for british citizenship? and if i already have abritish passport, can i apply for my Philippine one in the Philippines? or it needs to be here?

[Arthur Little]

If you qualify for British Citizenship and you have the budget for it, then go for it.


:iagree: ... so long as you've the patience to wait for anything up to 6 months for the outcome of your application.


Thanks for that Terpe, do you know how long is the waiting time for british citizenship?

Shouldn't [normally] take any longer than the timespan I've indicated above :nono-1-1: (and perhaps I'm being a little over-cynical) but ...

... things seem to be moving (if at all!) at a snail's pace within the Home Office right now, unfortunately. :doh

[Arthur Little]

Things seem to be moving (if at all!) at a snail's pace with the Home Office right now, unfortunately. :doh


:yeahthat: ... tick-tock ... tick-tock ... tick-tock :D ... ad infinitum ...

... meanwhile, :welcomex: to the friendly, online filipino/uk community. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[gWaPito]

Things have changed significantly in recent years.
Both the UK and Philippines allows dual citizenship.

If you qualify for British Citizenship and you have the budget for it, then go for it.
There are many benefits and especially concerning ease of international travel.

Once you have taken an oath for British Citizenship you automatically lose your Philippine citizenship and will need to apply to the Philippine Embassy to re-acquire your full Philippine Citizenship. It's not al all expensive or complicated and many people do it all the time. The Philippine Oath taking is a short an simple ceremony with presentation of your certificate. You will need to have a new passport which will take some time (maybe 12 weeks) so just be sure you already have a British Passport before you apply as the Certificate is not a valid travel document.

Go ahead and join that exclusive club of dual cirizens

Good post Terpe...I wasn't aware of my wife having to reapply for her Philippine citizenship....cheers:)

[Arthur Little]

:iagree: ... so long as you've the patience to wait for anything up to 6 months for the outcome of your application.

Unlike the Home Secretary, herself ... who, of course, has "miraculously" managed to run the 'New Income Rules for Settlement Visa Applicants' through Parliament in record-breaking, double-quick time! :Bolt:

[Terpe]

Thanks for that Terpe, do you know how long is the waiting time for british citizenship? and if i already have abritish passport, can i apply for my Philippine one in the Philippines? or it needs to be here?

Looks like your immigration journey is almost complete and now you are on the road to possible dual citizenship.
Well done. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

For general requirements of British Citizenship look here.

[URL="http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/naturalisation"] For details on eligibility look here, (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship) and If you are the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen, you need to meet the requirements for spouses and civil partners here. (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/naturalisation/spouseorcivilpartnerofcitizen/)

Here is the Application Form AN (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/nationality/form_an.pdf)

Here is the Application Guide and Booklet AN (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/nationality/guide_an.pdf)

The key requirements are here (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/naturalisation/spouseorcivilpartnerofcitizen/)

Generally these are:-

you are aged 18 or over and
you are of sound mind and
you can communicate in English,Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree and
you have sufficient knowledge of life in the United Kingdom and
you are of good character and
you are the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen and
you meet the residential requirements
or
your husband, wife or civil partner is in Crown or designated service outside the United Kingdom.

General residential requirements are:-
have been resident in the United Kingdom for at least three years (this is known as the residential qualifying period) and
have been present in the United Kingdom three years before the date of your application and
have not spent more than 270 days outside the United Kingdom during the three-year period and
have not spend more than 90 days outside the United Kingdom in the last 12 months of the three-year period and
have not been in breach of the immigration rules at any stage during the three-year period.

Your time in UK as the holder of a Fiancee Visa CAN be counted towards Citizenship.

Look here for the UKBA Fees (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/fees-spring-2012.pdf) and you can see the application fee of £851 actually also includes the ceremony fee of £80

You will receive details of the Citizenship Ceremony with your Home Office approval letter.
You will need to book a ceremony locally. Usually it's fairly quick and shouldn't take longer than a couple of weeks, although it does depend just how busy they are at that time.

If you'd like to learn more about Dual Citizenship and Philippine citizenship retention/reacquisition then take a look here at the Philippines Embassy FAQ section (http://philembassy-uk.org/consular-matters/faqs).
Just scroll down the page to the Dual Citizenship FAQ part.

Hope this helps

Good Luck

[joebloggs]

if you leave the UK for 2yrs or more in one trip you will lose your ILR, and if you want to come back to the UK to settle, you would have to go thru the whole visa process again:yikes::NoNo: it will cost you more, there are more restrictions, tests to do now, and this time it will take you longer (5yrs minimum ) to be able to apply for citizenship.
so get a British passport ASAP.

[stevewool]

thats our next goal after the ilr, just more money, but it makes it easy to come back here and to travel around the world like people say, the dream is sstill to be out this country when i am 60 but it will be good to come back sometimes to visit family , plus to show of my tan and the pictures of my home to the sad work colleges still here:icon_lol:

[tlc_sri]

if you leave the UK for 2yrs or more in one trip you will lose your ILR, and if you want to come back to the UK to settle, you would have to go thru the whole visa process again:yikes::NoNo: it will cost you more, there are more restrictions, tests to do now, and this time it will take you longer (5yrs minimum ) to be able to apply for citizenship.
so get a British passport ASAP.

just talk to my husband, and he said why should i get a british passport, no need for that because we are coming back here.. it really upsets me.:bigcry:

[tlc_sri]

we are not coming back i mean

[joebloggs]

just talk to my husband, and he said why should i get a british passport, no need for that because we are coming back here.. it really upsets me.:bigcry:

well that might be yours/his plans now, but you dont know whats around the corner and things change.. some people have regretted not apply for a British Passport b4 they left ..
a thread I posted just recently ..
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/39151-Campaign-launched-to-stop-Orkney-family-being-forced-to-live-apart

[tlc_sri]

well that might be yours/his plans now, but you dont know whats around the corner and things change.. some people have regretted not apply for a British Passport b4 they left ..
a thread I posted just recently ..
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/39151-Campaign-launched-to-stop-Orkney-family-being-forced-to-live-apart

we are off in november and i think its too late for me,. god knows what will happento me in future:bigcry:

[Arthur Little]

we are not coming back i mean

:Erm: ... d'you mean your husband wants to return to your homeland? Or would he prefer you both stayed here?

[tlc_sri]

:Erm: ... d'you mean your husband wants to return to your homeland? Or would he prefer you both stayed here?

He wants to return in my homeland for good.

[Terpe]

He wants to return in my homeland for good.

It's not my intention to come between husband and wife.
But there has been many many cases like yours where British Citizenship was eligible but not taken up. Then after 2 years or more came a real need to return to UK.
90% of cases due to health reasons. The wife was unable to return because the ILR had expired due to 2 years out of UK and presented huge problems. UKBA are extremely strict on this point. Once two years has gone you will find extreme difficulty to ever return to UK with your husband. If he needs your help to travel then even he will find difficulty without you.
Don't think this is uncommon. It's more common than you would imagine.

I would urge you to discuss with your husband and consider this very important opportunity.

Apart from that, he find it impossible to secure permanent residence in Phils without your support and signed application.!!!!
I'm not suggesting blackmail but it's a potential negotiating platform.

Don't give up.
Let us know what happens. Please. This is serious stuff.

[tlc_sri]

It's not my intention to come between husband and wife.
But there has been many many cases like yours where British Citizenship was eligible but not taken up. Then after 2 years or more came a real need to return to UK.
90% of cases due to health reasons. The wife was unable to return because the ILR had expired due to 2 years out of UK and presented huge problems. UKBA are extremely strict on this point. Once two years has gone you will find extreme difficulty to ever return to UK with your husband. If he needs your help to travel then even he will find difficulty without you.
Don't think this is uncommon. It's more common than you would imagine.

I would urge you to discuss with your husband and consider this very important opportunity.

Apart from that, he find it impossible to secure permanent residence in Phils without your support and signed application.!!!!
I'm not suggesting blackmail but it's a potential negotiating platform.

Don't give up.
Let us know what happens. Please. This is serious stuff.

i will try and talk to him again next time, and i will let you know what the outcome will be, thank you very much, i really appreciated this. :)

[Arthur Little]

He wants to return in my homeland for good.

But WHY? :anerikke: Especially when you've come this far ... and discovered the practical advantages to be derived from British Citizenship.

[Arthur Little]

It's not my intention to come between husband and wife.

Nor mine, :NoNo: but ...


I would urge you to discuss with your husband and consider this very important opportunity.

... :gp: ... so would I!


i will try and talk to him again ...

... it really IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT you do so! :please:

Believe me, Terpe is one of the most experienced people on this forum ... and knows what he's talking about.

[tlc_sri]

But WHY? :anerikke: Especially when you've come this far ... and discovered the practical advantages to be derived from British Citizenship.

Honestly I don't know as well. He is too selfish I think..

[CBM]

I just want to agree with what Terpe and Arthur Little have said - this is really, really, important, from your husband's point of view as well as from yours.

British citizenship is a simple insurance. Considered as insurance, it is not even expensive.

Your husband cannot settle in the Philippines without your consent, so you can make him agree to this, if you have to. Its in his interest as well as in yours.

[tlc_sri]

Hi guys,

I just want to inform and thanks all the moderators , trusted and respected members in this site for all your advices:)
, it really help me alot.. husband realized that I am right thanks to you all guys,
and now i am happy to say that i already send my application for Bitish Citizenship :D( 12/7/2012) so fingers crossed ..

[Terpe]

Hi guys,

I just want to inform and thanks all the moderators , trusted and respected members in this site for all your advices:)
, it really help me alot.. husband realized that I am right thanks to you all guys,
and now i am happy to say that i already send my application for Bitish Citizenship :D( 12/7/2012) so fingers crossed ..

Hooray :Jump::Jump:

Hope your approval comes through soon. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Keep us informed if you can.

[tlc_sri]

Hooray :Jump::Jump:

Hope your approval comes through soon. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Keep us informed if you can.

I hope so,i will keep u guys informed , thanks again :)

[CBM]

Excellent news - well done!

[webclinician]

I also have thought about this but the clear course for me is British Citizenship.
Being a Filipino, it is always easy to become a filipino citzen again but I can't say the same with British citizenhip. Get it and think about it before the rules change again