All about ILR and getting a UK citizenship

All of us who have come here to the UK wish to train well , become good doctors and get a British Passport.

We do not wish to get a British passport just so that we can live off benefits but because we cannot go through the stress of applying for work visas every few years, struggling with finance deals and getting visas for countries we can now afford to visit.

We want to get British nationality to secure our future and the future of our children and ensure they have a safe secure life in the UK without going through the stress which we went through when we were on work visas.

When I was about to come here, I did not understand this concept. I thought that I can keep my home country's nationality and continue working here on a work visa. I was very naïve at that time.

COSTS OF VISAS

We had to pay very high amounts for visas up to 2019. I had to apply for :
1. Work visas for my wife and me in 2016

The cost at that time was:
440 for visa PLUS 400 GBP for our work visas and health surcharge

2. Work visa extension for myself in 2017 when I got my core medical training post
1267 GBP PLUS 400 GBP for my work visa and health surcharge

3. Work visa dependent extension for my wife and new visa for my daughter in 2018

1408 GBP PLUS 400 GBP for their work visas and health surcharge

4. Work visa extension for my wife, daughter and myself in 2019 when I got my specialty training post
2169 GBP PLUS 3000 GBP for my work visa and health surcharge.

So in total, I have spent around 9,500 GBP on visas.

Luckily, the fees has now reduced and there is no need to pay for health surcharge for NHS workers:
https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs

Cost of ILR:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table

Life in the UK test ( https://www.gov.uk/life-in-the-uk-test ) - 50 GBP each

Fees for one main applicant, spouse and 2 year old daughter born in the UK (but has Pakistani nationality, visa valid for one year from date parents apply for ILR ) 

2 x ILR fees ( 2389)

Then 

Nationality registration as a British citizen - child ( 1012) 

Plus 

Cost of passport for child-  49 

Plus

2 x naturalisation fees (  1330 ) plus after 1 year 

Plus 

The arrangement of a citizenship ceremony ( 80x 2 ) plus 

Biometric enrolment ( 19.20 x2 ) 

Plus UKVCAS appointment fees ( variable )

Plus 

Cost of passports are 

75.50 x 2 for 2 adults

.

This comes out to be 9000 GBP in total. 

So overall, will cost me around 19,000 GBP (9,500 on work visas and 9,000 GBP on ILR) to become a UK citizen. The costs have reduced for work visas though. 

How will ILR and getting British Nationality help me? 

The reasons I have gone for ILR is for:
1. My wife and daughter. I want them to be independent. I do not know how long I will live for ( COVID-19 has changed my views about how anything can happen to anyone at anytime). 

2. My daughters future - She should be able to apply to universities, jobs without worrying about visas 

3. Being independent here. I might want to do another business ( for example, open a food stall to sell Pakistani dishes / get a piloting licence and become a pilot/ buy houses/flats near hospitals, refurbish them and rent them out to health professionals for affordable costs). Or I might want to work more than 20 hours per week as an external locum ( due to COVID-19, we can work for more than 20 hours and there is no limit but this may change in the future) 

Everyone has their own reasons. Whatever they are or even if you do not have any reasons, you should still apply for ILR. This is not for you, but for your family. It gives you the security and you do not have to apply for visas every few years. 

This is the timeline for my wife's and my ILR application: 1.Submitted ILR application online on the 5th of February, 2021 2. Biomterics on the 5th of March,2021 3. Received email on the 17th of March, 2021 that our ILR applcation is successful 4. Received BRPs on the 22nd of March, 2021

This is the timeline for my daughters citizenship via MN1: 1. We submitted the online application on the 16th of April, 2021. 2. We got a biometrics date for the 27th of April,2021. 3. We received a letter in the post that out daughter is a British Citizen on the 30th of July, 2021

This is the timeline for my daughters passport application:

Online application submitted: 3oth July, 2021

Email sent to person confirming identity: 1st August, 2021

Identity details received 7th August 2021

Application received 7th August, 2021

Documents received 12th August, 2021

Application approved: 29th August, 2021

OUR TIMELINE for our citizenship: 1. Submitted application online on the 3rd of April, 2022 2. Received email to upload documents on IDV app on the 13th of April, 2022 3. Uploaded all the documents and submitted the application on the 20th of April, 2022.

4. Received an email on the 28th of September, 2022 stating that there is a delay in our application process 5. Received an email on the 18th of May, 2023 that our naturalization process has been successful

6. Attended citizenship ceremony on the 14th of June, 2023 to get citizenship certificates

Our timeline for our passports ( adults) 1. Applied for a passport on the 15th of June, 2023

2. Received our passports on the 29th of June, 2023 and 3rd of July, 2023

What happens after we get our ILR? 

1. We will receive our BRPs

2. As I have a 2 year old who was born here, I can apply for her citizenship after filling a MN1 form: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-child-under-18-as-british-citizen-form-mn1
It can be done online as well
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/mn1 

Cost: 1012 GBP 

3. Once we have applied, our daughter will get a letter stating that she is now a UK citizen 

4. We can then apply for our daughters passport 
https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

5. Us parents can apply for naturalization after 1 year of being in the UK on our ILR. 
https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain

cost: 1130 GBP x2 

6. We will then receive a letter in the post for our citizenship ceremony

7. Us parents can then apply for British passports
https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

Link to costs:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fees-for-citizenship-applications/fees-for-citizenship-applications-and-the-right-of-abode-from-6-april-2018

As you can see, getting an ILR is not the final step. There are 7 other steps after this.

However ILR is the most tricky bit and usually health care professionals do not have any issues here as their applications and employment history in the UK is pretty straightforward. However it is important to make sure your application is strong enough and there are no discrepancies.

These 2 Facebook groups helped me a lot:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IMGs.in.the.UK/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tangiegaynorilr/?ref=share

Related blog posts:

My experience of applying for British Citizenship via naturalisation
https://omarsguidelines.blogspot.com/2023/05/my-experience-of-applying-for-british.html
Applying for British passport ( adults)
https://omarsguidelines.blogspot.com/2023/07/applying-for-british-passport.html

All about ILR and getting a UK citizenship - an introduction

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All about ILR and getting a UK citizenship - an introduction

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