To be worried about my indefinite leave to remain. Should I get British citizenship?

[Milliemoons]

I know it hasn’t happened yet and may not happen. But I’m worried about the security of my indefinite leave to remain. Anyone else out there? Or am I worried about nothing? I understand that legally they cannot really do much to jeopardise the status of people who have acquired legal settled status already but I’m worried more about pressure and complications should anything change.

I was born in the UK and have always lived here, except for 4 years as a child in my parents’ home country. I have the same citizenship as my parents because originally as a child you had to be on a parent’s passport. I think I therefore have easy-ish access to British citizenship but it’s not something I ever imagined applying for.

I don’t understand - so you’ve applied for indefinite leave rather than applying to be a British citizen? I don’t know the ins and outs but wasn’t that much more expensive?

I got ILTR during brexit. So it’s a status I’ve held for a while (almost 10 years). But the political tide seems to be turning and I want to get ahead of any potential pressure.

If you were born here you should be able to get citizenship and I would definitely apply.

I got mine when the conservatives got back in power because I did not trust them to champion the cause of legal immigrants.

I would trust a Reform government even less!

It’s beyond me why you would not get a British citizenship if you are eligible. Yes it’s expensive and yes you will never have to think about what happens to your citizenship rights with every new government ever again in your life.

I think it can be a bit of an emotionally charged subject for second generation immigrants. For me, I was born here, grew up here, educated here. To anyone who met me, they’d assume I was 100% British. But by blood, I’m not. I was raised according to the customs (and food!) of my parents’ country.

Having sole citizenship of that country is sort of symbolic. A reminder of my heritage. I understand that having dual citizenship would not
change that but it does feel conflicting. Like I’m letting that side of my heritage go (I know
I’m not but it’s hard to explain).

I have 3 passports and have never considered that any of my citizenships had any emotional feelings about my other citizenships. It sounds like you actually have a much bigger connection to the UK anyway so I'm surprised you haven't gotten citizenship a while ago. I would get it in process immediately to be honest.

Do it.

You never know what the future holds

it can't hurt to apply and get it, for peace of mind if nothing else.

I am encouraging a friend with ILR to get citizenship sooner rather than later.

Are you able to keep your original citizenship alongside the UK citizenship? It sounds like you were not born entitled to UK citizenship so might have to surrender the other, depending on the country.

Given the way things are going here, I would probably not want to surrender my other citizenship so as to have a way out…

If they do get in- hopefully not.
But these days with brexit results etc.

You never know.

Anyway it'll be too late if they do get in.

I think you are making too big of a deal out of this. Having your rights in Britain legally secured has nothing to do with your heritage. In essence you are already British anyway, you will just have the paperwork to confirm it. It is not emotionally charged at all, there is no need to create an issue for yourself where one doesn’t exist. I say this as a dual citizen in a situation not un-similar to yours.

There is not really a way out for people who have never lived anywhere else but here. This is their home.

You just need to be pragmatic and get your British citizenship and passport sorted out now.
You still have your heritage - that's not going to change by you having a British passport.

I was born in England and have lived here all my life. I still get asked "where are you from?". Less so these days. The British passport that I have always had makes no difference to how you will feel about yourself or how others perceive you. It's a practical document that you must definitely need.

I don't understand why you're not a citizen if you were born here?

Speaking as someone with two passports, you’re being silly.

Like you, I am the child of non-British parents (in my case, Irish), raised in the UK. I hold dual British/Irish citizenship. Holding British citizenship doesn’t make me ‘less Irish’ than people with just Irish passports - but the fact I’ve grown up in the UK and have never lived in Ireland certainly does.

As you say, you are effectively 100% British. You don’t belong to your parent’s home country as much as someone who has only ever lived there. Having a British passport won’t change that.

And if Reform get in in 2029, they absolutely can abolish settled status/indefinite leave to remain with very few barriers, so I would get your British citizenship now while you can. Not to do so would be letting very irrational emotions get in the way of your continued right to live in this country.

Apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK: Who can apply - GOV.UK https://share.google/4U41idmzNbDj6ZQXo

The UK doesn’t have birthright citizenship - didn’t you know that? You only get citizenship at birth if you are born to at least one British parent, or at least one parent who has settled status/indefinite leave to remain (which I’m presuming OP’s parents didn’t, though it would be worth checking - she may already be a UK citizen without realising it), or if you would otherwise be stateless.

But you were born here and only lived there for 4 years (presumably between the ages of 0 and 4 or 1 and 5?) before coming back here

You're British

Yep, I absolutely would. You’re right, it won’t get any easier. I’d crack on today, actually.

No. I didn't know that!

Thankyou

If you were born in the UK
You do not automatically get British citizenship if you were born in the UK. It depends on when you were born and your parents’ circumstances. You need to check if you’re a British citizen.
You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK and are not automatically a British citizen.

Because British citizenship is not acquired simply by being born in this country. Unlike in the U.S.

Speaking as a dual citizen myself, you need to take the emotion out of it. It's just a piece of paper, but one that protects you. You won't suddenly lose your identity.

I would do it op. Definitely.

I'm an immigrant to the UK. You need to be practical.

I got my citizenship as soon as I was eligible. Literally took my test on the 12 month anniversary of the ILR. You would be bonkers to not get it.

It's not just about the current government but future ones too. And your children? What if you want to move abroad temporarily? I have since moved abroad, to a British Overseas Territory, but my child who was born in this BOT would not have received British citizenship unless I already had it because he was worn abroad (BOT is not actually British territory for these purposes). We are now moving back to the UK soon and I would have made life so much more difficult if I hadn't made sure I had a British citizenship.

And the British passport is very useful when travelling, unless you're German or some other rich westerner, then getting a British passport makes your life much easier.