citizenship- is it worth it?

[katkit]

hello,

first real AIBU (other one was on the fairly safe topic of buggies), so pleease be nice...

my husband's from outside the EU, i'm, british. we've been married 3 years and have a baby together.

he has the right to stay here for ever and ever, works, pays tax, votes etc. his visa will never expire.

he has often talked about applying for citizenship, but this week i was horrified to hear that it might cost £750!...when i told him how expensive it is he said it is still worth doing!

the only benefit i can see is that when we go abroad (very rarely) we could both go through the same passport queue.

is this citzenship business just another way of border control taking big chunks of money from people? he works and pays tax as it is.

i'm wondering if anyone can explain if there are any benefits to paying a huge wad of money to get citizenship? (other than a shorter queue at the airport).

AIBU in hoping that he forgets all about it cos it looks the same as flushing a big wad of money down the loo?

Well, you can vote.

But I am like your husband, not a citizen here on an Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa. And I can't find any reason to become a citizen.

tee- thanks for yr reply- he can already vote, so citizenship wouldn't even give him that...

For a lot of people its much more than about a passport. Its about belonging.

It wouldn't cost him that much if he applied as your spouse.

DH thought about it but we didn't fancy paying the border agency another £800+. He doesn't actually want to be British so it's just a passport thing. Your DH can't vote in a general election though, and he may have to get visas for some countries. It hardly seems worth the money just to go through passport control more quickly though!

runny- that's sort of what he says...

buch- thanks - i think i will check the price properly now!

I think most c/ship applications are pragmatic- many thousands from non-British couples for example, in order that children can automatically have British c/ship, not risk being recruited into their parents' native country's armed forces etc.

I've been in Italy a trillion years and have never considered applying for c/ship because none of those things apply to me and dd.

eric- that's odd, he did vote. maybe there's been a mistake on the electoral roll...

Yes it would! citizenship is the same for everyone I believe. Unless you know something I don't?

oh dear- i think it costs £735:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/applying/cost/

just checked hids passport- his visa says residence permit
type of permit- settlement
remarks- indefinite...

but he did vote- was he not meant to be able to vote? eek.

I just checked - costs £735 per single application. If you have Indefinite Leave to Remain you are not eligible to vote in the general election.

No he wasn't! PMSL. I hope he didn't vote tory
I think he might be eligible to vote in local elections, but that might only apply to EU and commonwealth nationals.

I just checked - costs £735 per single application. If you have Indefinite Leave to Remain you are not eligible to vote in the general election.

• thanks eric. there's defo been a cock up with the voting. when the 'who lives here' form gets sent through, i just put us both down, stating his nationality, and then we're both sent polling cards. blimey...

don't worry not tory! heehee

ps. he's south african, maybe that's why?

I have right of abode, but when my (Oz) passport expires I need to re-apply for it, as they no longer transfer right of abode certificates to new passorts. So rather than re-apply I went through with getting my British citizenship.

Main bonus is that I can now apply to get a UK passport.

2nd bonus is big British themed citizenship party which we'll be having to celebrate (given the cost I thought it was worth making a big deal of it!).

My DP and DD are British, as are my maternal family, so it feels great to become a part of that and to pledge an oath of allegiance to the Queen. (proud British emoticon)

An article of interest for you

I want to get citizenship for financial reasons: even though I have an ILR, if my husband dies, I would be subject to inheritance tax. So, any value of our total estate worth over a certain amount would be subject to a 40% tax by the government. Utter rubbish, but that makes it worth it for us...it's just too darn expensive...even being married to a citizen doesn't reduce that £750 price tag!!

No, only citizens can vote in GEs. He might be eligible to vote in local ones. Sounds like a cock up, never mind

Cock ups are common, the electoral register is a rather open list. I was also offered the opportunity to vote even when I wasn't a citizen.

My only reason to apply for citizenship was that DS's dad is from an European country and I was worried he would leg it away with DS without my consent. Having the citizenship allowed me some peace of mind that if my ex decides to abduct my son, at least I can go and reside in his country while the process is sorted. Otherwise, by the time the problem is reviewed by court, and with me being out of touch with my son for that long time, the authorities might be reluctant to uproot the child again.

That's the only advantage I can claim, apart of DS and I not being sent in a different queue when traveling on our own.

If you are from a Commonwealth country you can vote in a general election.

DH and I are also on indefinite leave to remain visas - the children are British.

It is cheaper for us to apply as a couple than apply as singularly. Don't forget you will also have to pay for the exam and the study booklet.

We are going to apply partly because if we leave for any length of time we will lose our British residency and have to apply again (indefinite leave to remain is only valid while you are still a resident). But mostly we want to apply because we feel British now....

Kat kit. I am in a similar situation to your Partner (I have an EU citizenship...but it in a country where I don't speak the language..and getting docs is a pain in the bum as I wasn't born there)

I have lost my passport and last week had a hell of a time at border patrol trying to be let in the country under my "first" passport... after that I am considering applying for a British passport.. Just to make life easier for myself!

I have always been allowed to queue in the UK Passport area, even before DH and I were married!! DH is allowed to stand in the US citizen queue with us, as well...

I am a SA citizen and was able top vote at every election - something to do with being a commonwealth citizen.

Travelling on a SA passport is a nightmare - I would so change it for an easier time ...

DH did it a little while ago after living in the UK for 8 years on work visas/indefinite leave to remain. It was expensive and the value you get from doing it isn't tangiable but he really wanted to feel like he belonged, especially when we started a family. He also felt that he wanted to be able to vote.

We made a real occasion out of his Citizenship Ceremony/Day and it was a really proud moment for both of us (although he was happier about swear allegiance to the Queen than I would have been if it were me)!