Britons living in Bulgaria. Guide to Bulgaria, Sofia and Varna

UK Border Agency | Requirements for naturalisation if you are ...


For details of how we apply discretion, you should read the page on discretion when considering absences from the United Kingdom during the residential qualifying period. For example, if we received your application on 25 November 2005, you will have to show that you were in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2002. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries havethe same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens. If you are in the United Kingdom as a diplomat or as a member of visiting armed forces or if you are in any place of detention, you will be considered exempt from immigration control. If you make an application for naturalisation and it is unsuccessful because you are not eligible for naturalisation, we will not refund your fee. Leave to remain Leave to remain is permission to stay in the United Kingdom, either temporarily (limited leave to remain) or permanently (indefinite leave to remain). Most unsuccessful applications fail because the applicant was not present in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the residential qualifying period. The information on this page is only relevant if you are married to or the civil partner of a British citizen; you should read the page on standard requirements for naturalisation if this does not apply to you. This does not apply if: the absence was due to military service; or all absences were for under 12 months and were for important reasons such as pregnancy, childcare, serious illness, study, vocational training or an overseas posting. This time will be treated as absence from the United Kingdom. We may refuse your naturalisation application if you have breached the immigration laws during the residential qualifying period. Working in the direct employment by the United Kingdom Government, the Northern Ireland Government, the Scottish Administration or, on or after 21 May 2002, the governments of the qualifying territories. You do not have to apply for leave to remain. You must make sure you meet this requirement before you make your application. You must not have been absent for more than 90 days in the last 12 months. You must still meet the other requirements for naturalisation. You will need to pay a fee when you make your application. You will also be in breach of the immigration rules if you entered the United Kingdom illegally and obtained refugee status during the residential qualifying period.