How I Became a British Citizen!

Last week, I experienced a moment that changed my life forever: I became a British citizen! The journey to citizenship was filled with challenges, excitement, and a lot of paperwork. As I stood in the ceremony, surrounded by fellow new citizens, I couldn’t help but reflect on what this achievement means to me. In this post, I’ll share my personal journey to gaining British citizenship, from the initial decision to the emotions I felt on that unforgettable day.

Starting the Journey: Moving to the UK

I first moved to the UK as an international student at the University of Manchester almost a decade ago to study chemical engineering. Until now I don’t really understand how a 16-year-old me made a decision to move to the UK! I think being young and naive kind of helps, but I was also quite mature for my age I think. After graduation, I was very lucky to be able to get a job in the UK.

(I wrote a whole series about living in Manchester as an international student, if you’re interested!)

Paths on Becoming a Citizen

There are many different ways of becoming a citizen. I became a citizen through working in the UK for 5 years, which is a very common way. However, it can be very challenging to get a job in the UK, especially as a graduate. Currently, the job climate is especially difficult, which is adding another complexity. Having a degree in the UK definitely made it easier, though it wasn’t smooth-sailing. I had a few friends who weren’t able to get a job post-graduation, despite being very high flyer.

Some people also gained citizenship through marrying a British citizen. You could check the UK government website on the many different paths on becoming a UK citizen. A lot of people also gained British citizenship when their parents settle in the UK or gained British citizenship.

Life in the UK Test!

The Life in the UK test is often quite a big step for people seeking British citizenship. It’s essentially a test of general knowledge about the UK, covering everything from key historical events to famous figures. I prepared for the exam for a while. It was definitely helpful to have a husband who is very well-versed in British history! I remember worrying about remembering all the dates and details, but with plenty of preparation, I passed. To be honest, the test was much easier than the practice questions or the materials, at least in my opinion.

British Citizenship: Application Process in 2024

I submitted the application by myself, without the help of immigration solicitor. I found the application process to be quite straightforward and definitely possible to apply without an immigration solicitor. There were quite a lot of documents to prepare beforehand – for example my Life in the UK reference number, my degree certificate (English language proof), my passport and ILR (permanent residency). The requirements that were the most complicated were to obtain 2 referees for the applications and listing every single travel history that I have.

As you can tell, I am an avid traveller and have many travel history in and out of the UK. I had to gather all the dates of which I am entering and leaving the UK one by one, so that took time. The referee requirements were less complicated as I knew a lot of British citizens and work as engineer, but I imagine it could be quite complicated for a lot of people.

My British Citizenship Application Timeline

I follow the timeline at immigrationboards.com very closely to monitor the timeline for the British citizenship application. My timeline turned out to be very straightforward and typical. I submitted my application on the 10th July 2024 and submitted my biometric on the 2nd August 2024. I got an email on the 23rd September to say that my application has been successful. Then, I contacted my council to obtain the date for the Citizenship ceremony on the 24th October 2024. I was originally worried when I saw the UK government official timeline to be 6 months, but was pleased that it took earlier than that. Thanks to immigrationboards.com and everyone who posted in there!

Citizenship Ceremony

The last step to my citizenship journey was attending the citizenship ceremony. I wasn’t sure what I thought originally, but I actually enjoyed the citizenship ceremony especially the speeches. The speeches was very welcoming and encouraging. They reminded me of my resilience of my journey to become a British citizen. Also, they read out a very touching poem about setting yourself free. I was reminded to free myself on expectation of others and to simply by myself.