My understanding is that you can directly appy for British Nationality once you have completed your 3 years in the UK. Have a look at:

http://www.lifeintheuktest.me.uk/index.php?title=Main_Page#When_can_I_apply_for_citizenship.3F

E Fidan
Administrator

"I once heard before applying for naturalisation you must have been on ILR for at lease 12months?"

Above does not apply in your case. This statement is only valid if you were not married to a British National and applying in different conditions. However, you must complete three years of residency in UK and have Indefinite Leave to remain(Even for a day as a spouse) and you will be able to apply. You will not be able to apply for Citizenship with an extension. At least that is what my understanding is unless they have changed their rules dramatically.

Check with local law office or Immigration Solicitors. Some places these services are provided free of charge.

Hi,

I am on a spouse visa, i have been in the country for 2 years in April 07. However as i was applying for indefinate leave i realised the rules had changed..and the new law involved passing the Life in the UK test. At this stage i called the home office and was told i must apply for an extension on my visa.

The extension on my visa is in process as we speak. However yesterday i passed the Life in the UK test (thanks to this website!). So am entitles to indefinate leave. I was under the impression that i cold post my certificate and the case worker arrange indefinate leave for me instead of an extension (as i have sent all the other documents they would require). However i am told that i can only make one aplication at a time, so to do this i would have to cancel my application for the extension...and i would probably lose my 390 pounds fee!

The home office said if i am granted a extension for lets say 2 years then i can apply for the ILR when i feel finantially comfortable within that time (it involves a further fee of 700 and something!).

Now..(to get a long story slightly shorter!)..i was reading about naturalisation which i would be entitled to in a years time...as i would have lived her for three years as a spouse of a british citizen. 

So the question is..do i need to apply for the indefinate leave or do i just apply straight for naturalisation (as long as i have been her a total of three years) from the extension??

I once heard before applying for naturalisation you must have been on ILR for at lease 12months? is this true, because if this is true then i would apply for ILR asap...or if it isnt true then i wont waste my money as my passport will be effecient enough with the spouse extension visa.

Please help, any advise will be much appreciated.

Also...the Home office is difficult to get through to and when yo udo get through not always as helpful as you would want.

you cannot apply for it unless you have ILR visa

http://www.ukimmigration.com/family/uk_citizenship.htm

Naturalisation after three years in the UK as a spouse of an UK Citizen

The requirements for naturalisation as a spouse of a British citizen are very similar to those mentioned above. The main difference is that there is a shorter residency requirement of three years in the UK as opposed to five years. The three years of the residency requirement are counted from the date your naturalisation application is received by the Home Office.

Further details on residency requirements are as follows:

• You must have been living in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the three- year period; and


• On the date that your application is received in the Home Office, you must have permanent residence/ ILR in the UK; and


• During the three-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than 270 days (approximately 9 months); and


• During the last 12 months of the five-year period you must not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days; and


• You must not have been in breach of any UK immigration rules at any time during this three-year period of residence in the UK.

This is a simplification of several complex laws; there may well be other important issues to consider.

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/resources/rules2005.html