First thing first, you cannot apply for a British passport if you are not a British Citizen. If you are not naturalised as British citizen, or have no other claim to British citizenship, then the length of stay, no matter how long, does not make you a British citizen.

If you have to apply for Naturalisation aka citizenship, then you must pass Life in the UK test. No matter how ridiculous you think it is, but law is law. You could be born in UK and drive a car as a learner driver for years and years, and you may become the best driver in the world. But to have a full license and drive unsupervised, you have to pass a driving test.

What Mr Lookforward said is correct. To clarify one detail, so it doesn't seem quite as illogical as it currently does, the easiest route to citizenship would have been to apply as a dependent before your 18th birthday as you wouldn't have had to take the Life in the UK test.

As you are now an adult, however, you have to apply as a sole, independent applicant, which includes taking the Life in the UK test.

The only possible exemptions for citizenship are on the grounds of age (you have to be under 18 or over 65) or if you have a permanent medical condition that prevents you from studying.

It may seem unfair, or like profiteering on the part of the UKBA, but it is also the way it works.

George
www.lifeintheuk.net

Hello,

I have live in the UK since I was a 1 year old. I am now 25. I have been through University with help through Student Finance and have completed my course. I was originally born in Greece but consider myself a British national, taking into account the length I have remained in the UK. I would like to now apply for a British passport but know that there is a test to take prior to this. Since living here all my life, I feel that it is ridiculous to take a test to assess my knowledge on how life in the UK works. Is there any exemptions for people who have lived here over 24 years?

Many thanks,

Alex