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.