"Earned" Citizenship from 2011 - transitional arrangements

The UK Border Agency has announced transitional arrangements for people who have started the process toward British citizenship when the new system of earned citizenship is introduced.

The following transitional arrangements have been put in place:

If a migrant has already been given indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement) on the date when earned citizenship is introduced, they will automatically be considered to be a ‘permanent resident’. They will not need to pay or apply for this to occur. They will be eligible to apply for British citizenship under the current rules during the first two years after earned citizenship is introduced.

If a migrant has applied for indefinite leave to remain before the date when earned citizenship is introduced, and is subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain, they will be eligible to apply for British citizenship under the current rules during the first two years after earned citizenship is introduced.

For those who entered the UK under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) and had a legitimate expectation that they would be able to apply for and be granted indefinite leave to remain, in accordance with the Immigration Rules that were in place when they applied to the HSMP they will be dealt with as before.

"Earned" Citizenship was due to be introduced early in 2011 but has been postponed by six months, to give people time to adjust to the new system and to allow more applicants who are already in the United Kingdom to apply under the current rules. Earned citizenship will now be introduced in July 2011.

The Government have said that all applications for indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship received before earned citizenship is introduced will be dealt with under the current system