• Quick facts about the test
• Which book do I buy in 2013?
• ‘Knowledge of language and life’ requirement for skilled workers
• Who needs to take the test - Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
• Who needs to take the test - Citizenship
• Spouses and partners
• What to study for the test in 2013
• I’ve passed my test. What are the next steps?
• Citizenship applications summary

• Your choices for studying for the Life in the UK test
• 7 top tips from people who have passed the Life in the UK test
• Study Techniques and Tips
• Life in the UK Study Checklist

• Registering for the Life in the UK test
• Book Your Test

• Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
• Absences during your qualifying residence period for ILR
• Using the Settlement Checking Service (SCS)
• Applying for citizenship
• Absences during your qualifying residence period for citizenship
• Fees for applications
• Using the Nationality Checking Service (NCS)
• About your Citizenship ceremony
• Applying for your passport

Citizenship applications summary

The summary of applications made in 2009 was published on 27 May 2010 and can be found on the Home Office’s Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS) website - British Citizenship Statistics United Kingdom, 2009 (pdf, 369KB).

Page 8 of this document is a summary flowchart showing, clearly, the path from being a foreign UK resident to becoming a British citizen. This flowchart reflects how citizenship can only follow after one of four requirements is met

• Registration through entitlement - this applies to overseas territories citizens, children of British citizens, or someone who becomes a British citizen and others
• Discretionary registration - this applies to refugees, asylum seekers and stateless individuals, for example, who have been granted discretionary leave to remain
• Naturalisation (residence) - this applies to people with leave to remain who meet all of the requirements set out by the UK Border Agency
• Naturalisation (spouses and partners) - this applies to anyone who is living in the UK as a partner of a British citizen, or someone who has been granted indefinite leave to remain

Page 13 of the RDS document provides a summary of the reasons for applications being refused. Nearly 10,000 people were refused citizenship in 2009. You can find out why here and make sure that your application doesn’t get refused.

The rest of the information provides a detailed picture of how people are achieving British citizenship - this may be of interest to you, however this is not directly relevant to your application process.

ESOL and English language requirements

This section also includes detailed guidance on who needs to take the test. If you are applying for citizenship as the partner or spouse of a British citizen you should also be aware of the ESOL requirements and English language requirements for spouses and partners.

Detailed information on your eligibility, requirements for achieving settlement (ILR), requirements for getting British citizenship and online practice tests can all be found on this site.