Immigrants to be granted British passports are expected to reach an all-time high of 220,000 this year. The record for immigrants attaining citizenship for the year 2009 is foreseen to nearly double in number when compared to the year 2008, where 129,310 applicants were granted citizenship. This year’s record is anticipated to beat 2007’s record of 164, 540 immigrants.

This abrupt increase in the number of applications for British citizenship is associated with a set of stricter rules that are about to be implemented. These rules will lengthen the waiting period of immigrants from five years to eight years before attaining British citizenship.

The Home Office is laying out plans for converting to the point-based system of citizenship to raise standards of selecting qualified immigrants.

“We would encourage anyone planning to apply for citizenship to do so while it is still relatively easy to do so” said Henry Dillon, editor of Red Squirrel Publishing and renowned author of Life in The UK Test Study guides.

In order to be full-fledged UK citizens, immigrants must first pass a British citizenship exam which is also known as the Life in the UK Test. The purpose of this exam is to test the “Britishness” of the applicants who are applying for British citizenship. The test is rather difficult unless an applicant has a fairly good grasp of the English language as well as a set of reputable review materials.

It is highly advisable to start going through the citizenship process and pass the Life in the UK Test before the process becomes more difficult. A great number of immigrants who are now British citizens have benefited from the Life in the UK Test review guide of Red Squirrel Publishing. This easy-to-understand study guide is designed to help immigrants achieve a pass mark to rightfully gain British citizenship.