The government has announced a new, easier route to British citizenship for Irish citizens who are resident in the UK. The changes will take effect from 22 July 2025. An Irish citizen will be able to register as a British citizen if: they have been living in the UK for the previous 5 years they …
Woman jailed for Life in the UK test fraud
A woman who posed as other people to take the Life in the UK test in their place has been jailed for four years and six months. Josephine Maurice pretended to be 13 different people as she took the tests at various Life in the UK Test centres around the UK. She used wigs and false …
Woman accused of Life in the UK Test fraud
A woman has been arrested, accused of taking Life in the UK tests on behalf of others. The 61-year-old is alleged to have dressed up in an array of disguises, using wigs to alter her appearance. Investigators arrested the woman earlier this week in London. She is suspected of taking the test on behalf of …
Lords committee urges review of the Life in the UK test
The Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the House of Lords has published a letter to Home Office Minister urging the Government to immediately begin a review of the Life in the UK Test. The letter, which is signed by the chair of the committee, Baroness Hamwee, summarises the Committee’s findings from its inquiry into …
Even British people find the Life in the UK Test challenging
A research team from the University of Essex has conducted research into the Life in the UK Test. They had 270 people, most of them UK citizens, take a test based on the Life in the UK Test. The result was that 66% per cent failed the test. This goes to show that if you …
Final year of EU Settlement Scheme begins
There is one year left before the EU Settlement Scheme application deadline of 30 June 2021. So far there have been over 3.6 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and more than 3.3 million applications have been granted. European Economic Area citizens and their family members who have been granted pre-settled or settled status …
New UK residence rights for British Nationals Overseas citizens in Hong Kong
The UK government has announced a new immigration route that will allow British Nationals Overseas (BNO) citizens in Hong Kong to come to the UK. This will grant them five years limited leave to remain, with the ability to live and work in the UK. The new immigration rules will allow BNO citizens the right …
900,000 applications to EU settlement scheme
The latest EU Settlement Scheme statistics show that over 900,000 people have applied to the scheme. Two-thirds of EU citizens who applied received settled status. For most this was because they had been resident in the UK for five years or more. A third were granted pre-settled status. Those with pre-settled status can stay for …
Home Secretary proposes changes to the Life in the UK Test
The Home Secretary has proposed a series of reforms to British citizenship. The reforms include proposals to reform the Life in the UK test to give greater prominence to the British values and principles expected of those wishing to call the UK their permanent home. The Home Office says the proposals would ensure that the test …
EU settlement scheme pilot launched
NHS workers, university staff and students in the North West of England will be taking part in a pilot of the new application process for the EU Settlement Scheme. EU citizens working at 12 NHS Trusts, and students and staff from three universities in Liverpool will be invited to make real applications for settled status …