Introduction

Obtaining UK citizenship is a long but quite achievable process for many foreigners, including Russian citizens. One of the popular routes is the so-called 10-year visa route. Let’s figure out what it is and how to successfully complete this route.

Requirements to start the journey

To begin your journey to UK citizenship, you will first need to obtain a visa that allows you to remain in the UK for an extended period of time. This could be a work visa, a student visa or a family reunion visa. It is important to remember that the visa must be valid for the entire period of your stay in the UK.

Statistics show that the number of Russians living in the UK alone is growing steadily. According to the 2021/22 census, there were 59,781 people born in Russia living in the country. This is a significant increase from 15,160 in 2001.

The naturalization process

After five years of residence in the UK on an appropriate visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain status. This status gives you the right to live indefinitely in the country.

You must then live for another year with this status before applying for British citizenship.

Ten years of legal leave to remain in the UK opens the door to permanent residence in the country. Indefinite leave to remain is also known as ‘settled’. It gives you the right to live, work and study in the country for as long as you wish, and to apply for benefits if you are eligible. Furthermore, ILR can be used as a basis for applying for British citizenship.

10 Year Residence Requirements

To obtain an ILR based on ten years’ residence in the UK, you must meet certain requirements. According to UK Visas and Immigration:

• You must have legally resided in the country for ten years without interruption.
• Your stay must be permanent and uninterrupted.
• There must be no reasons which would make the provision of ILR undesirable from a social point of view.
• You must not have a criminal record or other standard grounds for refusal.
• You must demonstrate knowledge of English and an understanding of life in the UK.

It is also important to take into account that during these 10 years you must be in the country on the basis of one of the following visas:

• Student visa;
• Work visa (for example, Skilled Worker visa);
• Family visa;
• Refugee or humanitarian protection visa;
• Visa Innovator Founder;
• Skilled Worker Visa;
• Global Talent visa;
• Any other visa that grants the right to a long-term legal stay.

These requirements are designed to ensure that the applicant is fully integrated into society and complies with all local laws.

Language and culture requirements

To obtain British citizenship, you must demonstrate knowledge of English at level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You must also successfully pass the Life in the UK test, which tests your knowledge of British history, culture and customs.

Interestingly, there are Russian schools in London, particularly in the Notting Hill Gate area, which help immigrant children maintain contact with the Russian language and culture.

Application process

Applying for UK citizenship is done online. You need to provide a number of documents, including proof of residence, language skills and passing the Life in the UK test. You also need to pay a fee, which in 2024 is £1,330.

Once you have submitted your application, it usually takes about 6 months to receive a decision. If the decision is positive, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony.

Statistics and trends

In 2023, 202,041 UK citizenships were issued, up 15% on 2022. Of these, 47,259 were issued to EU citizens and 154,782 were issued to non-EU citizens.

Interestingly, the top non-European countries are India (18,288 citizens), Pakistan (16,440) and Nigeria (8,836). These figures show that UK citizenship remains attractive to people from all over the world.

Conclusion

Obtaining UK citizenship through the 10-year visa route is a lengthy but very real process. It requires patience, compliance and integration into British society. But the results are worth the effort – a British passport opens up many opportunities to travel, work and live in one of the most developed countries in the world.

How can our company help?

Turning to professional immigration consultants can make the process much easier. Our company provides the following services:

• Assistance in preparing applications and documents.
• Checking the correctness of the information provided.
• Certification of availability of all necessary documents.
• Answers to any questions related to filing an application.
• Filing an Appeal in case of refusal

You can learn more about our services by following the link:

https://bsimmigration.co.uk/ru-get-uk-visa/ru-for-individuals/

Our experts will help you avoid mistakes and simplify the process of obtaining UK visas, permanent residence or citizenship as much as possible.

Write to us and we will tell you all the details about the different visa routes and conduct a quick free assessment of your chances.