I recall that (when i was studying) anyone who had finished a degree in an british university (typically 3 years, eg for a BA) was eligible to apply and get british citizenship. Thus i could, but didn't at the time. I have two questions:
-does this last indefinitely? (ie can one apply a few years afterwards? And if so, how many years?)
-is that law still in standing? (ie not overruled later on)
I saw your query yesterday, but I hesitated to reply as this is a rather complex matter in which
I have no official expertise. Indeed there is an entire category of immigration lawyers in the UK.
Still no one else has replied, so here goes muggins.
First of all I must point out that being eligible to apply is not the same as having an entitlement
to acquire British nationality as the UK government officials involved have some discretion.
It is understood that, after the abuse of the route that you refer to by students from the indian sub-continent and
elsewhere (people pretending to study at pretend universities pretending to teach them, while working in the grey
market) that our dear Theresa May, in her former role as Home Secretary, changed the guidelines on exercising her
discretion which of course was commented upon when she visited India in her later role as UK Prime Minister.
Secondly I refer you to British Nationality Act 1981 as amended over the years:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/61
I assume that you have no British ancestory or marriage or civil partnerships. I also assume that you are not a multi-millionaire who
can obtain a visa needed to look after your investment or so uniquely skilled that your big employer can successfully argue that
they can only survive to employ Brits by employing you in the UK; and then having established residence apply for naturalisation.
I accordingly quote the following text from that act:
Naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6(2)
3 Subject to paragraph 4, the requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6(2) are, in the case of any person who applies for it—
(a) that he was in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the period of three years ending with the date of the application, and that the number of days on which he was absent from the United Kingdom in that period does not exceed 270; and
(b) that the number of days on which he was absent from the United Kingdom in the period of twelve months so ending does not exceed 90; and
(c) that on the date of the application he was not subject under the immigration laws to any restriction on the period for which he might remain in the United Kingdom; and
(d) that he was not at any time in the period of three years ending with the date of the application in the United Kingdom in breach of the immigration laws; and
(e) the [F194requirements specified in paragraph 1(1)(b), (c) and (ca)] .
I understand that if you have been living in Greece for the last few years your eligibility to apply has according to (b) ceased.
But then again I am no immigration lawyer.
Cause you never know what might be needed, with Britain seemingly set to actually oust EU citizens.
That was certainly not the intention of Brexit, but who knows? If the EU holds out for £50 billion exit payment under threat of a blockade
and then when that threats fails actually blockades us, being ousted may be better than being eaten when the food in this island runs out.
