British Citizenship

Herrington Carmichael is a full service law firm offering legal advice to UK and international businesses as well as individuals and families.
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British Citizenship

The route to getting to the point of applying for British Citizen can be long, expensive and can prove to be complicated for some. Regardless of the route or visa you took to get here, we can help you with your application to ensure you have completed the necessary steps, have the correct documentation, and follow the process correctly to ensure your application goes without a hitch.

We have the expertise and knowledge with the following British Citizenship application routes:

Naturalisation is the most common way for adults who were not born British to become British citizens. To apply to naturalise as a British citizen, they will have to fulfil the residency requirements and hold Indefinite Leave to Remain/Permanent Residence. They will also need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English Language and Life in the UK, be of good character, and have the intention to make the UK their home. The good character requirement is mainly based on previous immigration history and an individual's criminal history.

Although citizenship applications can be complex, our experienced immigration specialists understand the processes, the legal requirements and the issues. Herrington Carmichael will support you every step of the way.

Read our FAQs on British Citizenship by Naturalisation here.

British nationals can reside outside of the UK and still be considered British nationals. If you are a British national, you can register for citizenship. However, you cannot be a national or a citizen of another country to gain British citizenship through this route.

There are different ways to apply, depending on how you acquired your British nationality:

  • If you have lived in the UK for 5 or more years
  • If you have worked as a Crown servant (diplomatic service, overseas civil service, armed services)
  • You have a connection with Gibraltar
  • Or you have lived in Hong Kong

Read our FAQs on British Citizenship by Registration here.

Right of Abode indicates your right to live and work in the UK without any immigration restrictions. This means that you will not need a visa to enter the UK, nor is there a limit to the amount of time you can live and work in the UK.

All British citizens automatically have the right of abode. Some Commonwealth citizens may qualify too. You prove your right of abode through your UK passport. If you do not have this, you will need a certificate of entitlement.

Read our FAQs on Right of Abode here.

Key contact

Usof Shah PNG
Usof Shah
Legal Director

What our clients say about us

We have also greatly benefited from the excellent work of Usof Shah, Immigration Director, whose expertise has been instrumental in helping our members address critical skills shortages in the construction industry. Usof has provided clear, actionable guidance on immigration laws, empowering our members to legally employ skilled foreign workers and sustain their businesses. His commitment extends beyond traditional legal services - he has delivered live webinars and offered free advice to some of our SME members, which was highly valued and, in several cases, helped save their companies. This combination of deep legal expertise, accessibility, and genuine care for clients' success sets him apart from others in the field.

Throughout my UK career, I came across many solicitors and solicitor firms. But Herrington Carmichael is the best so far. Their quick response, wider knowledge, and straightforward decisions come with a very competitive advisory fee. I can easily recommend them, and I did. Their success rate for me is 100%. In a nutshell, they are brilliant.

The individual deals with my requirements and makes sure I fully understand what he is advising and what the best way to proceed is.

Responsive, commercial, and able to explain immigration requirements in clear, simple terms.

The individuals we work with stand out for being approachable, knowledgeable, and responsive. Usof Shah, in particular, has been extremely professional, helpful, and practical in his advice.

Usof Shah stands out for his strong combination of technical expertise, commercial awareness, and responsiveness. He is able to explain complex immigration matters in a clear and practical way while remaining highly approachable and solutions-oriented throughout the process. What differentiates him from competitors is the level of personal attention and ownership he brings to matters. He is proactive, detail-oriented, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the operational and business needs of his clients rather than approaching matters from a purely technical perspective. I have particularly valued his responsiveness, clear communication, and ability to manage matters efficiently under tight timelines. He consistently provides pragmatic advice and maintains a high level of professionalism, which creates a strong sense of confidence and reliability throughout the engagement.

Usof Shah and his team stood out for their professionalism, responsiveness, and clear communication.

Herrington Carmichael’s team stands out for its strong expertise in immigration matters, combined with a highly personalized and responsive service. Over the past few years, they supported me and three members of my family, managing each of our individual cases efficiently and professionally. Compared to other firms, they are notably more organized and responsive.

Thank you for helping me to apply the exceptional assurance and I got the application succeed very quickly.

Usof was a pleasure to work with and his wealth of knowledge on the topic of immigration law was evident. We collaboratively delivered a successful webinar to hundreds of construction professionals on the post-Brexit immigration system and Usof was able to answer complex questions on the spot, demonstrating his attention to detail and professionalism. We would not hesitate to recommend Usof and Herrington Carmichael.

Usof Shah has been a great source of information and guidance both in setting up to become a sponsor and also in getting candidates sponsored.

The team provides useful guidance and support on the pitfalls and processes of being a sponsor. The team helps set everything up to become a sponsor as well as assisting with processing CoS applications.

Meet our experts

Dedicated professionals ready to assist you.

Usof Shah PNG
Legal Director
Neelu-Gurung-PNG
Paralegal

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your most pressing questions about our services and processes.

Most of the visa, settlement routes and citizenship applications can be done by yourself. However, most of these applications can be complex, based on your situation, and more often than not, the fees involved in the application will not be refunded if your application is not successful.

We recommend using an Immigration Lawyer as it significantly reduces the risk of your application being rejected due to our experience and knowledge in Immigration Law. We have had numerous clients who had first attempted it themselves, failed, lost all of the fees and now have to pay it again as well as paying for lawyers to ensure it is done correctly.

Our fees depend on the visa or route you want to pursue and how complex your situation is. Get in touch with us to discuss your situation further, and we will give you an obligation-free quote.

Yes! We know each person is at a different part of their immigration journey, and you want to speak to someone before committing to paying fees. We offer a complimentary 10-minute telephone consultation to help you explore your options. If your matter requires tailored advice, we will advise that you proceed with a fixed fee meeting with one of our solicitors.

We offer a complimentary 10-minute telephone consultation to help you explore your options. If your matter requires tailored advice, we will advise that you proceed with a fixed fee meeting with one of our solicitors.

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is the formal term for settlement. They are the same thing, and the two terms are often used interchangeably.

Using an Immigration Lawyer does not stand you in better stead in the eyes of the Home Office; however, using an Immigration Lawyer does result in a better quality application that is correctly filled out and has the correct documents attached. This gives less space for error and increases the chances of the application being successful. This is particularly true in complex cases.