I am sure that this question has been ask many times, but would appreciate a quick response because I am leaving for home in the UK late tomorrow. question is i was married here in the Philippines in 2009, How does my wife apply for British passport? and also it has been mentioned that British Embassy no longer exist, is it true?.
The only way for your wife to get s British passport is by living in the UK for five years, taking the citizenship exam and attending a citizenship ceremony. There's no other way, unless her mother was British. So you need to start by applying for a spouse visa for her - full details on this website. The British Embassy certainly exists but visa applications are handled by a commercial company. Again, full details in the visa and immigration section. Good luck!
There's so much for you to read, Anthony. Try to get printouts to read on the plane. It's a long procedure but everything can be done. Ask questions here if you're not sure. Safe journey.
Thank you both for quick response, that's put dampers on things because I'm sure that my wife will not be happy living in cold UK for five years.
She will soon become accustomed to the weather. In fact, most Filipinas I know of who live in the UK, HATE the heat when they go back home.. It's funny, they moan just like British expats in Cebu
Its funny you should say that as I said that exact thing to my wife the other day....that she will undoubtedly complain about the heat when she visits the Philippines next.
Unless her mother was British, the father has only been able to pass on citizenship since July 2006. But yeah you are right I wish it were otherwise.
Just a quick clarification...... The commercial company VFS are only responsible to manage the application centre and to forward the 'Application Bundle' to the British Embassy Manila Hub for application review and decision. VFS have zero input or influence on any visa review or decision. The Manila Hub do not at any time inform VFS on any visa application decisions. No offence intended.......posted solely in the interest of accuracy.
Given that your application is successful, you wife would be granted a visa validity for 33 months. Shortly before the initial period of 30 months reached a new application for extension to remain will need to be submitted and paid for. All the key components of the initial application will need to be complied with....such as Financial Requirements etc. Following this a further visa of validity 30 months will be granted. Shortly before expiry of the second period of 30 months visa validity, your wife will be eligible to make application (and visa fee) for ILR (Indefinite Leave to remain). At this time your wife will be required to pass the Life in UK Test and also to pass English Language Test at level B1 At this point her immigration journey is almost complete. Given that she will be granted ILR the final stage will be application for British Citizenship. Quite a long and challenging road with a few trails along the way. Not quite as daunting as it might seem if you can keep on top of the documents needed and all the other requirements. Hot Tip.....don't leave anything to chance and don't leave anything too close to visa expiry before full compliance. Good luck
Thank you for those two posts, Micawber; I was hoping that you would respond to the enquiry as you are a few hundred times more qualified than to do so!
Hello I am Juliet wife of Anthony, I would like to thank your help on this matter it seems only the luck of finance that would stop us from making a future together as we are no longer young. Juliet.
It seems that the law relating to hereditary citizenship has changed several times. My father and two of his three sisters were all born in Sydney, New South Wales. His father was a High Court Judge from Britain and his mother was a first generation Australian whose parents had emigrated towards the end of the 19th century. In addition to their Australian Passports, they managed to acquire British ones and moved as a family to Oxfordshire in the late 1920s where a forth sibling was added. Technically I also have Australian citizenship however to prove that, I would need to produce an original of my father's Birth Certificate. So good so far except that New South Wales is the only State in the country that will only issue copies of Birth Certificates to applicants whose names appear on that Certificate - and my case they are, of course, all dead. Not even a very helpful Australian Consul was able to overcome that Catch-22 situation.
