Can I get a UK passport for my Filipina wife?

[pin0y]

We are getting married in a few months and I had planned to get her a dependent pass in Singapore.

Now I am considering working in Europe for a while, but she can't really accompany me on a tourist visa.

Can I get her a UK passport once we marry? Is it easy/automatic or difficult?

Hmm, perhaps I don't need to get her a UK passport? Just a "dependent pass"? Or add her to my passport (can I do that if ot a UK citizen?).

Bottom line is that I want her to be able to stay in an EEC country while I work there for a year or two without having to make "visa runs".

And hints, tips, URLs?

[zzm9980]

Hint: Learn to Google and use the Internet on your own.

First search result when search for "How to obtain uk citizenship" takes me here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/briti ... igibility/

Plain as day at the top of that page:

Can I be naturalised as a British citizen?
If you are over 18 and have been living in the United Kingdom for the last five years (or three years if you are married to or a civil partner of a British citizen)

[sundaymorningstaple]

Strange. I didn't realize that lack of common sense is actually a contagious disease!

[nutnut]

I am not sure where you are planning to live in Europe, but, if you don't live in UK, then this looks as though you can't get citizenship there until 3 years.

You'll need a UK visa for her first.

nut

[Mad Scientist]

Strange. I didn't realize that lack of common sense is actually a contagious disease!

Common Sense is not common nowadays

[pin0y]

Hint: Learn to Google and use the Internet on your own.

First search result when search for "How to obtain uk citizenship" takes me here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/briti ... igibility/

Plain as day at the top of that page:

Can I be naturalised as a British citizen?
If you are over 18 and have been living in the United Kingdom for the last five years (or three years if you are married to or a civil partner of a British citizen)

Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

I could have phrased the question better. I meant to ask if she could get UK citizenship while we are still here in Singapore.

The local UK embassy website doesn't seem to address it (I may have missed that). They don't have an email address or enquiry form, so before I lose a day's work to go there, I thought that I would in this form on the grounds that I am unlikely to be the first brit to marry a pinay. I just wondered if someone had personal experience.

Thanks again for the link

[zzm9980]

Hint: Learn to Google and use the Internet on your own.

First search result when search for "How to obtain uk citizenship" takes me here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/briti ... igibility/

Plain as day at the top of that page:

Can I be naturalised as a British citizen?
If you are over 18 and have been living in the United Kingdom for the last five years (or three years if you are married to or a civil partner of a British citizen)

Thanks for the help. I do appreciate it.

I could have phrased the question better. I meant to ask if she could get UK citizenship while we are still here in Singapore.

The local UK embassy website doesn't seem to address it (I may have missed that). They don't have an email address or enquiry form, so before I lose a day's work to go there, I thought that I would in this form on the grounds that I am unlikely to be the first brit to marry a pinay. I just wondered if someone had personal experience.

Thanks again for the link

Just read over this page carefully, it covers all kinds of scenarios for obtaining UK citizenship:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/

You can safely assume if that if they don't describe your situation, it isn't an option.

[pin0y]

We are getting married in a few months and I had planned to get her a dependent pass in Singapore.

Now I am considering working in Europe for a while, but she can't really accompany me on a tourist visa.

Can I get her a UK passport once we marry? Is it easy/automatic or difficult?

And hints, tips, URLs?

Hmm, perhaps I don't need to get her a UK passport? Just a "dependent pass"? Or add her to my passport (can I do that if ot a UK citizen?).

Bottom line is that I want her to be able to stay in an EEC country while I work there for a year or two without having to make "visa runs".

[Steve1960]

Unfortunately you are screwed!

My wife is Filipina. We married in Manila and have now moved to Singapore. There is no chance she will get a UK passport unless we live in the UK for 3 years.

My daughter has dual nationality Philippines and UK so wouldn't it be nice if we, as a family, could easily travel to and from the UK and if something unfortunate happened to me my wife and daughter could go join my family in the UK (unusual for a Filipina she has no family back home).

No, not an option. Thank you UK Border Control! Sucks

[bluenose]

I think there is something called 'permission to reside' for the UK, but if you lift the phone and call the British consul here in Singapore they will tell you better than any chat board??

[zzm9980]

Unfortunately you are screwed!

My wife is Filipina. We married in Manila and have now moved to Singapore. There is no chance she will get a UK passport unless we live in the UK for 3 years.

My daughter has dual nationality Philippines and UK so wouldn't it be nice if we, as a family, could easily travel to and from the UK and if something unfortunate happened to me my wife and daughter could go join my family in the UK (unusual for a Filipina she has no family back home).

No, not an option. Thank you UK Border Control! Sucks

The UK has no type of immigrant visas for foreign spouses of citizens? I find that hard to believe.

[nakatago]

Took me 20 seconds to find out. 5 of those, because I stopped to read an instant message notification.

[Saint]

Unfortunately you are screwed!

My wife is Filipina. We married in Manila and have now moved to Singapore. There is no chance she will get a UK passport unless we live in the UK for 3 years.

My daughter has dual nationality Philippines and UK so wouldn't it be nice if we, as a family, could easily travel to and from the UK and if something unfortunate happened to me my wife and daughter could go join my family in the UK (unusual for a Filipina she has no family back home).

No, not an option. Thank you UK Border Control! Sucks

The UK has no type of immigrant visas for foreign spouses of citizens? I find that hard to believe.

The UK does

[Steve1960]

Visa for a visit is not too much of a problem. We have one now, I am taking my wife and daughter to the UK next month for the first time.

The issue is citizenship. Unless we live in the UK for an extended period she will never be eligible.

Of course there is an argument that says why should my wife be entitled to a UK passport purely by marriage having never lived in the country. I might accept that if it wasn't for the fact that over the last 20 years I have had my car cleaned by thousands of Indian then Eastern European immigrants many of whom were / are illegally in the country.

Of course there is an argument that says I should have washed my own car and not paid them to do it thus funding their illegal occupation of my country.

Think I am getting myself tied up in knots here............................

[Steve1960]

In fact it just got worse, I had not visited the UK Border agency web site for a while. This is an exert from changes which the Government announced would be effective from 9th July 2012:

'extending the minimum probationary period for settlement for non-EEA spouses and partners from two years to five years, to test the genuineness of the relationship'

'abolishing immediate settlement for the migrant spouses and partner where a couple have been living together overseas for at least 4 years, and requiring them to complete a 5 year probationary period'