AP Berkeley provides high-quality advice and advocacy for Citizenship applications at all levels across the country. Our barristers undertake some of the most complex cases, and we are dedicated and professional. We have a wide range of experience within the team, from leading Counsel to newly qualified. Many of our barristers are able to act directly for members of the public, providing direct access advice and representation.

The rules governing eligibility for British citizenship and the application process are strict and vary depending on the circumstances of your application.

The most common routes to British Citizenship are:

Naturalisation, for those over 18
Registration, for those under 18
Eligibility Criteria for naturalisation include:

Being 18 years of age or over;
Having lived in the UK for the past 5 years;
Intending to continue living in the UK;
Satisfying the requirements of English and life in the UK;
Having lived in the UK for the past 12 months under non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals settlement (indefinite leave to remain);
Satisfying the good character requirements;
Holding permanent residence status for the previous 12 months and receiving a Permanent Residence Card (EEA national).
Our team of barristers can help you with the preparation and representation of your application including:

Eligibility rules and guidance in applying for British citizenship;
Advising you on the most appropriate type of application for your circumstances;
Assisting in making your application process as smooth as possible;
Ensuring you have all the necessary paperwork and supporting documentation.
Some Citizenship cases may be suitable for direct access. That is where members of the public may now go directly to a barrister without having to involve an instructing solicitor or other intermediary. Although the barrister’s role remains essentially the same, members of the public may instruct a barrister directly through the public access scheme. The main advantage of the public access scheme is that it could potentially save you money whilst giving you access to the Bar, since you would be paying for a barrister only instead of a barrister and solicitor. In order to see if your case may be suitable please contact the clerks.