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The United Kingdom Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has vowed that she will make it more difficult for immigrants to get British citizenship.
While making one of her first policy announcements since she became leader, Badenoch said immigrants would only be able to apply for citizenship after being in the UK for 15 years.
Badenoch also declared that indefinite leave to remain, which paves the way for citizenship, should not be granted to those who have criminal records or who had claimed benefits or social housing.
According to her, citizenship was a privilege, not just a right and should only be for those with a “meaningful connection to the UK”.
Obtaining indefinite leave to remain, ILR gives people the right to live, work and study in the UK.
It is usually possible for a person to apply for ILR if they have worked in the UK for at least five years, although it can be two or three years if they came to the UK on particular visas.
“I want to reduce immigration and make living here actually mean something. We need to change the way our immigration system works. So I am announcing that the conservative party is going to do the following things differently: 1. If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for indefinite leave to remain, the time you have to live here before you apply would increase from 5 years to 10 years. 2. You will have to be a net contributor with a high enough salary, especially if you want to bring family members with you. And if you have a criminal record, you are banned.
“We would increase the time you can apply for a British passport from 12 months to 5 years, meaning it will take a minimum of 15 years to start an application. If you enter this country illegally or overstay your visa, you will be banned from ever getting leave to remain or a passport,” she said in a video shared on her X, formerly known as Twitter, handle.
Under the current system, most migrants can apply for ILR after five years of working in the UK, with some visa holders qualifying in two or three years.
ILR grants the right to live, work, and study in the UK indefinitely, and after 12 months, holders can apply for British citizenship.
