New restrictions on UK citizenship applications planned by Brown

The government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that it is thinking over the requirement of applicants for British citizenship to clear a new test in order to accumulate points prior to getting the right to take a UK passport.

The government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that it is thinking over the requirement of applicants for British citizenship to clear a new test in order to accumulate points prior to getting the right to take a UK passport.

The Home Office has expressed the desire to extend the Australian style rules of immigration to citizenship, and thus, those who apply for citizenship will earn credit based on their age, salary and education. The department also wishes to introduce a second test evaluating progress of applicants in learning English and integrating into their new community.

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said in an email statement in London that it is a privilege being a British and that these proposals transforms temporary workers in the country into those having the right to citizenship.

Right now, acquiring British nationality has become a formality for immigrants which is generally awarded after a period of five years of work or residence in the country or after a period of three years post marrying a resident of the country.

The opposition Conservatives’ immigration spokesperson, Damien Green, said in an email, that the government has proposed a pure spin. He said that at no time automatic British citizenship has been provided to people and it’s just that the government allowed unprecedented number of people to get in and acquire citizenship.

Woolas said last month that he plans to implement the new rules on or after July 2011. People who will have permanent resident then will be allowed to apply under the previous rules for the next two years.