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Business registration and support in Great Britain To obtain a citizenship of Great Britain

Fedortsov Oleksandr

Senior lawyer

E-mail

fedortsov@prikhodko.com.ua

Phone numbers

Lawyer practicing international migration. Specializes in issues of migration law - paperwork on the territory of Ukraine and the countries of the European Union (Romania, Hungary, Spain, Czech Republic).

To obtain a citizenship of Great Britain

There are different ways to apply for British citizenship based on your circumstances.

If you’re eligible in more than one way you can choose which way to apply. If you’ve applied for citizenship, you’ll need permission to stay in the UK until you’re granted citizenship. Your permission needs to last until you have had your citizenship ceremony.

A lot of different grounds are possible for obtaining UK citizenship

If you were born in the UK

You do not automatically get British citizenship if you were born in the UK. It depends on when you were born and your parents’ circumstances. You need to check if you’re a British citizen. You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK and are not automatically a British citizen.

If you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen

To apply as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen you must have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. You’ll also need to have either:

indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you do, you’ll be eligible to apply for citizenship immediately.

If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR)

You can usually apply for ILR after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years. To apply for citizenship with ILR you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it.

If you have ‘settled status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme To apply for citizenship with settled status you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it.

Other ways you can be eligible

You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if:

you have a British parent
you have another type of British nationality
you have a parent with British overseas territories citizenship
you’re stateless
you previously gave up (renounced) your citizenship
other special circumstances apply to you

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen

You may be eligible to apply for citizenship under the Windrush Scheme if both:

you or one of your parents arrived in the UK before 1973
you’ve lived in the UK and not been away from it for more than 2 years

If your parent arrived in the UK before 1973, you must have either:

been born in the UK
arrived in the UK before you were 18

Main conditions for obtaining British citizenship

live in the UK for six years or more;
comply with the laws of the country;
have sufficient income not to depend on the state;
swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch, confirm a desire to stay in the UK, or maintain relationships with the country, such as working or doing business.

If you have not applied to the EU Settlement Scheme You might still be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You can then use this to apply for citizenship.

Calculate the cost of services

1 question

Are you currently in Ukraine?

Yes

2 question

Are you currently in the UK?

Yes

3 question

Do you have grounds for UK citizenship?

Yes

4 question

Do you need an urgent consultation?

Yes

How long does company registration take?

A standard electronic application to Companies House is usually processed within 24 hours. However, preparation of the structure, identity verification, obtaining an address, tax setup and account opening require additional time.

Who needs to complete identity verification?

Directors and persons with significant control — PSCs — must complete verification. Once completed, the individual receives a Companies House personal code used to confirm the relevant corporate role. Non-residents may also complete verification, including by using a biometric passport.

Where is the best place to open an account for a UK company with a non-resident director?

Since traditional UK High-Street Banks require a physical business presence, the fastest and most efficient solution for international companies is to open accounts with electronic money institutions (EMIs). Platforms such as Wise Business, Revolut Business and Payoneer are licensed by the FCA and provide full UK and international account details for transactions.

When must a company register for VAT?

The general threshold is £90,000 of taxable turnover over the previous consecutive 12 months or expected turnover during the next 30 days. Separate rules may apply to non-resident and cross-border models, so VAT should be analysed before sales begin.

Is a company required to file reports if it has not traded?

Yes, it is mandatory. Even companies with no operating activity must annually file so-called “Dormant Accounts” with Companies House and confirm the ownership structure through a Confirmation Statement. Failure to file these documents results in substantial penalties (from £150 to £1,500) and compulsory dissolution of the company, with its assets passing to the Crown.

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