UK immigration grants 57% more passports
June 22 2009 by Ranjan Chakraborty
UK immigration, Phil Woolas
57% more UK passports were granted by UK immigration officials in the first quarter of 2009, compared with the same period a year ago.
54,615 immigrants on UK visas for past the past five or more years received their citizenship approvals during the quarter. If the rate of approval continues at the same pace, 2009 is set to become a record-breaking year for the number of people being granted citizenship in the United Kingdom.
UK immigration officials claim the increase in the numbers of passports granted is due to the fact that they are toughening the application process as of next year and that immigrants are rushing to obtain UK citizenship status before the more stringent conditions take effect.
Currently, people who work in the UK must remain for five years before being able to apply for UK citizenship. However, under the system being introduced in 2010, this will increase to between six and eight years.
The tougher new ‘earned citizenship’ scheme is to be introduced in December 2010 and is set to save the UK tax-payer around £2 billion, claims Phil Woolas, the UK Immigration minister.
The nationalities receiving the highest numbers of citizenships are Indians, Pakistanis, Iraqis, Somalis and Zimbabweans.
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