Home Office presses ahead with fast-track citizenship

By Kaye Wiggins

A scheme to fast-track citizenship applications from migrants who do voluntary work for charities will be in place by July 2011, the Home Office has pledged.

The Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Act, which was passed in July this year, contains the provision, which is expected to apply only to those who have volunteered with registered charities, rather than with smaller community groups.

The scheme will allow migrants who have been in the UK for five years to gain citizenship within one further year rather than three if they can prove they have been “active citizens” by volunteering.

Jo Liddy, the national lead for citizenship and permanent migration at the UK Border Agency, told Third Sector: “We will continue to look at the implications of active citizenship on all migrants as we move forward to the introduction of the policy in July 2011.

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