How the cheats could be sent packing

Last updated at 08:35 21 March 2007


Any illegal immigrant caught applying for a passport fraudulently risks being arrested during the new faceto- face interview.

They could then face possible deportation.

Migrants can live in the UK without having a passport, but they cannot get a passport without being a British citizen.

But to receive UK citizenship, a migrant must first have been granted indefinite leave to remain by the Home Office.

This is approved for a number of reasons, and comes after living in the country for four or five years.

The reasons include a successful asylum claim, having been in fulltime employment in the UK for up to

five years, or being allowed to settle for family reasons, such as marriage.

Once indefinite leave to remain has been approved, the migrant must then sit a British citizenship exam. The multiple choice test consists of 24 questions. To pass, a migrant must score at least 70 per cent. They can sit the test as many times as is required. Once they have passed, they are considered a fully fledged British citizen..

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