Under new goverment proposals, the Citizenship and Indefinite Leave to Remain immigration systems are to be changed, and the Points-Based System (PBS), already used for work and student visas, will be introduced. Phil Woolas, the immigration minister, has announced that migrants will have to "earn" citizenship, which will be assessed by a range of criteria. One of the new criteria will be an English language test, as well as tests for patriotism.

There is a bit of controversy as it seems that participating in anti-war demonstrations might jeopardize the citizenship application for a migrant, even though freedom of speech and protesting is an inherent right of British democracy. Applicants would lose points if they break the law, and gain extra points for level of education, type of job, and other skills that they possess. At the moment it is relatively easy for someone on a work visa in the UK to qualify for citizenship or ILF after 5 years of staying in the country, but it is expected that with the new points based system, many migrants will fall short of the number of points required. According to the Home Office, this is to ensure that the UK attracts the right type of migrant needed to fill skill gaps in the country or highly skilled migrants who make a positive contribution.

More bizarrely, there are plans to give points for "contributions and helping development in their home country" to ease emigration to the UK. Applicants will also have to take a revamped "Britishness Test" that will be made harder.

At the moment, the rate of immigration to the UK is close to 220,000 per year, and these new plans are part of wider plans to curtail the number of foreigners granted citizenship in the UK.

Our staff here at Uk Visa Help are keeping track of developments, and as more information are made public we will post them on this website. In the near future, we will also have a test tool to see if you qualify for citizenship by the new points based system.