Six years

Hard to believe I've been in the UK for six years.  That's as long as World War II lasted!  Actually, I'm a little premature--I still have four months to go--but once I hit the arbitary six year mark, I can apply for citizenship (or "naturalisation") so I'm starting to look at the requirements.

The fee is £874 (US £1,464) and the process is as follows:

• I can either apply by mail -- in which case I need to surrender my US passport during the process -- or I can make an appointment with the local council to "verify" my passport (another £72).
• Their stated goal is to process most applications within six months, although they give no guarantee.  You can't even call them to ask about the status until after six months have passed!
• If approved, they will send me an invitation to a "citizenship ceremony" to swear an oath to the Queen.  I have 90 days to attend one.
• After the ceremony I will get my certificate of British citizenship, as well as a "commemorative gift of local flavour."
• I can then apply for a UK passport (another £81) by sending in my (brand new) naturalisation certificate and my US passport.
• I will be invited to an interview to prove I am who I say I am.  (You'd think they would have figured this out before making me a citizen!)
• Once complete, they should issue me a UK passport (and return my US passport) within six weeks.

So all told this will cost just over a thousand pounds (US $1,719), take at least eight months, require three appointments, and all so I can...um...hang on...let me think...nope, there's nothing I will be able to do as a "citizen" that I can't already do as a "resident."  That's kind of a bummer.

So why do it?  Because six years ago I said I would.  Of course, my life has completely changed and the reasons I said that are no longer relevant, but I'm still here and perhaps that's cause enough.