(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the British Nationality (General) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”), which detail the procedures and requirements relating to applications in connection with British nationality made under the British Nationality Act 1981 (“the 1981 Act”). These Regulations insert a revised regulation 5A into the 2003 Regulations. Regulation 5A specifies how applicants for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6 of the 1981 Act can demonstrate sufficient knowledge of life in the United Kingdom and the English language for the purposes of their application. The revised regulation 5A changes the qualifications applicants may rely on to prove their knowledge of English and of life in the United Kingdom and states that those from certain English speaking countries will be assumed to have sufficient knowledge of English for naturalisation purposes. The new regulation 5A, which is also supplemented by a new Schedule 2A to the Regulations, will come into force on 28th October 2013.
A full Impact Assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.