Frequently Asked Questions About UK Citizenship under Ankara Agreement (ECAA)
1. What is an ECAA visa?
In 1973, the UK entered into the European Community Association Agreement with Turkey (ECAA, also known as the Ankara Agreement), which allowed Turkish nationals to attain UK residency rights after owning and operating a business in the UK for 4 years.
See more: Turkey Passport: Unique UK Access under the Ankara Agreement
2. Minimum investment
No low limit on capital for starting the business. Applicant must invest amount of money based on business proposal and industry requirements and average expenses to operate such business in the UK.
3. Who is eligible to get ECCA visa in my family, if I applied?
Applicant’s spouse and children under 21 years of age will have the right to settle in England, however rules stay that they must live 6 years in total from the time they entered the UK on dependent visa.
4. How long does it take to obtain BritishCitizenship?
There are a number of things that play into how long a person has to wait for his visa to be processed and approved, and various factors can end up delaying the process. Obtain British Passport after 6 years of staying in the UK
Applicant will get settlement visa after 5 years of staying lawfully on ECAA and then able to apply for British Passport after 1 year.
See more: Access UK Permanent Residency & Citizenship
5. Can applicant set up company or register as sole trader and earn a certain amount of income to be able to extend visa after 12 months being in the UK?
Turkish business people have option to operate the business activities as a sole trader or under a limited company. Applicants should start to set up and run the business as soon as they have their National Insurance Number and the relevant rights to work in the UK.
In the first year they are expected to make enough profit to maintain themselves and the dependents and pay the tax liabilities as required. The success of an extension application is based on whether the applicant was able to establish a credible business in the UK in the past 12 months and whether this has generated enough income to cover the applicant’s costs of living in the UK and operating the business.
6. How can I get British citizenship?
To apply for British citizenship, an applicant needs:
- Pass the language and life test
- Pure judicial record
- Do not leave the UK for more than 450 days within 5 years
- Not staying outside the UK for more than 90 days in a year before registering
7. Can a children over 21 apply for citizenship by family?
No, children under 21 years of age may apply on a family application. If not, they can apply as a dependent but pay a dependent fee or on a separate citizenship application.
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