Naturalisation/Registration of British Citizens

Summary

The request sought detailed statistics on British citizenship applications, including breakdowns by type, nationality, and processing times for the Isle of Man between 2016 and 2019. The Cabinet Office provided historical data on application totals and financial year breakdowns but refused requests for specific nationality data and post-2017 naturalisation/registration splits, citing that such information would require creating new data or substantial analysis.

Key Facts

• The Cabinet Office does not hold a reportable breakdown of naturalisation versus registration applications after March 2017.
• Nationality of applicants was not recorded in a reportable field prior to April 2018.
• Providing the requested specific breakdowns would require creating or deriving information, which is not mandated under Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• Historical data for financial years 2015/16 and 2016/17 shows 108 and 99 total applications respectively.
• Total applications received from April to December 2019 were 83.

Data Disclosed

• 2019-12-17
• 2020-01-20
• 82
• 87
• 26
• 12
• 108
• 99
• 90
• 149
• 83
• 2015/16
• 2016/17
• 2017/18
• 2018/19
• April 2017
• 1 April 2018

Exemptions Cited

• Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (information not held in reportable fields, requiring creation or substantial compilation)

Original Request

1. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service received for each of the following years (in each case if possible for period 1 January -31 December) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (1 January - to date). 2. What is the breakdown by nationality of applicant for each of those applications? 2. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service rejected as incomplete or refused in each of the above periods? 3. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service have been approved in each of the above periods? 4. How many citizenship ceremonies have been held in each of the above periods and what was the number of individuals granted Citizenship at each of those ceremonies? 5. What is the minimum processing time, maximum processing time and average processing time between submission of application and grant of citizenship in each of the above periods and how does this compare to UK Home Office Processing Standards?

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 1105561 20 January 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request received on 17 December 2019 which states:

"1. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service received for each of the following years (in each case if possible for period 1 January -31 December) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (1 January - to date). 2. What is the breakdown by nationality of applicant for each of those applications? 2. [sic] How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service rejected as incomplete or refused in each of the above periods? 3. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service have been approved in each of the above periods? 4. How many citizenship ceremonies have been held in each of the above periods and what was the number of individuals granted Citizenship at each of those ceremonies? 5. What is the minimum processing time, maximum processing time and average processing time between submission of application and grant of citizenship in each of the above periods and how does this compare to UK Home Office Processing Standards?"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Cabinet Office does not hold some of the information that you have requested. I have detailed below the information that is held. 1. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service received for each of the following years (in each case if possible for period 1 January -31 December) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (1 January - to date). Nationality statistics were historically published in the Passport, Immigration & Nationality Annual Report which summarises the total number of citizenship applications received in each financial year and the number of applications refused: www.gov.im/media/1356753/pin-annual-report-2017-2018-publication.pdf 2 After March 2017, the Cabinet Office did not record the breakdown of applications for British citizenship as to whether they were for naturalisation or registration in a reportable field as it was not a requirement to do so. For this reason we are unable to provide this information from April 2017 without examining individual case records. To supply this information would require the Department to do something it is not required to do under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, namely to:- * specifically create or derive information from information that it holds, * undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds, * undertake substantial compilation of information or collation of information that it holds. The information we do hold in respect of the breakdown of applications for naturalisation and registration received, is set out in the table below. April - March 2015/16 2016/17 Naturalisation 82 87 Registration 26 12 108 99 The combined number of applications for naturalisation and registration as a British citizen received in each financial year since 2015 is summarised below. Received during this period 2015/16 108 2016/17 99 2017/18 90 2018/19 149 April to December 2019 83 2. What is the breakdown by nationality of applicant for each of those applications? Prior to 1 April 2018 the Cabinet Office did not record the breakdown of nationality of applicant received in a reportable field and so cannot provide this information without examining individual case records. To supply this information would require the Department to do something it is not required to do under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, namely to:- * specifically create or derive information from information that it holds, * undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds, * undertake substantial compilation of information or collation of information that it holds. We have however provided a breakdown of applications for naturalisation and registration as a British citizen received for the financial year broken down by nationality. 3 Nationality Total Nationality Total Nationality Total American 1 Hungarian 1 Portuguese 2 Australian 6 Indian 1 Romanian 2 Bulgarian 4 Iranian 1 Russian 1 Canadian 1 Israeli 4 Slovakian 2 Chinese 1 Italian 1 South African 27 Costa Rican 1 Nigerian 1 Spanish 1 Filipino 5 Pakistani 5 Thai 5 Finnish 1 Polish 7 Venezuelan 1 3. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service rejected as incomplete or refused in each of the above periods The number of applications for naturalisation and registration as a British citizen that have been refused in each financial year since 2015 is summarised below. The Cabinet Office does not record applications that rejected as incomplete.

Refused during this period 2015/16 3 2016/17 3 2017/18 2 2018/19 4 April to December 2019 5 4. How many applications for (a) naturalisation as a British Citizen and (b) registration as a British Citizen has the Isle of Man Nationality Service have been approved in each of the above periods? The Cabinet Office does not currently hold accurate electronic data for the cases approved during the period you have requested.
This is because the Cabinet Office is in the process of undertaking a manual back capture exercise to merge data from paper records onto a new case management system. This exercise is ongoing. The information in the table below is the most up to date information currently available and is show for the calendar year.
Approved in this period 2015 14 2016 24 2017 75 2018 43 2019 68 The approval and refusal decisions will not necessarily relate directly to those cases received in that same period. This is because of the length of time it can take to process an application. For example, an application received in March 2017 may not have had a decision made until 2018 or even 2019. 4 5. How many citizenship ceremonies have been held in each of the above periods and what was the number of individuals granted Citizenship at each of those ceremonies? The table below details the number of ceremonies held in each calendar year. Number of Ceremonies Held 2015 4 2016 3 2017 2 2018 0 2019 6 Totals 15 The Cabinet Office does not record the number of individuals granted Citizenship at each of those ceremonies. To supply this information would require the Department to do something it is not required to do under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, namely to:- * specifically create or derive information from information that it holds, * undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds, * undertake substantial compilation of information or collation of information that it holds. 6. What is the minimum processing time, maximum processing time and average processing time between submission of application and grant of citizenship in each of the above periods and how does this compare to UK Home Office Processing Standards?" The Department does not record nor is it required to record data in respect of minimum, maximum and average processing times. To supply this information would require the Department to do something it is not required to do under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, namely to:- * specifically create or derive information from information that it holds, * undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds, * undertake substantial compilation of information or collation of information that it holds In order to provide advice and assistance regarding your request for information as required by the Freedom of Information Act, the process of naturalisation as a British citizen involves a number of stages, some of which are carried out by other government departments including the UK Home Office. Due to some parts of the process being outside of the control of the Department, the Department is only able to give an indication of processing times. The Department expects that most applicants will receive an invitation to attend a ceremony within 9 months of their application being made. The process along with the above information is displayed on our website www.gov.im/categories/travel-traffic-and-motoring/naturalisation-and-registration-as- a-british-citizen/process/
The UK's Citizenship information is here https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship- 5 indefinite-leave-to-remain/after-youve-applied
The Cabinet Office does not hold comparative data in respect of the UK Home Office Processing standards. Additional Information The information the Department does collate is published in the Passport, Immigration and Nationality Annual Report available on our website www.gov.im/categories/travel- traffic-and-motoring/naturalisation-and-registration-as-a-british-citizen/. The most recent report provides data for a 5 year period up to an including the year April 2017 to March 2018. The figures for the period April 2018 to November 2019 are shown below:- Applications received for naturalisation & registration as a British citizen April 2018 to December 2018 28 January 2019 to November 2019 87 Refused naturalisation & registration applications April 2016 – March 2017 - 3 April 2017 – March 2018 - 0 April 2018 – March 2019 - 1 April 2019 – November 2019 – 0 Naturalisation figures are also published in the Isle of Man in Numbers report which can be viewed here - www.gov.im/media/1361698/isle-of-man-in-numbers-2018- report-v2.pdf
Please quote the reference number 1105561 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
6 In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely