(Warning: please check the date of this posting - as the information provided here is not up kept up to date)

1) you can phone 0845 010 5200. opening hours are 0900 - 2100 Monday to Friday. is very good for any questions.

2) to write the "life in the UK test" -
search engine with "test centers" are details how to book for the test is on this site.

THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF BOOKS FOR THE TEST. Get the small study guide, Large book is a waste of time.

You need to study - for the test - its multiple choice based on the simple facts in the book.

3) fill in form AN - see http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/applying/applicationtypes/naturalisation/

You don't have to get entry-exit dates 100% correct - I did it to the best of my ability. I had 70+ entires in the exit and entry dates, some of the dates must have been incorrect. I used an excel spreadsheet to capture the dates from my passport and old emails from BA confirming my flight details (some of the dates are complex to reverse engineer - eg. fly from US, stamp in US date is not same as UK entry date. UK tends to only stamp on the way into the country - so you end up with 3 stamps per trip (3 columns in my excel spread sheet + plus another for "days out country" calculation).

4) application it cost me £655 - - I just gave my debit card details when I went to the Nationality checking service (see below)

5) I went though the nationality checking service - I just phoned around till I found a place that had an appointment that I could book soon. the list of numbers was on the site (http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/applying/checkingservice/). They checked my application form, photocopied my passport and dispatched the application off to the correct address - all worth £30. I suspect that my application was processed faster because I used this service.

6) ceremony - you have to do this within 3 months of you confirmation letter - have this tomorrow.

7) apply for a british passport - another £80