Naturalisation as a British citizen is not an automatic entitlement. The Home Secretary may grant citizenship under section 6 of the British Nationality Act 1981 where the applicant meets the statutory requirements. Each requirement must be met by documentary evidence, and an application that does not carry appropriate evidence may be refused. This post provides an overview of the documents needed for a UK British citizenship application.
Which documents are required for British citizenship?
The documents for British citizenship prove the applicant’s identity, settled status, time in the UK, English and the Life in the UK test. An applicant married to a British citizen also needs marriage evidence, and employment and tax records support the good character assessment.
Evidence for each requirement is set out in the Home Office’s Guide AN. The checklist generated at the end of the online application form is a guide only, and an applicant may need further documents depending on their circumstances.
Most applicants who apply online from the UK keep their original documents while the application is processed. A paper application is sent with the documents. In either case, the application should state which documents have been supplied and why.
This British citizenship documents checklist follows the order of the requirements. Each section of the application asks for corresponding evidence, as shown in the guide to how to complete Form AN for British citizenship.
Which documents prove the applicant’s identity?
Applicant’s must provide their expired biometric residence permits (BRP), where one was issued. Alongside the BRP, the applicant must provide one of the following:
- a passport, national identity card, Home Office travel document, Home Office entitlement card or Home Office ARC letter;
- a birth certificate or a photo driving licence; or
- a bank, building society or credit card statement issued to the applicant within the last 6 months.
The applicant should provide the same document again where it was used at the Life in the UK test. This applies to the passport, national identity card, Home Office travel document, entitlement card, ARC letter and photo driving licence.
What evidence is needed after a change of name or gender?
Where the applicant has changed name or gender and holds no identity document in the new identity, evidence of the change is also needed, this may include:
- a change of name deed poll;
- a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate;
- a Gender Recognition Certificate; or
- a letter from a doctor or medical consultant confirming that a change of gender is likely to be permanent.
How does the applicant prove they are free from immigration time restrictions?
The applicant proves this with evidence of indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or the right of abode. The applicant must hold that status on the date of application.
An applicant applying through the standard 5-year route must also have held that status for 12 months before applying. An applicant married to a British citizen only needs to hold it on the date of application. Proof of settled status includes:
- the 16-digit unique application number (UAN) for indefinite leave, including settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme;
- the UAN or share code for an eVisa showing indefinite leave to remain;
- a BRP showing indefinite leave, usable for up to 24 months after the expiry date on the card, and only until the end of 2026;
- a passport endorsement or the Home Office letter granting permission to stay permanently;
- evidence of being freely landed before 1971, or of arriving as a child on a parent’s passport;
- a valid certificate of entitlement to the right of abode, or an Irish passport; or
- evidence of a Withdrawal Agreement right to reside permanently, where the applicant previously held pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Some applicants rely on a Withdrawal Agreement right to reside permanently rather than settled status. They also need evidence of lawful residence for the whole qualifying period.
An applicant still holding limited leave must be granted indefinite leave to remain as a partner or on another settlement route first. Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team can confirm the earliest date on which an application for citizenship can be made. Call 0208 757 5751 to arrange a review.
Which documents show the applicant was in the UK for the residence period?
The applicant’s passports, covering the 5 years before the application, or 3 years where the applicant is married to a British citizen. The applicant must also have been in the UK on the first day of that period. Where the applicant cannot provide a passport, they must explain the reason, together with other evidence of presence in the UK. This may include:
- passports or travel documents stamped on arrival in the UK and on entry to and departure from other countries;
- letters from employers, with start and finish dates;
- payslips and P60s;
- tax and National Insurance letters;
- letters from schools, colleges or universities confirming periods of study;
- letters from government departments confirming presence in the UK; and
- a doctor’s letter, but only where nothing else is available and the doctor has seen the applicant regularly during the period.
An applicant whose passport was not stamped on entry still sends the passport, together with this alternative evidence. The Home Office caseworker also checks Home Office records of entry and exit.
How are absences from the UK shown in a citizenship application?
Every absence from the UK during the residence period is listed on the application. Where there have been too many trips to fit on the form, the remaining absences go in a separate attachment. A member of the armed forces also provides confirmation from the employer of the dates of service.
Where the passport record has gaps, other documents can be used for proving UK residence for British citizenship.
Which documents prove the Life in the UK test?
The Life in the UK test is proved by the test reference number. A test passed before 1 October 2019 is proved by the pass letter instead. This is a separate requirement from English language, and the applicant must meet both.
A test taken from 17 December 2019 has a reference in the format HOM/010114/123456/123456789, shown in the results email. An earlier test has a 7-digit number on the results letter.
Which documents prove English language ability?
The applicant proves English at B1 level or above with one of the following:
- the unique reference number for a Secure English Language Test at B1 or above, from an approved provider such as Pearson, Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium or LanguageCert;
- a UK Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD certificate, for a degree taught in English;
- a postgraduate diploma or graduate diploma certificate from a UK university;
- an overseas degree certificate taught in a majority English speaking country, with an Academic Qualification Level Statement from Ecctis confirming that it is equivalent to a UK degree;
- an overseas degree certificate taught elsewhere, with both the Ecctis Academic Qualification Level Statement and an Ecctis English Language Proficiency Statement; or
- a passport from a majority English speaking country, such as Canada, Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand or the United States.
An English language test is valid for 2 years from the date it is taken. The test must be booked in the name shown on the applicant’s passport or identity document.
No physical test certificate is sent for a test taken on or after 6 April 2015. Instead, the application gives the reference issued by the test provider. This is the UER for Trinity College London, the UKVI number for IELTS, the Candidate URN for LanguageCert or the SELT URN for Pearson. An application without this reference number may be refused.
A new test is not needed where indefinite leave to remain was granted on the basis of a B1 qualification. The same English for ILR and citizenship qualification is accepted for naturalisation.
Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team can confirm whether an English test or degree will be accepted before the application is submitted.
Who is exempt from the English and Life in the UK test requirements?
An applicant aged 65 or over is exempt from both requirements. A long-term physical or mental condition can also justify an exemption. The exemption request needs evidence from a doctor and the waiver request form, completed by a registered medical practitioner.
What extra documents are needed when applying as the spouse of a British citizen?
The applicant provides the marriage or civil partnership certificate and proof that the spouse or civil partner is a British citizen. These documents support an application under the 3-year route in section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981.
The proof of the partner’s citizenship is one of the following:
- the partner’s current British passport;
- the partner’s certificate of naturalisation; or
- the partner’s certificate of registration as a British citizen.
The applicant must be married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen. A relationship without marriage or civil partnership does not qualify for this route. Where the British partner works overseas in Crown or designated service, a letter from the employer is also needed. The letter confirms the date and place of recruitment and the position held.
An applicant applying through British citizenship by marriage can ask Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team to check the timing of the application against the 3-year period. Call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Which employment and tax documents are needed?
The applicant provides evidence of National Insurance contributions for the residence period. A self-employed applicant also provides the most recent HMRC Self Assessment Statement of Account.
National Insurance contributions can be shown by:
- payslips;
- P60s; and
- letters from employers confirming the applicant’s employment, with start and finish dates.
An applicant is expected to have paid income tax and National Insurance contributions. The Home Office may also ask HM Revenue & Customs about the applicant.
Which documents are needed for the good character requirement?
Good character is shown mainly through the declarations made on the application. Documents are needed only for specific matters, such as driving endorsements or evidence of mitigating factors.
The Home Office carries out criminal record checks in every application. Endorsements on a UK driving licence are evidenced by a summary of the driving record from the DVLA website, or by the paper counterpart licence.
Civil judgments, bankruptcy, unpaid council tax, NHS debts of £500 or more and any pending criminal charges must be declared on the application. Evidence of mitigating factors can be included, such as completed courses or treatment, voluntary work, or a positive decision under the National Referral Mechanism.
Who can act as a referee in a British citizenship application?
Two referees endorse the application, and each must have known the applicant for at least 3 years. One must be a professional person, and the other must hold a British citizen passport.
The professional referee can be, for example, a minister of religion, a civil servant or a member of a professional body. The second referee must also be either a professional person or aged over 25. A referee must not be related to the applicant or to the other referee. A referee also cannot be the applicant’s solicitor or agent on the application, or be employed by the Home Office. Someone convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years is not usually accepted as a referee.
The Home Office may check that each referee in a British citizenship application is qualified to act and has no unspent convictions.
Which citizenship documents have a time limit?
Several documents in a citizenship application only count within a set period.
| Document or step | Time limit | What happens outside it |
|---|---|---|
| Bank, building society or credit card statement used for identity | Issued within the last 6 months | It cannot be used as the identity document |
| Expired BRP | Up to 24 months after the expiry date, and only until the end of 2026 | Another document is needed to show indefinite leave |
| Secure English Language Test | 2 years from the test date, unless relied on for indefinite leave to remain at B1 | The applicant takes a new test |
| Indefinite leave or settled status on the 5-year route | Held for at least 12 months before applying | The applicant waits until the 12 months have passed |
| Referees | Each must have known the applicant for at least 3 years | Another referee is needed |
| Life in the UK pass letter | Only needed for a pass before 1 October 2019 | A later pass is shown by the reference number |
| Biometric enrolment | Usually within 45 days of applying | The application is invalid |
| Citizenship ceremony, for applicants aged 18 or over | Within 90 days of receiving the invitation | Without good reason, the application may be refused and the applicant must re-apply |
Frequently asked questions
How long does a British citizenship application take?
Usually up to 6 months. The Home Office aims to decide naturalisation applications within that period, and some take longer where checks with other government departments are needed. Applicants in the UK can also use the citizenship priority service, which usually gives a decision within 30 working days.
Will I get a digital document showing I am a British citizen?
No. The Home Office has no current plans to provide digital evidence of British citizenship. A British passport or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode is used to show citizenship when travelling.
Do I need to enrol biometrics again?
Usually, yes. The applicant normally has 45 days from submitting the application to enrol biometrics, and failing to do so invalidates the application. The Home Office may reuse biometrics given in an earlier immigration application.
Do I have to give up my current nationality?
Not under UK law. The UK recognises dual nationality, so a British citizen can also hold another nationality. Some countries do not allow dual citizenship, and an applicant from one of those countries can lose that nationality on becoming British.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
A citizenship application can be refused for a missing document, or where the English test has expired or a requirement has not been met. The fee can be lost. Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team is experienced, approachable and professional. The team prepares British citizenship by naturalisation applications, including applications by spouses of British citizens.
To discuss your application with our team, call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Disclaimer: The material in this article is provided for guidance and general information only and is not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice upon which you should rely. In particular, the information should not be used as a substitute for a full and proper consultation with a suitably qualified professional. UK Immigration Rules are subject to change. Please do contact the Whytecroft Ford team if you require further advice.
