British Citizenship by Marriage

British citizenship by marriage lets a settled adult who is married to, or the civil partner of, a British citizen become British. It is the spouse route to naturalisation, and it requires three years of qualifying residence, with no separate 12-month wait after settlement. A qualifying spouse can apply as soon as they hold Indefinite Leave to Remain. This guide provides an overview of who qualifies, the requirements, the cost and how to apply.

What is British citizenship by marriage?

British citizenship by marriage is naturalisation based on being married to a British citizen. It is a grant of citizenship under section 6 of the British Nationality Act 1981, applied for on Form AN under subsection 6(2), which sets the qualifying period for the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen.

The route reflects a person's settled family life in the UK. Because it is still naturalisation, the grant is discretionary: the Home Office must be satisfied that every statutory requirement is met, and citizenship acquired this way is citizenship otherwise than by descent, which can be passed to a child born abroad in defined circumstances.

Who can apply for British citizenship by marriage?

The spouse route is open to a settled adult who is married to, or the civil partner of, a British citizen and meets the residence, good character and knowledge requirements. The requirements under section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 are that the applicant must:

• be aged 18 or over and of sound mind
• be the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen on the date of application
• hold Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status, free from immigration time restrictions, on the date of application
• have lived in the UK for three years, the qualifying period, ending on the date of application
• be within the absence limits, no more than 270 days outside the UK over the three years and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months
• meet the good character requirement
• meet the English language requirement at B1, unless exempt
• have passed the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt

How is the spouse route different from the standard route?

The spouse route under section 6(2) differs from the standard route under section 6(1) in three specific ways: the qualifying period is three years instead of five, there is no 12-month holding period after settlement is granted, and there is no future intentions requirement. Every other requirement is the same. The table sets the two routes side by side.

The marriage or civil partnership requirement

The applicant must be the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen on the date of application. The marriage or civil partnership must be legally valid and recognised under UK law, and it is evidenced by the marriage or civil partnership certificate and by the British partner's proof of citizenship, such as their passport or certificate of naturalisation.

There is no minimum length of marriage. The three-year period is a residence requirement: what matters is that the applicant has lived in the UK for three years and is married to a British citizen at the date of application. The length of the marriage itself is not counted.

What does 'free from immigration time restrictions' mean?

Being free from immigration time restrictions means holding a status with no time limit on the stay, such as Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. On the spouse route the applicant must hold that status on the date of application, and need not have held it for any set period beforehand.

The residence and absence requirements

The residence requirement on the spouse route is three years of lawful residence in the UK, ending on the date the application is received, with the applicant physically present in the UK on the first day of that three-year period. It is set out in Schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981. The applicant must have been in the UK lawfully throughout, and time spent without valid leave does not count.

Within those three years, absences from the UK are capped. An applicant on the spouse route must not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK across the three years, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months before applying.

The good character requirement

Every applicant aged 10 or over must be of good character. The Home Office weighs criminal history, financial soundness, immigration conduct and honesty together, on the balance of probabilities, meaning it decides whether it is more likely than not that the applicant is of good character.

Common issues include unspent and spent convictions, which are all declared because the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to nationality; fixed penalties and driving matters where there is a pattern; an outstanding NHS debt of more than £500; and any past immigration breach or dishonesty. Because this requirement decides many applications, the naturalisation guide sets out the full assessment.

English language and the Life in the UK Test

The applicant must show English at level B1 of the Common European Framework, or higher, and must have passed the Life in the UK Test, unless an exemption applies. This is the same knowledge of language and life standard met at settlement, so a spouse who met it for their Indefinite Leave to Remain does not usually need to meet it again, and a Life in the UK pass is valid indefinitely.

The requirement can be met by an approved B1 speaking and listening test, by a degree taught or researched in English, or by being a national of a majority English speaking country. It does not apply to applicants aged 65 or over, or where a long-term physical or mental condition prevents it being met. Any exemption is evidenced with the application.

Who can be a referee?

A naturalisation application needs two referees who confirm they know the applicant, and both must have known the applicant for at least three years. One referee must be a person of professional standing, such as a solicitor, teacher or accountant; the other must be either a professional person or a British citizen aged 25 or over. Neither can be related to the applicant or to each other, nor be the applicant's adviser.

What documents do I need?

The application is evidenced by documents that prove identity, the marriage, settled status, residence and the knowledge requirements. The core documents are:

• Passport and travel history: a current passport, and details of time spent outside the UK across the three years
• Proof of settled status: Indefinite Leave to Remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or another permanent status
• Evidence of UK residence: official documents and letters that demonstrate residence in the UK across the three years
• Life in the UK Test pass: the unique reference number for the pass
• English language evidence: a B1 certificate, a qualifying degree, or evidence of an exemption
• Evidence of the relationship: the marriage or civil partnership certificate
• Evidence of the partner's British citizenship: their passport or certificate of naturalisation
• Two referees: the details of two referees who meet the Home Office criteria, along with the referee declarations

The exact documents depend on the applicant's circumstances, so professional advice is recommended.

How do I apply on Form AN?

The spouse of a British citizen applies on Form AN, the application for naturalisation, submitted online through the Home Office. The main stages are:

• Complete Form AN: apply on the GOV.UK website and pay the fee
• Upload documents: carefully upload the supporting documents to UKVCAS
• Enrol biometrics: fingerprints and a facial photo at a UKVCAS service point
• Home Office decision: usually within six months of biometric enrolment
• Citizenship ceremony: attend to make the oath and pledge, become British and receive the certificate of naturalisation

How much does British citizenship by marriage cost?

The fee for British citizenship by marriage is £1,839 as of July 2026. There is no separate or reduced fee for the spouse route. The table sets out the fee and the other costs an applicant usually meets.

Home Office fees change, so the current figure should be checked on the official fees guide before applying. Many published guides still quote older fees, so it is worth confirming the amount as at the date of application.

How long does it take to get British citizenship after marriage?

Most applications on the spouse route are decided within six months of the biometric enrolment, which is a Home Office service standard rather than a legal deadline. Straightforward applications are often decided more quickly, while complex cases can take longer. Along with the grant, the applicant is invited to a citizenship ceremony, and must attend within three months to become British.

What if we separate or divorce before I apply?

The spouse route depends on the applicant being married to a British citizen at the date of application, so a separation or divorce beforehand affects which route is open. An applicant who is divorced at the date of application no longer qualifies under section 6(2), but may still qualify on the standard five-year route, which does not depend on marriage.

Can I keep my original nationality?

The UK allows dual citizenship, so becoming British by marriage does not require the applicant to give up an existing nationality as a matter of UK law. Whether the original citizenship is kept depends on the law of that country: some states withdraw citizenship automatically when a national naturalises elsewhere, and others allow dual nationality only with prior permission. An applicant should check the position under the law of their country of origin, and take any step needed to keep that nationality, before applying.

What happens after I am granted citizenship, and how do I get a passport?

A person becomes British at the citizenship ceremony, not on the date of approval, and the certificate of naturalisation is presented there. Once the ceremony has taken place, a first British passport can be applied for from His Majesty's Passport Office, as a separate application with its own fee, using the certificate as proof of citizenship. Holding a passport is not required to be a citizen, but it is the usual next step for travel.

What happens if my application is refused?

Where an application is refused, the applicant is told the reason, and two routes forward are available. Where the decision appears wrong on the facts or the law, the Home Office can be asked to reconsider it, using Form NR within the stated time limit. Where the refusal reflects a genuine issue, such as an absence count or a good character point, the more direct route is usually a fresh application once that issue no longer applies.

The right course depends on the reason. An applicant refused on absences may simply need to let time pass so the three-year period is clear, while an applicant refused on good character grounds should take advice on when a fresh application can succeed.

Upcoming changes for spouses

Citizenship policy has moved in recent years, and applicants should apply against the rules in force at the date of application. In May 2025 the government published an immigration White Paper signalling reform of settlement and citizenship timelines, including a proposed longer standard residence period. The proposals were not in force as of July 2026, and it is not yet confirmed how any change would treat the spouse route.

British citizenship by marriage in practice

Two anonymised scenarios show how the route works in common situations.