If you are applying for British Naturalisation on the basis of your UK residence and are not married to a British Citizen, or do not wish to rely on your marriage to a British citizen you must meet the following Naturalisation requirements:
- You are aged 18 or over
- You have been free from immigration time restrictions (this means you have held either Indefinite Leave to Remain, EEA Permanent Residence or EU Settled Status) for at least 12 months before the date of your naturalisation application
- You were in the UK on the day exactly five years before the date of your application
- You have not been absent from the UK for more than a total of 450 days during the five year residence period
- You have not been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws at any time during the five year period
- You have not been absent from the UK for more than 90 days during the 12 month period immediately before the date of your application
- You will be considered of “good character” since your arrival in the UK or for the past 10 years
- You have passed the Life in the UK Test
- You meet the Knowledge of English requirement
- You intend to make the UK your principal home
How to apply for Naturalisation in the UK?
Naturalisation is the legal process by which a non-British adult becomes a British citizen. The process involves making an application along with your supporting documents to the Home Office as per the requirements set out in section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981.
You will need to have two referees to provide declarations in support of your application. In most cases, you will also need to attend an appointment at a UKVCAS centre to submit your biometric information. Upon a successful Naturalisation application, you will attend a British Citizenship Ceremony at a centre near you.
The Naturalisation application is normally made and paid for online via the UK government website and costs £1330. If an application is refused, only the citizenship ceremony cost of £80 will be refunded. Therefore, for a successful application, it is crucial that you understand and meet the requirements. For example, failure to meet the good character requirement and/or the minimum residence requirements will lead to a refusal, and in fact, during 2019-2020 these two requirements are solely responsible for a majority of refusals.
For a free assessment of your case, please contact a member of our team today.
