UK Immigration · British Citizenship
British Citizenship
You can usually apply for British citizenship once you have held settled status, or Indefinite Leave to Remain, for twelve months, and met the residence, good character, English and Life in the UK requirements. Partners of British citizens can apply as soon as they settle.
This guide provides an overview of the routes to British citizenship, the eligibility requirements, and how to apply.
Naturalisation
Read the naturalisation guideCitizenship by Marriage
Read the marriage route guideRegistration
Read the registration guideAutomatic Acquisition
Read the automatic acquisition guide- The route depends on the situation. A settled adult naturalises, a child registers, and some people are British automatically by birth or descent.
- Most adults need settled status first. Naturalisation and the marriage route usually require Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status before the citizenship application.
- The common requirements run across the adult routes. Residence, good character, the Life in the UK Test and English knowledge apply to most applicants.
- Citizenship is more than settlement. Settled status removes the time limit on a stay, while citizenship adds the passport, the vote and a status that cannot lapse through absence.
- Dual citizenship is allowed. The UK permits a person to hold British citizenship alongside another nationality.
- The application ends with a ceremony. A successful adult applicant attends a citizenship ceremony before the status is confirmed.
- What is British citizenship?
- The routes to British citizenship
- British citizenship and ILR
- The common requirements
- The good character requirement
- Dual citizenship
- The ceremony and British passport
- How to apply
- Fees and timeline
- If an application is refused
- Cost and timeline in practice
- Glossary
- FAQs
What is British citizenship?
British citizenship is the status that makes a person a full citizen of the United Kingdom, with the right to live in the UK free of any immigration control. It carries the right to hold a British passport, to vote in elections, and to leave and re-enter the UK without restriction.
British citizenship is permanent and does not lapse. Unlike settled status, which can be lost through a long absence from the UK, citizenship stays with a person for life unless it is renounced or, in rare cases, deprived. This permanence is the practical difference that leads many settled people to apply.
A British citizen is also free of the conditions that attach to a visa. There is no requirement to extend a status, no Immigration Health Surcharge, and no restriction on work, study or public funds. Citizenship is the final step in a UK immigration journey for most people who choose to make the UK their permanent home.
The routes to British citizenship
The route to British citizenship depends on a person's age, their immigration status, and how they are connected to the UK. Each route has its own detailed guide; the table below shows which route fits which situation.
| The situation | The route |
|---|---|
| A settled adult who has held ILR for the qualifying period | Naturalisation |
| A settled adult married to a British citizen | Citizenship by marriage (a form of naturalisation) |
| A child with a parent who is or becomes British or settled | Registration |
| A person with an entitlement under the British Nationality Act 1981 | Registration |
| A person British from birth, or born abroad to a British parent | Automatic acquisition |
Naturalisation is the most common route for an adult, and it covers the marriage route, which is naturalisation on slightly different terms for the spouse of a British citizen. Registration is the route for most children and for certain people with a statutory entitlement to citizenship. Some people are British automatically, by birth in the UK to a qualifying parent or by descent from a British parent, and confirm that status rather than apply for it.
British citizenship and ILR
Most adults must hold settled status before they can apply for British citizenship. Settled status usually means Indefinite Leave to Remain, the immigration status that removes the time limit on a person's stay and is the step before citizenship for nearly all applicants.
Indefinite Leave to Remain and British citizenship are different things. ILR is an immigration status that lets a person live in the UK without a time limit, but it can be lost through a continuous absence of more than two years, and it does not carry a passport or the right to vote. Citizenship replaces that status with a permanent one that cannot lapse through absence.
The usual sequence is to reach ILR first, then apply for citizenship once the further requirements are met. The spouse of a British citizen can apply for citizenship as soon as they hold settled status, while most other applicants wait twelve months after the grant of ILR before they qualify.
The common requirements for British citizenship
The adult routes to British citizenship share a common set of requirements, set out in the British Nationality Act 1981. An applicant who naturalises must meet a residence requirement, the good character requirement, the Life in the UK Test, and a knowledge of English, and must usually hold settled status.
The residence requirement is the period of lawful residence in the UK before the application, with limits on the number of days spent outside the UK across the qualifying period. The exact qualifying period and absence limits differ between the standard naturalisation route and the marriage route, and are set out on the route guides.
The Life in the UK Test and the English language requirement apply to most adult applicants. The Life in the UK Test is a multiple-choice test on British history, culture and government, and the English requirement is met by an approved qualification, a degree taught in English, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country. Applicants aged 65 or over, and some with a long-term health condition, may be exempt.
A citizenship application also requires two referees who confirm the applicant's identity and character. The referees must meet conditions on their own status and profession, and one usually holds a professional standing or is a British citizen.
The good character requirement
Adult and older child applicants for British citizenship must satisfy the good character requirement. Good character is assessed across a person's conduct, including their immigration history, any criminal record, their financial affairs such as tax and bankruptcy, and their honesty in dealings with the Home Office.
The requirement is best met where an applicant has a clear immigration record, has complied with UK law, and has met their tax and financial obligations. Disclosing the full picture, including any past matter, supports a complete and accurate application.
An application that does not satisfy the good character requirement may be refused. Where there is a past issue, such as a fixed penalty, a period of overstaying, or an old conviction, the relevant guidance sets out how the matter is weighed, and an applicant can prepare the application to present the position fully.
Dual citizenship
The UK allows dual citizenship, so a person can become a British citizen without giving up another nationality. A British citizen may hold one or more other citizenships at the same time, as far as UK law is concerned.
Whether a person can keep their existing nationality after becoming British depends on the law of their other country, not on UK law. Some countries do not permit dual nationality and may withdraw their citizenship when a person naturalises elsewhere, so this is checked against the rules of the other country before applying.
The citizenship ceremony and British passport
A successful adult applicant must attend a citizenship ceremony before becoming a British citizen. The ceremony is arranged after the application is approved, usually at the local council, where the applicant makes an oath or affirmation of allegiance and a pledge, and receives a certificate of British citizenship.
The certificate of naturalisation or registration is the document that confirms the new status. It is needed to apply for a first British passport and should be kept safely, as it is the formal record that a person is a British citizen.
A British passport is applied for separately, through His Majesty's Passport Office, once the certificate has been issued. The passport is the practical proof of citizenship for travel, and it is a separate application from the citizenship application itself.
How to apply for British citizenship
A British citizenship application is made online, followed by an appointment to enrol biometrics and submit supporting documents. The application form differs by route, with separate forms for naturalisation, for the marriage route, and for registration of a child.
The application asks for evidence of immigration status, residence and absences over the qualifying period, the Life in the UK Test result, evidence of English where required, and the details of the two referees. An applicant inside the UK applies online and attends a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre to provide biometrics.
Most applicants prove their immigration status through their UKVI account and eVisa, the digital status that replaced the biometric residence permit for new grants from the end of 2024. The supporting documents are uploaded to support the application rather than posted.
Fees and timeline
A British citizenship application carries a Home Office application fee, which includes the cost of the citizenship ceremony for an adult. The fee is payable per applicant at the point of application, and a child registration application carries its own fee.
A naturalisation application is usually decided within around six months (as of June 2026), though many are decided sooner. The decision is followed by an invitation to a citizenship ceremony, which the applicant must attend within three months of the invitation.
What happens if an application is refused
A refused British citizenship application can usually be addressed with a fresh application, once the refusal reason is understood. The decision letter sets out the ground for the refusal, which is the starting point for the next step.
Common grounds include a residence requirement not met because of excess absences, a good character concern, or a missing Life in the UK Test or English result. Many of these are answered by a corrected fresh application made once the applicant meets the requirement, for example after the residence period has built up or a test has been passed.
Where the issue is residence or good character, the fresh application is prepared to present the position fully and to confirm that the requirement is now met. The right next step depends on the specific ground and on the route the applicant is using.
Cost and timeline in practice
The examples below show how a British citizenship application tends to come together. They are anonymised and indicative, given as ranges, and are not a quote for any individual application.
A settled doctor applied to naturalise twelve months after receiving Indefinite Leave to Remain. The applicant evidenced the residence period and absences of less than 450 days in the 5 years leading up to the date of application, passed the Life in the UK Test, met the English requirement through a degree taught in English, and attended a ceremony once the application was approved.
A person married to a British citizen applied through the marriage route as soon as they held settled status, without waiting the further twelve months that other applicants serve. The couple evidenced the marriage and the applicant's residence, and the application proceeded to a ceremony after approval.
A family registered their child as a British citizen after a parent naturalised. The child's application was made by registration rather than naturalisation, with evidence of the parent's new citizenship and the child's connection to the UK.
Glossary
- British citizenship: full citizenship of the UK, carrying the right to live in the UK without immigration control, a British passport and the right to vote.
- Naturalisation: the route by which a settled adult becomes a British citizen after meeting the residence, good character, Life in the UK and English requirements.
- Registration: the route by which a child, or a person with a statutory entitlement, becomes a British citizen.
- Settled status (ILR): Indefinite Leave to Remain, the immigration status that removes the time limit on a stay and usually precedes citizenship.
- Good character: the requirement that an adult or older child applicant has a clean record across immigration, criminal and financial conduct.
- Life in the UK Test: a multiple-choice test on British history, culture and government that most adult applicants must pass.
- Certificate of naturalisation: the document that confirms a new British citizen's status and is used to apply for a first British passport.
- Dual citizenship: holding British citizenship alongside another nationality, which UK law permits.
Frequently asked questions about British citizenship
How do I become a British citizen?
The route depends on your situation. A settled adult usually naturalises after holding Indefinite Leave to Remain for the qualifying period, a child is usually registered, and some people are British automatically by birth or descent. The spouse of a British citizen can naturalise through the marriage route as soon as they hold settled status.
What are the routes to British citizenship?
The main routes are naturalisation for settled adults, naturalisation through the marriage route for the spouse of a British citizen, registration for children and certain people with an entitlement, and automatic acquisition for those who are British by birth or descent. The route depends on age, immigration status and connection to the UK.
Do I need ILR before applying for British citizenship?
Most adult applicants need settled status, usually Indefinite Leave to Remain, before applying for British citizenship. The spouse of a British citizen can apply as soon as they hold settled status, while most other applicants wait twelve months after the grant of ILR before they qualify.
What are the eligibility requirements for British citizenship?
An adult who naturalises must meet a residence requirement, the good character requirement, the Life in the UK Test and a knowledge of English, and must usually hold settled status. The exact qualifying period and absence limits differ between the standard route and the marriage route.
What is the difference between ILR and British citizenship?
Indefinite Leave to Remain is an immigration status that lets a person live in the UK without a time limit, but it can be lost through a continuous absence of more than two years and carries no passport. British citizenship is permanent, does not lapse through absence, and carries a British passport and the right to vote.
Can I have dual citizenship in the UK?
The UK allows dual citizenship, so a person can become a British citizen without giving up another nationality as far as UK law is concerned. Whether the other nationality can be kept depends on the law of that country, which is checked before applying.
Do I have to pass the Life in the UK Test?
Most adult applicants for British citizenship must pass the Life in the UK Test, a multiple-choice test on British history, culture and government. Applicants aged 65 or over, and some with a long-term physical or mental condition, may be exempt.
How long does a British citizenship application take?
A naturalisation application is usually decided within around six months (as of June 2026), and many are decided sooner. A successful applicant is then invited to a citizenship ceremony, which must be attended within three months of the invitation.
Is there a citizenship ceremony?
A successful adult applicant must attend a citizenship ceremony before becoming a British citizen. The ceremony is usually held at the local council, where the applicant makes an oath or affirmation of allegiance and a pledge and receives a certificate of British citizenship.
What happens if my citizenship application is refused?
A refusal can usually be addressed with a corrected fresh application, once the refusal reason is clear. Many refusals turn on the residence requirement or the good character requirement, each of which a fresh application can address once the requirement is met.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
The Whytecroft Ford immigration team advises on British citizenship across the naturalisation, marriage and registration routes. The firm helps applicants confirm the right route, check the residence and absence position, address the good character requirement, and submit the application correctly. This is the work that suits a settled person who wants their citizenship application handled properly the first time.
To discuss your British citizenship application with our team, call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Sources
LATEST GUIDANCE
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