British Citizenship Basics

To be eligible for naturalisation as a British citizen, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Residence — You must have been lawfully and continuously resident in the UK for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen) immediately before the date of application.
• Settlement — You must have held ILR, settled status, or a right of abode for at least 12 months before applying (unless you are married to a British citizen).
• Absence — During the 5-year qualifying period (3 years if spouse route), you must not have had more than 450 days outside the UK in total, and not more than 90 days in the final 12 months. For the spouse route, the limits are 270 days in total and 90 in the final year.
• Good character — You must not have significant criminal convictions, immigration offences, or other matters that UKVI considers would make you not of good character.
• English language — You must show you speak English (or Welsh or Scottish Gaelic) at a sufficient level, typically B1 CEFR or above.
• Life in the UK test — You must have passed the test (unless exempt by age or disability).

The Good Character requirement is one of the most complex and potentially disqualifying aspects of naturalisation. UKVI considers a range of factors including:

• Criminal convictions — Depending on the sentence received, a criminal conviction may make you ineligible for naturalisation for a period of years after the sentence is complete. A sentence of 4 years or more is a permanent bar in most circumstances.
• Immigration history — Having overstayed a visa, used deception in previous applications, or having been subject to immigration enforcement action may be treated as a good character issue. UKVI may require that a specified number of years pass from such events before you can naturalise.
• Financial conduct — Tax evasion, fraud, or significant dishonesty may be relevant to the good character assessment.
• Other matters — UKVI may consider whether you have shown a genuine commitment to UK values, including respect for the rights of others and the rule of law.

A good character concern does not automatically prevent naturalisation — UKVI exercises discretion. However, any potentially relevant matter should be disclosed fully and honestly in the application. Failing to disclose relevant information is itself a good character issue.

The naturalisation application is made online through the UKVI portal. The fee is currently £1,500 per adult. Children applying for registration as British citizens have a separate fee of £1,214.

After submitting the application and providing biometrics, the decision is typically made within 6 months, though it can take longer in complex cases. Once approved, you will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony at your local council. At the ceremony, you take an Oath of Allegiance (or Affirmation) to the King and pledge to uphold the rights and freedoms of the United Kingdom. You will be presented with your certificate of naturalisation.

You must attend the ceremony within 90 days of receiving your invitation. After the ceremony, you can apply for a British passport. You should also inform UKVI and the relevant authorities if you previously held Biometric Residence Permit or had a digital immigration status.

The UK does not prohibit dual nationality — you can hold British citizenship alongside citizenship of most other countries. However, your home country may not allow dual nationality, and acquiring British citizenship may automatically strip you of your original citizenship under your home country's laws. Check the rules of your home country before proceeding.

If you acquire British citizenship and later wish to renounce it — for example, to comply with a home country requirement — you can do so by making a declaration of renunciation. This is a permanent act and ends your right to a British passport, though renunciation can sometimes be reversed in exceptional circumstances.

Children born in the UK to a British citizen parent are usually British at birth. Children born overseas to a British citizen parent may be British by descent. The rules on citizenship by descent are complex and were recently amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.