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British Citizenship (Naturalisation)

British passport, voting rights, EU travel reciprocity and no immigration controls.

Sourced from GOV.UK · Updated April 2026
The short answer

Naturalisation is the discretionary route to British citizenship for adults with ILR. The standard wait is 12 months after ILR, but if you are married to a British citizen and hold ILR you can apply immediately. The fee in 2026 is £1,839 in total (Form AN application + £130 citizenship ceremony fee), per gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain. Children of British or settled parents are often British at birth, check that before paying for an MN1 registration.

£1,839Application fee from
, IHS per year
N/A, in-UK onlyDecision (outside UK)
For life (revoked only in rare national-security cases)Initial leave

Who can apply

  • 12 months on ILR (or apply immediately if married to a British citizen and hold ILR)
  • 5 years lawful UK residence (3 years if British spouse) ending on the application date
  • Maximum 450 days absent in the qualifying 5 years (270 for the spouse route)
  • Maximum 90 days absent in the final 12 months before application
  • Life in the UK Test pass (same test as ILR, pass valid for life)
  • B1 English (or higher), degree taught in English / SELT / nationality exemption
  • Good character, DBS check, no recent convictions, no immigration breaches, no NHS debt over £500
  • Intention to make the UK your primary home

How to apply

  1. Confirm eligibility timelineStandard: 12 months after ILR grant. British-spouse route: immediately on ILR if married 3+ years.
  2. Pass the Life in the UK Test£50 booking, 24 questions, 75% pass mark. Pass is valid for life, same certificate counts for ILR and citizenship.
  3. Audit absencesTotal absences across the qualifying 5 years must be under 450 days. Final 12 months must be under 90 days.
  4. Line up two refereesOne must be a British passport holder; the other a professional (doctor, accountant, solicitor, manager, civil servant). Both have known you 3+ years.
  5. Apply online (Form AN)Total £1,839 per adult (application fee + £130 citizenship ceremony fee). Biometrics free.
  6. Biometric enrolmentFree UKVCAS appointment after submitting AN. Bring passport + BRP / share code.
  7. Approval + ceremonyOn approval you receive an invitation to a citizenship ceremony at your local town hall (Oath of Allegiance + UK national anthem).
  8. Apply for a British passportSeparate process via HM Passport Office: £94.50 adult standard, £100.50 fast-track. You need the citizenship certificate from your ceremony.

Documents you’ll need

  • Passport with ILR endorsement or current digital share code from your UKVI account
  • Life in the UK Test pass certificate
  • B1+ English language evidence
  • Two referees, one British passport holder, both having known you 3+ years (one must be a professional)
  • Council tax bills / utility bills / tenancy or mortgage covering the 5-year qualifying period
  • P60s + HMRC records for last 5 years (tax-compliance check)
  • Marriage certificate (if applying via British spouse route)
  • Children's birth certificates if including dependants on Form MN1

Good to know

Children born in the UK to a parent with ILR or British citizenship are British automatically, they don't need to register, just apply for a passport (£57.50 child).
Children born outside the UK to a British-by-descent parent can usually be registered under MN1 (£1,000).
Dual citizenship is allowed by the UK but may not be by your country of origin, India, China, Singapore, Japan, Netherlands and others require you to renounce.
Spouse route advantage: you can naturalise the same day your ILR is issued if married to a British citizen, saving 12 months over the standard route.
Citizenship by descent applies if at least one parent is a British citizen by birth.

Sub-routes

Standard naturalisation

£1,839 · 12 months on ILR required

View

Spouse of British citizen

£1,839 · no waiting period after ILR

View

Child registration (Form MN1)

£1,000 · no ceremony required

View

British by descent

Free · automatic, apply for passport only

View

Common questions

Questions

Frequently asked questions

  • 12 months from the date your ILR was granted. If you are married to a British citizen, you can apply immediately after ILR with no 12-month wait.

  • £1,500 application fee + £80 citizenship ceremony fee = £1,580 total. British passport (separate) is around £88.50 for adults.

  • No more than 450 days outside UK in the last 5 years, AND no more than 90 days in the final 12 months before application.

  • The UK allows dual citizenship. However your country of birth may not, India, China, and some others require renunciation. Check your home country's rules before applying.

  • Children born in the UK to a parent with ILR are British at birth automatically. Children born abroad to British citizens are usually British by descent. Adopted children have a separate registration process.

Source: GOV.UK, British Citizenship (Naturalisation) · Last verified April 2026

Written & verified by

UKDesk Editorial, Editor & Researcher

Reads gov.uk, HMRC and ONS source pages, verifies every figure, and writes the plain-English explainers on UKDesk.

Verified against gov.uk · April 2026·Editorial policy
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