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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

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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