Four ways to become a British citizen in 2025

Securing a British passport is a major milestone for anyone hoping to settle in the country for good. The process can look daunting, but with the right approach and full compliance with the requirements, you can become a citizen of one of the world's most influential nations. So what are the routes to a UK passport?

By birth

Since 1 January 1983 birth on UK soil alone does not make a child British. The child is British automatically if, at the time of birth, at least one parent is a British citizen or is settled in the UK. All other cases are assessed individually.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) holders

Foreign nationals gain this status after five years of continuous lawful residence in the United Kingdom. You can apply for citizenship one year after receiving ILR.

The EU Settlement Scheme

The EU Settlement Scheme is open only to nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein who were living in the UK by 31 December 2020. For most people the deadline to apply was 30 June 2021. Once you hold settled status under the scheme, you can usually apply for citizenship a year later.

Through marriage

Foreign nationals married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen can apply for a passport after three years of continuous residence in the United Kingdom.

The benefits of British citizenship

• The ability to start a business in the country on favourable terms
• Free, high-quality healthcare and free education
• Access to social welfare programmes
• Visa-free travel to 173 countries, including the United States, Canada and New Zealand
• Visa-free trips to the Schengen area - up to 90 days in any 180
• The right to live and work in Ireland under the Common Travel Area

Are you a leader in your field?

The UK Global Talent Visa is a special category for those who have achieved notable results in science, digital technology, the arts or culture and wish to move to the United Kingdom to work in their field.

To prove your talent, you will need a "portfolio" of your achievements. This might mean research grants for academics, publications or exhibitions for those in the arts, or a role as the founder or a key employee of a technology company. Both EU and non-EU nationals may apply. Notably, neither English-language proficiency nor proof of income is required.

If you do not yet have a strong public profile, additional work with specialists to build your case may be needed.

The talent visa leads to indefinite leave to remain (ILR), and a year after that you can apply for British citizenship.

How much British citizenship costs in 2026

From 8 April 2026 an adult pays £1,709 for the naturalisation application and £130 for the ceremony, about $2,500 in total. If citizenship is refused, the application fee is not refunded; only the ceremony fee is returned. Indefinite leave to remain, without which naturalisation is impossible, costs £3,226 per person. Together, the path from settlement to a passport costs one adult about $6,700 in government fees alone, before the Life in the UK test (£50), translations and the passport itself.

Residence and absence requirements

As a general rule, naturalisation requires you to:

• have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the application date and have been in the country on the day that five-year period starts;
• have spent no more than 450 days outside the UK in those 5 years and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months;
• have held indefinite leave to remain for at least 12 months;
• pass the Life in the UK test and prove English at B1 level or higher;
• meet the good character requirement: no serious convictions, immigration breaches or debts to the state.

The marriage route: what is different

The spouse or civil partner of a British citizen can apply after 3 years of residence and does not need to wait 12 months after receiving indefinite leave to remain. The absence limit is 270 days in 3 years and the same 90 days in the last year. The test, language and good character requirements are the same as for other applicants.

Children born in the UK

A child born in the UK is automatically British if at least one parent was a British citizen or held indefinite leave to remain at the time of birth. If the parent obtained settled status later, the child can be registered as a citizen by a separate application. A child who has lived in the UK for the first 10 years of life also has a right to registration.

The settlement reform: what may change

In November 2025 the government proposed raising the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from 5 to 10 years. As of early October 2026 the new periods are not yet in the rules, but the Home Secretary has promised to set out the policy by the end of the year, and the government intends to apply it to everyone who has not yet obtained settlement. Timing your application matters more than ever. See our analysis of the 10-year route to ILR.

How Murblz handles a citizenship application

We count your days of absence from passports and tickets, check good character and tax history, prepare the application and evidence, and book the test and biometrics. If citizenship is still some way off, we find the visa that starts the path, such as the Global Talent visa; all options are on the British citizenship page. The first consultation is free.

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