UK citizenship by naturalization

Legal basis for citizenship

There are several routes to British citizenship through naturalization:

• Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). After 5 years of legal residence in the UK you can apply for ILR. Twelve months after receiving ILR you can apply for citizenship.
• Marriage to a British citizen. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen and have lived in the country for at least 3 years, you can apply for citizenship provided you hold ILR or settled status.
• Settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme. Citizens of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland who lived in the UK before the end of 2020 and obtained settled status can apply for citizenship 12 months later. The scheme is closed to new applicants: the deadline was 30 June 2021.

Routes to residency

To live in the country you first need resident status. The main programs are: the Innovator Founder visa (which replaced the Innovator visa in 2023), the UK Expansion Worker visa (used instead of the representative of an overseas business visa to set up a first UK branch), the skilled worker visa, the student visa, the spouse and partner visa, the family reunification visa, and the Global Talent visa for recognized leaders and promising specialists in science, technology, arts and culture.

How much 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. Indefinite leave to remain, without which naturalisation is impossible, costs £3,226 per person, and together the path from settlement to a passport costs one adult about $6,700 in government fees alone. The Life in the UK test costs £50, and a pass does not expire, so you can take it in advance. Exchange rate $1.32 per pound on 5 October 2026.

Residence and absence requirements

• have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the application date and have been in the country on the day that 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 spouse of a British citizen needs 3 years of residence with no more than 270 days of absence and the same 90 days in the last year, and does not have to wait 12 months after settlement.

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 settlement later, the child is 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.

How to get approved the first time

• the absence limit for 5 years or the last year was exceeded;
• the applicant was not in the country on the day the five-year period starts;
• immigration breaches or debts for taxes or public healthcare;
• the Life in the UK test was not passed or English was not proven;
• an incomplete file or errors in the form.

The application fee is not refunded on refusal, so we check days of absence and documents before filing.

Reform of the settlement period

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 they are planned to apply to everyone who has not yet settled, so timing your application matters more than ever. See our analysis of the 10-year route to ILR.

Comparison with other countries

Benefits of a UK passport

How to get UK citizenship: step by step

FAQ

187 visa-free countries with a UK passport