UK Visa Bureau   »   UK Visas and Immigration   »  British Citizenship and Naturalisation

British Citizenship and Naturalisation

There are strict rules governing who is eligible for British citizenship. Generally, applicatants are eligible to apply for British citizenship following a period of  Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.  Unless they are already British citizens by decent, all adults must register or naturalise in order to earn British citizenship.

Applicants for British citizenship by naturalisation must complete the Life in the UK test.

UK Citizenship Requirements

Applicants who are married to a British Citizen must:

• Have been in the UK for 3 years and have ILR on the date of application.
• Have been living in the UK at the start of those 3 years.
• Not have been absent from the UK for more than 270 days in those 3 years.
• Not have been absent from the UK for more than 90 days in 12 months before application.
• Be of good character.
• Pass the Life in the UK test.
• Have sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Gaelic.
• Have an intention to live in the UK.

 Find out if you are eligible for UK Citizenship.

Applicants who are not married to a British Citizen must:

• Have been in the UK for 5 years. The last year of that having been as a permanent resident with ILR.
• Not have been absent for more than 450 days in that period.
• Not have been absent for more than 90 days in the 12 months before application.
• Be of good character.
• Pass the Life in the UK test.
• Have sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Gaelic.
• Have an intention to live in the UK.

 Click here to start your UK Citizenship application.

Alternatively, individuals who were born between 1961 and 1983 to a British mother may be eligible to register straight away as a British citizen.

Call the UK Visa Bureau's London office to talk to a migration consultant on Freephone 0800 043 7011