British citizenship applications

Different routes to citizenship are available, for example an adult may apply on the basis of 5 years’ residence in the UK.

To qualify for British citizenship in these circumstances, you must have held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or settled status for at least 12 months and you must meet the following residence requirements:

• You must have been physically present in the UK exactly five years before the date of your citizenship application;
• You must not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five years preceding your application;
• You must not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months immediately before applying; and
• You must not have been in the UK illegally at any time during the five-year period.

Only whole days absent from the UK count. In some cases, the Home Office may disregard excess absences.

In addition to the residence requirements, you need to provide the following evidence:

• English language proficiency at B1 level

You can demonstrate this by passing an approved test or by holding a degree taught in English. For non-UK degrees, a UK ENIC certificate is required. If you have already proved your English language proficiency at the required level for a previous immigration application, you will not need to provide this evidence again.

• Life in the UK Test Pass

You must pass the Life in the UK test unless you have already passed it and provided evidence for your Indefinite Leave to Remain application.

• Good character requirement.

Your good character will be assessed through criminal and tax record checks.

• References

You need two signed referee forms from individuals who have known you for at least three years. One must have professional standing and the other must hold a British passport and be either a professional or over 25 years old.

• Intention to live in the UK

You may be required to demonstrate your intention to continue living in the UK after becoming a citizen.

Your residence in the UK can be evidenced through passport stamps, Home Office records and/or documents from official sources. For example, you could use your payslips, P60s, employers’ letters, tax, National Insurance or other correspondence from government departments, correspondence from educational establishments and letters from doctors confirming that they have seen you on a regular basis over the last 5 years, or during a specified period within the last 5 years.

The Home Office may disregard absences up to 480 days. However, if your absences exceed this limit, you will need to meet additional requirements.

You may be eligible for British citizenship as a spouse or a civil partner of a British citizen if you have obtained your Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). You may be able to apply for citizenship immediately after receiving your ILR.

To qualify for citizenship, you must meet the following residence requirements:

• You must have been physically present in the UK exactly three years before the date of your application;
• You must not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK in the three years preceding your application;
• You must not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months immediately before applying; and
• You must not have been in the UK illegally at any time during the three-year period.

Only full days spent outside the UK count, although the Home Office may disregard excess absences in certain circumstances.
Additionally, you must provide evidence of English language proficiency and having passed the Life in the UK test. You must meet the good character requirements, including providing two references.

Some children automatically acquire British citizenship, for example if they were born in the UK to a parent who is a British citizen or settled in the UK. These children may apply for a British passport.

Children born in the UK to parents who are not British or settled at the time of the child’s birth may qualify for citizenship, e.g. if one of the child’s parents becomes settled or a British citizen or the child has lived in the UK for the first 10 years of their life.

Children born abroad to parents with British citizenship ‘otherwise than by descent’ may acquire British citizenship ‘by descent’. Citizenship ‘by descent’ cannot be passed to their own children born outside the UK in turn. Exceptions apply, such as for children born to parents in Crown service.
Children born abroad to parents with British citizenship ‘by descent’ may qualify for citizenship if their parent lived in the UK for three years or the child and their parents have lived in the UK for the 3 years before making an application. Conditions apply.

All child applicants aged 10 or older must meet the good character requirement, including providing two references. Children are exempt from the Life in the UK test requirement.

We recommend that you contact us at Changes Immigration to assess your child’s eligibility.

Note that applying for British citizenship and applying for a British passport are two separate processes. If your citizenship application is approved, you will not automatically receive a British passport.

The final step in the citizenship application to attend a citizenship ceremony, at which you will receive naturalisation certificate. You then use the naturalisation certificate to support your first British passport application.

Some individuals may be British nationals but not British citizens. There is a distinction between the two: British citizens have the right of abode, meaning they can live and work in the UK without immigration control. There are several types of British nationality. Not all British nationals have the right of abode.