British citizenship by naturalisation is the main route for adults who came to the UK as migrants and want to become British citizens. In short, you usually need to be 18 or over, to have lived in the UK for at least five years, to have held indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled status for 12 months, to have passed the Life in the UK Test, to prove your knowledge of English, and to be of good character. The fee is £1,839, made up of a £1,709 application fee and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee. This guide explains each requirement, the residence and absence rules, the tests, the costs, and how to apply.

There are different ways to apply for British citizenship based on your circumstances, and if you are eligible in more than one way you can choose which way to apply. This guide covers the standard naturalisation route for adults with ILR or settled status, which is the route most applicants use. If you were born in the UK, have a British parent, are an Irish citizen, or have another type of British nationality, different rules may apply, so check the GOV.UK page for your situation. Immigration rules change, so always check the official GOV.UK page before you pay a fee or submit an application. This is general information, not personal immigration advice.

Who can apply for British citizenship?

GOV.UK says you can apply for citizenship if you have lived in the UK for five years and have had one of the following for 12 months: indefinite leave to remain in the UK, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or indefinite leave to enter the UK. You must also be over 18, prove you were in the UK exactly five years before the day the Home Office receives your application, prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, have passed the Life in the UK Test, intend to continue living in the UK, and be of good character.

You can usually apply for ILR after you have lived in the UK for five years, so for many people the full journey from arrival to citizenship takes at least six years: five years to ILR, then 12 months with ILR before applying for citizenship. You must have permission to stay in the UK until you are granted citizenship, and that permission needs to last until you have had your citizenship ceremony. ILR or settled or pre-settled status counts as permission to stay.

If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the timetable is shorter. You must have lived in the UK for the last three years and hold ILR or settled status, and if you do, you can apply for citizenship immediately, without waiting 12 months after getting settled status. Irish citizens must have lived in the UK for five years before applying. People with pre-settled status may be able to apply if they are from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and have lived in the UK for five years in a row while working, looking for work for up to three months, studying, or being self-sufficient, followed by another year before applying, unless their spouse or partner is a British citizen.

The five-year residence rule and time outside the UK

The residence rule is the tripwire that catches the most applications, so read it twice. You must have lived in the UK for at least five years before the date of your application, and you should not have broken any UK immigration laws. You cannot include time spent in the UK when you were exempt from immigration control, for example as a diplomat, a member of a diplomat's staff or household, or a member of visiting armed forces.

On absences, GOV.UK says you should not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five years before your application, and you should not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months. For the spouse or civil partner route, the limits are 270 days in the three-year period and 90 days in the last 12 months. When you apply, you will be asked for information about time you have spent outside the UK, so give as much detail as you can using your own records, such as emails and boarding passes. The Home Office will check its own records and fill in any gaps.

The exact-date rule is even stricter than the totals. You must have been physically present in the UK exactly five years before the Home Office receives your application, and your application may be rejected if you were not. The Home Office will consider special circumstances, for example if you were not able to live in the UK at the start of the five-year period because of health reasons or travel restrictions, or if you were told to leave the UK during the five years but that decision was later overturned. GOV.UK gives an example: if the Home Office receives your application on 20 June 2022, but you left the UK on 10 June 2017 and returned on 25 June 2017, you will not qualify and will need to wait until 24 June 2022 to apply. If you apply online, your application is received on the same day; applying by post takes longer, so the date matters.

Long absences can also damage the status you need to apply at all. You may have lost your indefinite leave to remain or enter if you have been away for more than two years at any time since you got it, in which case you would need to apply for a Returning Resident visa. The limit is more than five years for settled status, and more than four years if you are a Swiss citizen, or the family member of a Swiss citizen, with settled status.

English language and the Life in the UK Test

Every adult applicant must prove their knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, usually at B1 level or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference. You can prove it with an approved Secure English Language Test or with a degree taught or researched in English. The Home Office consulted during 2026 on raising the English requirement for settlement, but as of October 2026 no outcome had been published, so B1 remains the published requirement for naturalisation. Check GOV.UK before you book a test, because this is an area where the rules can change.

The Life in the UK Test is a separate requirement. It costs £50, must be booked online at least three days in advance, and is taken at one of more than 30 test centres in the UK. You have 45 minutes to answer 24 questions about British traditions and customs, based only on the official Guide for New Residents, and you must score 75% or more to pass, which means at least 18 correct answers. If you pass, you get a unique reference number to use in your application. If you fail, you can rebook as many times as you need, but you have to pay the £50 fee each time.

You do not need to take the test if you are under 18, are 65 or over, have passed it before, for example as part of a settlement application, or have a long-term physical or mental condition, for which you must provide an exemption form or a letter from a doctor. You need an email address, a debit or credit card and an accepted form of photo ID to book, and the name on your booking must exactly match the name on your ID. If you cancel at least three days before the test you can get a refund; if you bring the wrong ID, are late, or refuse to have your photo taken, you will not be able to take the test and you will not get a refund.

What does British citizenship cost?

It costs £1,839 to apply for citizenship by naturalisation, which is £1,709 for the application plus a £130 citizenship ceremony fee. The fee is non-refundable, even if your application is refused, so it is worth checking every requirement before you pay. You will also need to have your biometric information, your fingerprints and a photo, taken after you apply, and there is no fee for that. On top of the Home Office fee, budget for the Life in the UK Test at £50 per attempt, and for an English language test if you need one, which typically costs around £150 to £200.

Children are dealt with separately. You must apply separately for your children, and it costs £1,000 to register each child for citizenship. If your child is under 18 and you cannot afford the fee, you may be able to apply for a fee waiver. You must also pay £130 for your child's citizenship ceremony if they turn 18 during the application process. Your child may automatically be a British citizen if they were born in the UK after you were granted indefinite leave to remain, in which case you can apply for a child's passport instead. Once you are a citizen, a first adult British passport costs £102 if you apply online.

You will also need two referees for a naturalisation application. Under the Home Office's Guide AN, one referee must be a professional person of any nationality, and the other must hold a British citizen passport and be a professional person or over 25. Ask your referees early, because finding two people who meet the rules and know you well enough can take time.

How to apply for British citizenship step by step

First, check that you meet every requirement on the GOV.UK page for your route, including the exact-date residence rule and the absence limits. Then read the naturalisation guidance and gather your documents: your passport, proof of ILR or settled status, your Life in the UK Test pass notification, your English language evidence unless you are exempt, and documents covering your residence history, such as utility bills, bank statements or tenancy agreements.

Most people apply online through GOV.UK using Form AN. After you apply, you will be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information. You do not need to send your documents anywhere: you can upload copies into the online service or have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment. You can also apply by post, and if you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, you have to apply by post or in person instead. If you use an agent or representative, check that they are registered with the Immigration Advice Authority, or that they are a solicitor or barrister registered with one of the recognised professional bodies.

You will usually get a decision within six months, although some applications take longer, and you will be told before six months have passed if yours will take longer. You may be able to pay for a faster decision. If your circumstances change while you are waiting, for example if you move house, get married or are arrested, contact UK Visas and Immigration. You might be asked to attend an interview where you will need to speak without an interpreter.

After you apply: the ceremony and your BRP

If your application is successful, you will need to attend a citizenship ceremony, where you will make an oath or affirmation of allegiance and a pledge, and receive your certificate of British citizenship. You must then send your biometric residence permit (BRP) back to the Home Office within five working days of getting your certificate, even though it has expired. Cut the BRP into four pieces, put it in a windowless envelope with a note saying you are returning it because you have become a citizen, and include your name, date of birth and the document number from the front of the card. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not return it within five working days.

Once you have a British passport you can use it to enter the UK. You cannot enter the UK using your BRP or your certificate of British citizenship. If you do not want a British passport, you can apply for a certificate of entitlement instead. If you are a dual citizen, you may be able to travel to the UK using an expired UK passport, a passport of your other nationality, or a national identity card.

The good character requirement is the part of the process applicants most often underestimate. Everyone aged 10 or over must satisfy it, and it covers criminality, immigration history, financial soundness and deception. Read the Home Office's good character guidance before applying, and if you have any convictions, cautions, unpaid debts to the Home Office, or periods of unlawful residence, take advice before submitting, because a refusal costs the full £1,839 fee and cannot be refunded.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a British citizen? For most adults it takes at least six years from arrival: five years of residence to get indefinite leave to remain, then 12 months with ILR before you can apply for citizenship. The Home Office usually decides a naturalisation application within six months.

How much does British citizenship cost in 2026? Adult naturalisation costs £1,839, made up of a £1,709 application fee and a £130 ceremony fee. The Life in the UK Test costs £50 per attempt, and registering a child costs £1,000.

How many days can I spend outside the UK before applying? No more than 450 days in the five years before your application, and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months. You must also have been physically in the UK exactly five years before the Home Office receives your application.

Do I need to pass the Life in the UK Test? Most adult applicants do. It is 24 questions in 45 minutes, costs £50, and you need at least 18 correct answers to pass. You do not need it if you are under 18, 65 or over, have already passed it, or have a long-term condition covered by an exemption.

Can I apply if I am married to a British citizen? Yes, and the residence requirement is shorter: three years instead of five, with no more than 270 days outside the UK in that period, and you can apply as soon as you have ILR or settled status, without the 12-month wait.