British Citizenship Requirements for U.S. Citizens
Immigration Advice Service
American citizens in the UK and in the US who are applying for British citizenship are required to be 18 or above in order to be eligible for citizenship.
Immigration Advice Service
United States citizens living in the UK can acquire British citizenship either by birth or by registration. As a matter of registration, applicants may apply for naturalization if they are aged 18 or over. To be eligible to become a British national, applicants need to prove that they have been in the UK on Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status for at least 5 years, and that they have never broken UK law, including immigration breaches.

Once their British citizenship request is approved, they can live, work and study in the UK permanently, without any immigration restrictions. Applicants will also be able to travel and spend time in the United States or anywhere else without the need to worry about losing their British citizenship status.

Requirements

Based on the British Nationality Act, those who wish to become British citizens must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Be over the age of 18.

Have held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK for at least 12 months.

Meet the B1 CEFR level English language requirements (unless exempt).

Pass the Life in the UK Test, to show that you are aware of the basics of the British customs, traditions and culture.

Not have been in breach of any UK immigration rules.

Demonstrate that they meet the Good Character requirement.

Have spent at least 5 years of continuous residence in the UK, with no longer than 450 days outside the UK.

In proving your stay in the UK, you need to show that you were:

Living in the UK for the 5 years before you apply

Outside the UK for no more than 270 days in those 5 years

Outside the UK for no more than 90 days in the past 12 months

You also need to make sure you were in the UK on the same day 5 years ago as the day you’re applying.

If you weren’t in the UK exactly 5 years ago, it’s usually best to wait until it’s been 5 years since the date you returned to the UK and then apply.

Introduction

You need to provide the following documents when you apply for your UK citizenship:

Current passport

You have to submit your current passport, and any other previous visas you may have held, either for the UK or other countries. Please note that you cannot submit a copy of your passport; it must be the original document

BRP card

BRP stands for Biometric Residence Permits, and this is a document that the Home Office issues if you stay in the UK for longer than 6 months. The BRP contains all your details, your immigration status, fingerprints and picture. You must have a valid BRP when you want to apply for British citizenship.

National insurance number

If your NI is not stamped in your BRP, you must apply for a national insurance number- you must be in the UK to apply for a NI.

Evidence of the English language

You have to provide evidence that you have either completed a valid degree taught in English (or in the UK) or that you have completed one of the approved tests with an approved test provider in the UK:

IELTS SELT Consortium

LanguageCert

Pearson

Trinity College London (PSI Services- UK, Ltd- if you are out of the UK)

Proof of citizenship test

You need to provide your test certificate, stamped and signed by the test supervisor if you passed the test before October 1st of 2019. If you passed the test after this date, provide your test reference number.

Tax records

You need to provide your tax reference number, which is usually found in your payslip.

Your previous employment and living history

You need to provide details of your previous employment and living situation. This includes your previous, and current address. If you spent time out of the country, please provide the dates, the length of time, and the reason for your visit.

Evidence of freedom from immigration time restrictions

You must provide evidence that you have freedom from immigration time restrictions at the time of application. This is particularly important if you are applying to join your partner. Usually, this information is found on your BRP, but you may also submit a letter from the Home Office saying that you are free from the immigration conditions.

Two referees

You have to provide the names, and personal details, of two referees who can prove your identity. Your referees must not be relatives, migration agents, or employees of the Home Office. Choose your referees carefully, as they cannot be a referee if they had a criminal conviction in the last 10 years. You can find more details about the eligibility criteria of your referees

Naturalization is the legal process by which US citizens may become British citizens. Normally, the applicants are not British by birth. Those who become British citizens by the legal process of naturalization will be eligible to obtain a British passport. They will become entitled to the same rights and privileges as though they were British citizens by birth. They are able to work, live, and also claim public funds in the United Kingdom. They may also freely move in and out of the United Kingdom without being under immigration control.

Applicants might be able to apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalization’ if they are:

Over 18 years old and either:

Moved to the UK

Naturalization is the most common way to get citizenship if you were born outside the UK and don’t have a British parent.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is also known as “permanent residence” or Settlement. With ILR, you can live and work freely in the UK with no “expiry” date of the ILR status. However, British citizenship still has several advantages over ILR.

Some of the key advantages include the following:

The Right to Vote in UK General Elections and Stand for Public Office: British citizens have the right to vote in all UK elections and stand for public office, whereas non-British citizens with ILR status do not necessarily have these rights.

Eligibility for a British Passport: Those holding UK ILR status are not eligible to apply for a British Passport. British passports allow visa-free travel to a large number of countries and so a British passport may be more beneficial, depending on the holder’s current nationality.

Secure Immigration Status: British citizenship provides a more secure immigration status than ILR, as it cannot normally be taken away (in extreme cases the government may try to revoke Citizenship after it has been granted). ILR status, on the other hand, can be lost if the individual stays outside the UK for 2 or more years at a time.

Potential Eligibility for Dual Citizenship: British citizenship allows an individual to hold dual or multiple citizenships, which can provide additional opportunities and benefits.