Applying for British citizenship
How to prepare to apply for British citizenship: the Life in the UK test, English language and residency requirements.
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Citizens Advice
You should check if you’re eligible to apply for citizenship - there are different routes to apply.

Most adults who have migrated to the UK get citizenship by applying to ‘naturalise’.

Applying for citizenship takes time and you will not get your money back if your application is refused.

Check how much it costs to apply

You usually pay £1,630 to apply for adult citizenship or £1,214 for children. If you’re applying for citizenship as an adult you’ll also have to pay:

£50 to do the Life in the UK Test

around £150 if you have to do an English test

You will not get most of your money back if your application is refused - for example, if you’re not eligible or you sent the wrong documents.

You can find out more about the fees for citizenship applications on GOV.UK.

If you’re applying for a child and you can’t afford the fee

You can apply for a ‘fee waiver’. If you get a fee waiver, you will not have to pay the fee.

To apply for a fee waiver, you have to show you don’t have enough income and savings to pay for both the fee and essential costs like food and rent. You’ll need to send documents showing your income and spending for the last 6 months, for example your:

pay slips

bank statements for all your accounts

tenancy agreement

utility bills

If social services give you money to help you look after your child, you’ll automatically get a fee waiver - you’ll need to send documents to prove this.

You can apply for a fee waiver on GOV.UK.

Check what you need to apply

Before you apply for citizenship, it’s worth preparing what you’ll need.

When you apply for citizenship through naturalisation, you’ll need to:

prove how long you’ve lived in the UK

pass the Life in the UK Test

prove you understand English

check you’re of ‘good character’ - this means showing you haven't recently broken the law or gone bankrupt

give the names of 2 people who can help prove your identity - these are called ‘referees’

If you're applying for citizenship for your child

You’ll need to make a separate application for your child.

If your child is under 18 years old, you can apply to ‘register’ them as a British citizen. Registering is a way of applying for British citizenship.

The application process is easier for children - they don't have to:

pass the Life in the UK Test

prove their knowledge of English

do the citizenship ceremony

You can check if your child can get British citizenship and what form you should use.

Prove how long you’ve lived in the UK

You usually need to prove how long you’ve lived in the UK - this is called the ‘residency requirement’.

You need to prove your residency even if you've done it before - for example, by applying for 'settled status'.

The length of time you need to prove will depend on your situation.

These are the steps you should follow:

1. Work out when you were in the UK

You should work out exactly when you were in the UK during the last:

3 years if you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen

5 years if you’re not married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen

To help with this, you could make a list of the dates you travelled outside the UK by:

checking old calendars

checking travel bookings

looking for exit and entry dates stamped in your passport

You also need to make sure you were in the UK on the same day 3 or 5 years ago as the day you’re applying. If you weren’t in the UK exactly 3 or 5 years ago, it’s usually best to wait until it’s been 3 or 5 years since the date you returned to the UK and then apply. If you were out of the UK for a long time, talk to an adviser.

2. Check what absences from the UK are allowed

You should check how many days you were outside the UK - if it's over the limit you might be refused. You'll need to separately count these for the:

3 or 5 years you’re providing evidence for in your application

12 months before you apply

You can be out of the UK for up to 90 days in the year before you apply. If you were away for longer, you could delay applying. This would mean your absence is counted in the 3 or 5 years you’re using in your residence requirement.

3. Check you have the evidence to show you were in the UK

You’ll need to give the Home Office your current passport and old passports that cover the time you’ve been in the country. If you have any entry and exit stamps in your passport, check they match the dates you’ve said you were in and out of the country on your application.

Check if your passport has an entry stamp for when you first entered the UK. You might not have one if for example you’re an EU citizen.

If you don’t have a passport with an entry stamp, you’ll need other evidence to show you were in the UK, for example:

payslips and P60s

a letter from your employer or education provider with start and end dates

a letter from a benefits provider like the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showing when you got benefits

You might also be able to use other evidence, like household bills.

If you don’t have a passport or travel documents because you’re a refugee, the Home Office should accept that you didn’t leave the UK after you arrived.

Pass the Life in the UK Test

You need to pass the Life in the UK Test before you apply for citizenship.

The test asks questions about UK laws and the legal system, working and other details of life in the UK.

You can do the test any time before you apply.

Check if you need to do the test

You don’t need to pass the Life in the UK Test if:

you’ve already passed it - for example, if you took the test when you applied for 'indefinite leave to remain'

you’re under 18 or over 65 years old

If you’re aged 60 to 64 and can show you’re unlikely to pass the test before you turn 65, the Home Office might agree you don’t have to do the test. For example, if you're receiving medical treatment for a serious illness.

If you have a physical or mental condition that stops you passing the test, you might not have to do it. You'll need to ask your doctor to confirm that your condition:

is unlikely to change

makes it impossible for you to pass the test - for example, a learning disability or brain injury that stops you remembering facts

You can get a form for your doctor to fill in on GOV.UK.

Doing the test

You can do the test as many times as you need to - but you have to pay a fee each time.

You need to study the official handbook to pass the test. You can also buy an app to practise - search for the official Life in the UK Test app by TSO (The Stationery Office).

Some colleges offer short courses to help prepare for the test. You'll have to pay a fee to attend.

You can book the Life in the UK Test and buy the official handbook on GOV.UK.

Prove you understand English

You need to prove you understand English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic before you can apply for citizenship.

Check if you need to prove you understand English

You don’t need to prove you understand English if:

you’re from a country that’s exempt - check which nationalities don't have to prove they understand English on GOV.UK

you have a degree that was taught or researched in English - check how to show your degree was in English on GOV.UK

you’re under 18 or over 65 years old

If you’re aged 60 to 64 and can show you’re unlikely to learn English before you turn 65, the Home Office might agree you don’t have to prove your knowledge of English. For example, if you're receiving medical treatment for a serious illness.

If you have a physical or mental condition that stops you passing the test, you might not have to do it. You'll need to ask your doctor to confirm that your condition:

is unlikely to change

makes it impossible for you to learn English - for example, a learning disability or brain injury that stops you learning the language

You can get a form for your doctor to fill in on GOV.UK.

Proving you understand English

You'll need to pass a speaking and listening test at an approved centre - you can find a secure English language test provider on GOV.UK.

The test costs around £150. Tests are usually valid for 2 years - if you’ve already done a test, you can check your English language test is still valid on GOV.UK.

Check you’re of good character

You usually need to prove you’re of good character before you can apply for citizenship.

The Home Office look at a range of things to decide this.

For example, the Home Office might decide you’re not eligible if you have:

unpaid taxes in the UK

an NHS debt

been declared bankrupt

a criminal record

broken a condition of your leave in the last 10 years - for example working or claiming public funds without permission

If you have any points on your driving licence, you must print a summary of your record from the DVLA website and include it with your application.

You should say if you've received any fixed penalty notices in your application. Your good character won't be affected, as long as you've paid them.

It’s important to be honest and include anything that’s relevant to your application - for example, a criminal conviction. If the Home Office finds you've left something out, they might refuse to accept your application.

If you think you’ll have problems with proving you are of good character, you should talk to an adviser before you apply.

Provide 2 referees

You’ll need to give the names of 2 referees on your application. These are people who know you and can help prove your identity.

Both of your referees should have known you personally for more than 3 years. They must not be:

your relative

your solicitor or agent

employed by the Home Office

They can't be a referee if they've had a criminal conviction in the last 10 years, unless a certain period of time has passed. This is called the ‘rehabilitation period’. For example, the rehabilitation period for a fine is 1 year. You can find the rehabilitation periods on GOV.UK.

Your referees should include:

a person who has 'professional standing' - for example, a civil servant of any nationality

a person who is a British passport holder and either has professional standing or is over the age of 25

The Home Office has a list of people they accept as referees - they’re called ‘acceptable professional persons’.

Before you apply, check the list and the rest of the rules for referees in the nationality guidance on GOV.UK. The list of who can be a referee is under 'Commonly used terms'.

Check your application carefully

It’s important to check you have the right information and documents before you apply. If something is missing or wrong, the Home Office can refuse to accept your application and you will not get your money back.

If the Home Office decide you lied on your application, they might stop you applying again for 10 years.

If you need help preparing your application

You should talk to an adviser if you need help with completing your application or providing evidence.

How to apply

You can usually apply for citizenship online or by post.

If you’re from the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or a British Overseas territory, you must apply by post.

It's a good idea to send your paper application by recorded delivery, so you can make sure it's delivered.

Find out more about applying if you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen on GOV.UK.

If you're not married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the way you apply will depend on your current immigration status. You can find out how to:

apply if you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status on GOV.UK

apply if you have permanent residence status on GOV.UK

Submit your documents

If you’ve applied on a paper form, you’ll need to submit your documents - for example, send your passport with your application.

If you’ve applied online, you can scan your documents and upload them to your online application - you don’t have to physically send them to the Home Office.

It’s a good idea to download or print a copy of your finished application for your records.

Book your biometric appointment

You’ll usually get an email asking you to book an appointment to have your photograph and fingerprints taken. These are called your ‘biometric information’.

You’ll need to book an appointment on the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service website.

You can check what to bring and if anyone needs to go with you on GOV.UK.

After you’ve applied

You need to tell the Home Office if you change your personal details during this time. For example, if you change your address.

The amount of time you wait for the Home Office’s decision will not affect your existing rights in the UK - for example, you can continue to work or claim benefits.

The Home Office will write to you if they need more details about your application. You should reply within 2 weeks if you can. If the Home Office doesn't hear from you by then, they might make a decision on your application based on the information they already have.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will try to make a decision about your application within 6 months, but it might take longer. If you’re worried about a delay, you can:

contact UKVI to check if there’s a problem with your application - check how to contact UKVI on GOV.UK

make a complaint about the delay - check how to complain to UKVI on GOV.UK

Travelling outside the UK before you get British citizenship

You can travel outside the UK if you’ve applied for British citizenship. You should make sure you can get emails and letters about your application while you’re away.

Organise a citizenship ceremony

If your application is successful, you must arrange a citizenship ceremony. These are usually held at your local council. Find out more about booking your citizenship ceremony on GOV.UK.

Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate

You’ll have to pay a fee to replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate. Find out more about replacing or correcting your citizenship certificate on GOV.UK.

Travelling outside the UK after you get British citizenship

If you want to travel outside the UK after getting British citizenship, you’ll need to apply for a British passport.

Make sure the details on your current passport are the same as your citizenship certificate. For example, check your name is spelled the same. If any of the details are different, you will not get a British passport.

You can find out more about how to apply for a British passport on GOV.UK.

Register to vote

Becoming a British citizen means you can vote in all elections or referendums. You can register to vote on GOV.UK.

If your application is unsuccessful

If your application is unsuccessful, the Home Office will write to you and tell you why.

It will not affect your current right to stay in the UK.