Being a UK National brings a number of benefits, like unrestricted travel entry to the UK, and free movement within the EEA. After being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) it is possible to apply for British Nationality.

The United Kingdom allows dual nationality. This means that you can become a British National without necessarily giving up citizenship in your country of nationality. Although there is no requirement for you to naturalise once you have been granted ILR, it is advisable to become a British Citizen to ensure you are completely free from British Immigration control for ever!

Several ways to obtain British Nationality include the grant of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Registering a child as a British national, and through the Right of Abode in the UK.

All adults must naturalise or register in order to become a British Citizen, unless they are born British. There are strict rules surrounding UK citizenship.

Processing times for applications can vary quite considerably, although the Home Office will consider a well presented case for prioritisation (urgent business needs, for example). Once the application has been approved you will be invited to a Citizenship ceremony to undertake an Oath and Pledge of loyalty. You will then be awarded your certificate of naturalisation.

There are two main ways through which a person can apply for naturalisation:

1. naturalisation after five years in the UK, or 
2. naturalisation after three years in the UK as the spouse of a UK citizen

As of 1 November 2005, you will also need to pass the UK government's 'Life in the UK' test before you are eligible to apply for citizenship.

British naturalisation (or British citizenship) is for foreign nationals who are permanent residents, that is, have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain or Permanent Residence in the UK and have spent a minimum of either three or five years in the UK. British naturalisation grants people the rights of citizenship which includes being eligible for a British passport. Once British naturalisation has been granted, it can never be lost unless it is renounced. If you are successful, you will be issued with a certificate which does not have an expiry date and is your proof of British naturalisation. British passports are valid for 10 years.

Whether or not you are eligible usually depends on you having been in the UK for at least three if you are married to a British citizen, or five years otherwise. In either case, the criteria below must be fulfilled:

1. you must be over 18 years of age and be of sound mind;
2. you must be of good character;
3. you should have a good grasp of the English language, Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic. There are exemptions to this requirement in cases of the elderly or mentally handicapped; and
4. you must plan to continue to live in the UK, or in Crown Service abroad, which means working directly for a UK government organisation or an international organisation of which the UK is a member.

In order to become a British citizen, there are additional criteria that must be fulfilled. The additional criteria is different depending on the specific circumstances of each case.

Naturalisation after five years in the UK

If you are not married to a British citizen, you will need to satisfy the following residence requirements over the last five years in order to apply for naturalisation:

1. you must have been living in the UK for the five years before the application reaches the Home Office;
2. during the five year period, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 450 days (15 months);
3. during the last 12 months, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days (three months);
4. during the last 12 months, you must have held Permanent Residence/Indefinite Leave to Remain; and
5. during the five year period, you must not have been in breach of the immigration laws at any time.

If you would like further information and personal advice on naturalisation after five years in the UK, please complete our naturalisation query application form.

Naturalisation after three years in the UK as a Spouse of a UK Citizen

The criteria for naturalisation as a spouse of a British citizen are similar to the above mentioned criteria. The main difference is that there is a shorter residency requirement of three years rather than five years.

The criteria are as follows:

1. you have been living in the UK for the three years before the application reaches the Home Office;
2. during the three year period, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 270 days (9 months);
3. during the last 12 months, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days (three months);
4. on the date that your application is received by the Home Office, your stay in the United Kingdom must not be restricted by any time limit under the UK immigration laws, that is, you must hold ILR; and
5. during the three year period, you must not have been in breach of the immigration laws at any time.

If you would like further information and personal advice on naturalisation after three years in the UK, please complete our naturalisation query application form.

Life in the UK Citizenship Test

From 1 November 2005, anyone applying for UK naturalisation needs to successfully complete the 'Life in the UK' test before they are entitled to submit their application for UK citizenship.

Who needs to take the UK Citizenship Test?

This test was introduced by the UK government so that those wishing to become a British citizen could prove that they are well informed about life in the UK. If you are applying for naturalisation as a British citizen and your level of English is sufficient, you will have to sit the test. If your grasp of English is not very good and you would like to apply for naturalisation, you must attend combined English language and citizenship classes instead (ESOL). These classes help you improve your English and become more informed about life in the UK.

Additional Information

It is important that you take the test before you apply for naturalisation as a British citizen as long as you meet all the requirements for naturalisation. If you pass the test, you will be sent a letter proving that you have successfully completed the test. This is referred to as a pass notification letter and must not be lost, otherwise you will have to sit the test again. If you fail the test, you should study he preparation book 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship' again before you re-schedule the test.

Test Questions

The test consists of a series of questions based on the book 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship'. You will have 45 minutes to answer questions and you are allowed to use all the time available. If you suffer from certain medical conditions, you may be allowed to have more time as long as you mention this when you book the test.

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