UK Citizenship Applications by Naturalisation
There are several ways to apply for UK citizenship. On this page, we are going to examine two of these, naturalisation & registration. Only people who have settled and spent enough time in the UK can apply for citizenship by naturalisation. The registration route is for people who have been granted the right to apply by authorisation or title. The application fee varies between £800 and £1330 depending on the applicant’s circumstances.
Naturalisation – UK Citizenship Application by ILR – Who Can Apply?
Your application process for UK citizenship may vary depending on your visa type. While there are some basic criteria expected from each applicant, there are also items that vary according to the visa status of the person. The main requirements that almost all applicants are expected to meet are as follows:
- Being over the age of 18.
- To prove that you know English at B1 level. You may be exempt from proving your English proficiency, or there may be ways to prove it without taking an exam. You can contact us for details.
- Passing the Life in the UK test.
- Being a permanent resident in the UK. For EU citizens, this might be “settled” status and for other foreign nationals this might mean having ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
- Living in the UK in the 5 years preceding the application and not having spent more than 450 days outside the UK during this time.
- Not having spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last year preceding the application.
- Not violating immigration laws.
- To prove that you live in the UK properly and honestly.
These may vary depending on your visa status in the UK. In addition to the above articles, we will mention below a few exceptions to the UK residency requirement. You can contact us for more detailed information about exceptions.
- If you are married to a British citizen
If you live in the UK with a spouse visa, there are some mandatory residency requirements that you must meet before you apply. These are:
- Having been physically living in the UK on a permanent residence in the 3 years prior to the citizenship application;
- Not having spent more than 270 days outside the UK in this 3-year period;
- Not having spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months before your application date;
Registration – Who Can Apply?
This route is suitable for people who have the right to be UK citizens by birth, mostly through their parents. The most common application for this route is for children under 18 years old. Children whose parents are UK citizens or permanent residents can apply for citizenship before they turn 18. Likewise, children who were born in the UK and have lived in the UK continuously up to the age of ten can also apply for citizenship through “registration”.
As the evaluation will depend on the applicant’s present circumstances, the eligibility criteria may vary for this route. The examples given, therefore, are not exhaustive.