Apply for British Citizenship

Eligibility and requirements

Although there are several routes to obtain British Citizenship, general requirements to fulfil will include

• Proof of living in the UK for at least 3 years prior to your application
• Proof that you have passed the Life in the UK test
• Good knowledge of the English language through an approved test
• Good character (i.e. no criminal record, respect of immigration laws)

The most common route is called Naturalisation.

You can apply for British Citizenship by Naturalisation if:

• You're 18 or over
• You're of good character, for example, you don't have a serious or recent criminal record, and you haven't tried to deceive the Home Office or been involved in immigration offences in the last 10 years
• You'll continue to live in the UK
• You've met the knowledge of English and Life in the UK Test requirements
• You meet the residency requirement

And you must usually have:

• Lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application
• Spent no more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years
• Spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
• Settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK for the last 12 months
• Not broken any immigration laws while in the UK

Not everyone automatically gets British Citizenship when they are born in the UK, this also depends on parent's circumstances, where and when they were born.

You may be eligible for British Citizenship by registration if you:

• Have another form of British nationality
• Were born before 1 January 1983 to a British mother
• Were born to a British father, even if he was not married to your mother
• Were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983
• Are under 18 and don't fit into the other categories
• Have a connection with Gibraltar or Hong Kong
• Are stateless

British nationality laws are very complicated as they involve historical changes. We always recommend that clients discuss their circumstances with one of our immigration lawyers before moving forward with their application. We deal with British Citizenship applications every day. The Home Office views British Citizenship as a privilege rather than an entitlement.

British Citizenship by Marriage

If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British Citizen and have lived in the UK for the last 3 years prior to your application, you may apply for British Citizenship through the marriage route.

To apply, you will also need to have one of the following

• Indefinite Leave to Remain  
• No Time Limit document
• Settled Status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (Since 1 January 2021, you no longer can apply for a permanent residence document and will need to use your settled status to apply for citizenship.)

Applying for British Citizenship

It is possible to apply for British Citizenship by yourself or through a representative registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).

QC Immigration is registered with the OISC at the highest level 3 and can help you choose the best route available to you. We shall help you present a solid case which may enable the Home Office to come to a decision quicker.

You must check that you have all documents required and that you are meeting the eligibility criteria before starting your application.