British citizenship
Becoming a British citizen by application is formally called naturalisation, and it is a separate application made after indefinite leave to remain. The published conditions include five years' residence and 12 months holding settled status.
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Settlement removes the time limit on a person's stay but leaves their nationality unchanged; citizenship is the separate application that follows it, with its own conditions and its own absence limits. For the step before this one, see indefinite leave to remain.
01
How is British citizenship obtained?
The route by application is called naturalisation and follows indefinite leave to remain. GOV.UK requires that settled status, indefinite leave to enter or settled status under the EU scheme has been held for 12 months at the point of application.
The 12-month wait runs from the grant of settlement rather than from arrival in the UK, so the two applications are separated by at least a year. Applicants married to a British citizen are subject to a different published period.
02
What conditions apply to naturalisation?
GOV.UK publishes seven: being 18 or over, five years' residence in the UK, holding settled status for the last 12 months, passing the Life in the UK test, evidencing language ability, good character, and intending to keep living in the UK.
- Aged 18 or over at the date of application.
- Five years' residence in the UK immediately before the application.
- Settled status held throughout the final 12 months.
- The Life in the UK test passed.
- Language ability evidenced to the published level.
- Good character, as assessed by the Home Office.
- An intention to continue living in the UK.
03
What is the Life in the UK test?
The Life in the UK test is a 24-question test on British traditions and customs that citizenship and settlement applicants pass before applying. It lasts 45 minutes and costs £50, and the pass mark is 75%, which means 18 correct answers.
| Item | What GOV.UK publishes |
|---|---|
| Fee | £50 |
| Questions and time | 24 questions, 45 minutes |
| Pass mark | 75% (18 out of 24) |
| Booking | Online, at least 3 days in advance |
| Where | More than 30 test centres in the UK |
| Cancellation | Refund if cancelled at least 72 hours before |
Questions come only from the official handbook, Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents. The test is taken at centres in the UK, and the original ID used to book it must be brought on the day. A candidate who fails can rebook as often as needed, paying each time. The reference number given on passing is used in the citizenship or UK indefinite leave to remain application; source: GOV.UK Life in the UK Test.
- People under 18 do not take the test.
- People aged 65 or over do not take the test.
- People who have already passed it, for example for settlement, do not take it again.
- People with a long-term physical or mental condition are exempt with an exemption form or a doctor’s letter.
04
What are the absence limits on a citizenship application?
Two limits apply together: absence from the UK across the five years stays within 450 days, and within 90 days in the final 12 months. Presence in the UK exactly five years before the application date is also required.
| Limit | Days | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Total absence | 450 days | The five-year period |
| Recent absence | 90 days | The final 12 months |
| Presence on the date | Required | Exactly five years before |
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05
What does British citizenship cost?
Naturalisation costs £1,839 per person in total: a £1,709 application fee and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee, with no separate biometrics charge. The £3,226 settlement fee paid at the earlier stage of the route sits outside that figure.
| Item | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £1,709 | At application |
| Citizenship ceremony | £130 | After a positive decision |
| Total | £1,839 | Per person |
| Settlement fee, paid earlier | £3,226 | At the previous stage |
06
How long does a citizenship application take?
The published decision time is six months. GOV.UK states that applicants whose cases take longer than that are told before the six months elapse, and a positive decision is followed by the citizenship ceremony.
The ceremony is a required step rather than a formality: citizenship takes effect once the oath and pledge are made, and the ceremony is arranged by the local authority after the decision.
07
Does the UK allow dual citizenship?
The UK allows dual citizenship: a British citizen holds another country's citizenship at the same time, and no separate application is made for that. GOV.UK notes that many other countries do not permit it.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Naturalisation requires being 18 or over, five years' residence, holding settled status for the final 12 months, the Life in the UK test, language ability, good character and an intention to keep living in the UK. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — Absence from the UK must stay within 450 days across the five-year period and within 90 days in the final 12 months, and the applicant must have been in the UK exactly five years before the application date. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — Naturalisation costs £1,839 per person: a £1,709 application fee and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee, with no separate biometrics charge. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — The UK permits dual citizenship without a separate application, while many other countries do not. — 26 August 2026
