At a glance
Adults can usually apply for British citizenship after five years living in the UK and twelve months with permanent residence permission, called indefinite leave to remain, or EU Settlement Scheme settled status. If your spouse or civil partner is British, the residence period is three years and you need settled status when applying, without the extra twelve-month wait. Other conditions apply.
- Standard residence rule
- Usually five years in the UK plus 12 months with indefinite leave to remain or settled status
- British-spouse rule
- Usually three years in the UK; indefinite leave to remain or settled status is required, but no extra 12-month wait
- Language and character
- Good character, the Life in the UK test, and B1 English, Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic unless exempt
Summary
British naturalization is the main citizenship route for qualifying adults already free from UK immigration time limits through indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or Irish citizenship, usually after five years of lawful residence or three years if married to a British citizen.
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Check your settled status Compare the standard route and British-spouse route, including any Withdrawal Agreement rules.
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Check dates and time abroad Confirm you were in the UK on the required date. Gather test, language, character, and referee evidence.
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Apply and attend the citizenship ceremony Use Form AN. Follow the approval instructions before applying for a passport.
Permanent residence does not give citizenship automatically. A pending citizenship application does not by itself extend your immigration permission.
Eligibility
You must be at least 18, legally able to make the application, and free from immigration time limits. You must meet good-character and language requirements and pass Life in the UK.
The usual limits on time abroad are:
- Standard route: no more than 450 days in five years, including no more than 90 days in the final year.
- British spouse or civil partner route: no more than 270 days in three years, including no more than 90 days in the final year.
You must have been physically in the UK exactly five or three years before the Home Office receives your application, depending on the route. Officials can overlook some absences or other residence issues, but you should not assume they will.
The current language level is B1 in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, subject to age, medical and nationality exemptions. The 2027 B2 change announced for settlement applications does not by itself change the naturalization test. The standard applicant must intend to continue living in the UK or qualifying service; the spouse route does not have that future-intention requirement.
More about this route
Some people with pre-settled status also qualify if they can prove a permanent right of residence under the Withdrawal Agreement. Five years of qualifying activity, such as work, study or self-sufficiency, is normally needed for that right.
A longer wait for settlement could delay naturalization
A longer wait for settlement could delay naturalization
The proposal concerns settlement rather than the naturalization test itself. Because most applicants must first obtain settlement and then meet the applicable waiting rule, a longer settlement timetable could also move the earliest naturalization date.
Timing: The consultation ran from 20 November 2025 to 12 February 2026. GOV.UK currently says the government is analyzing feedback. No general implementation date has been announced, and current settlement rules remain in force unless and until Immigration Rules changes take effect.
What This Route Allows
After approval and the ceremony, the person is British otherwise than by descent, with the right of abode and normal ability to pass citizenship to a child born abroad. Citizenship does not expire. The current cost is £1,839: £1,709 application fee plus £130 ceremony fee.
What This Route Is Not
Naturalization is not automatic on reaching five years or receiving ILR. It does not protect immigration status while pending, and a certificate is not a travel document. The good-character assessment examines criminal history, deception and immigration history. Disclose relevant facts and explain any exceptional circumstances.
Next Steps
- Verify the ILR or settled-status date in the UKVI account and choose the correct residence period.
- Reconcile all travel and the exact start-date presence requirement.
- Pass Life in the UK and document B1 or an exemption.
- Gather passports, status evidence, tax/residence records and two qualifying referees.
- Apply on Form AN, keep valid travel evidence, attend the ceremony and then apply for a passport.
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