British Citizenship
Becoming a British citizen is a significant life event. Apart from allowing you to apply for a British citizen passport, British citizenship gives you the opportunity to participate more fully in the life of your local community.
We guide you through every stage of the application process with our expert legal support.
What is British Citizenship?
‘British citizenship’ is one of six different types of British nationality status. The other types don’t automatically give the right to travel to and from and live and work in the UK without being subject to immigration controls (known as the ‘right of abode’).
There are different ways to apply for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) based on your circumstances. If you’re eligible in more than one way you can choose which way to apply.
Our published guidance does not cover every possible scenario: the exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may wish to speak to an immigration lawyer for an individual expert advice.
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How can you become a British citizen?
You can automatically acquire British citizenship through birth or adoption. You may also be able to apply to become British based on your residential or ancestral ties with the UK. The two routes to becoming British are naturalisation and registration.
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Naturalisation as a British citizen is the route for adults who have completed a period of qualifying lawful residence in the UK and have permanent permission to stay in the UK, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
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Registration as a British citizen is the typical route for children under 18, and some categories of adults with a historic connection to the UK. There are several possible grounds for applying to be registered as British, with differing eligibility criteria.
Apply by Naturalisation
In order to be naturalised as a British citizen, you will need to meet certain statutory criteria with regard to your immigration status, length of residence in the UK, future intentions, knowledge of the English language and life in the UK, and good character. The requirements for British Citizenship by Naturalisation vary slightly depending on whether you are married to a British citizen or not.
Apply for UK Citizenship: Not married to a British citizen
If you are not married to a British citizen (or do not wish to rely on your marriage to a British citizen) the Home Office must be satisfied that:
You were in the UK on the day five years before the date of your application;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 450 days during the intervening five year period;
You have not been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws at any time during that five year period;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 90 days during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are not subject to any limit on the period for which you may remain in the UK and have not been subject to any such time limit at any time during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are of good character;
You have sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language;
You have taken and passed the Life in the UK test; and
Your intentions are that if your application is successful your home (or principal home) will be in the UK.
Apply for UK Citizenship: if you are Married to a British citizen
If you are married to a British citizen, the Home Office must be satisfied that:
You were in the UK on the day three years before the date of your application;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 270 days during the intervening three year period;
You have not been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws at any time during that three year period;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 90 days during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are not subject to any time limit on the period for which you may remain in the UK at the date of your application;
You are of good character;
You have sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language; and
You have taken and passed the Life in the UK test.
British Citizenship Eligibility and Core Requirements
Ready to Apply for Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen?
Expert guidance can make a difference. Contact JV LEGAL today to assess your eligibility, plan your strategy and secure a strong application with confidence.
Apply to Register as a British Citizen
If you do not automatically qualify for British citizenship, applying for Registration as a British Citizen could be your pathway to securing British Citizenship.
Depending on your circumstances, you may have a clear entitlement or you may be considering a discretionary registration application. It is important to understand the main eligibility requirements, so we outline the key criteria you must meet to be eligible for Registration as a British Citizen.
You must consider your birth conditions and parental citizenship, as well as any special circumstances if you were born outside the UK. Explore the requirements you will need to satisfy.
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1) You were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you are not automatically a British citizen by birth, your mother and/or your father became British citizens or settled in the UK before your 18th birthday, and you applied for registration before your 18th birthday.
2) You were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you are not automatically a British citizen by birth, on or after 13 January 2010 your mother and/or your father became a member of the armed forces before your 18th birthday, and you applied for registration before your 18th birthday.
3) You were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you are not automatically a British citizen by birth, you were absent from the UK for no more than 90 days in each of the first ten years of your life, and you applied for registration at any time after your 10th birthday (you may therefore apply under this provision at any age).
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1) You were born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983, at the time of your birth one of your parents was a British citizen by descent, that parent’s father or mother was a British citizen otherwise than by descent, at any time prior to your birth that parent had been in the UK for a consecutive period of at least three years, during that three year period that parent had not been absent from the UK for more than 270 days, and you applied for registration before your 18th birthday.
2) You were born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983, at the time of your birth one of your parents was a British citizen by descent, you apply for registration before your 18th birthday, you and your parents were in the UK on the day 3 years before the application is made, during the intervening 3 year period neither you nor your parents have been absent from the UK for more than 270 days, and both your mother and your father consent to the registration.
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You were born outside the UK and Colonies before 1 January 1983, at the time of your birth your mother was a Citizen of the UK and Colonies, you would have automatically been a Citizen of the UK and Colonies by descent through your mother if specific provisions of British nationality law had provided for this at the time of your birth in the same way as it provided for citizenship by descent through a father, and if in those circumstances you would have had the right of abode in the UK immediately before 1 January 1983.
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You were born in the UK before 1 July 2006, your parents were not married at the time of your birth, you have never been a British citizen, and you would have become a British citizen in certain specific circumstances had your parents been married at the time of your birth.
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1) You are a British Overseas Territories Citizen, a British National (Overseas), a British Overseas citizen, a British subject, or a British protected person, you apply for registration, you were in the UK five years before the date of application, during the intervening five year period you were not absent from the UK for more than 450 days or in the UK in breach of the immigration laws, and in the twelve months immediately before the date of application you were not absent from the UK for more than 90 days or subject to any restriction on the period for which you might remain in the UK.
2) You are a British Overseas citizen, a British subject, a British protected person, or a British National (Overseas), you apply for registration, the Secretary of State is satisfied that you do not have any other citizenship or nationality, and the Secretary of State is satisfied that you have not voluntarily lost through action or inaction any other nationality at any time after 4 July 2002 (or, if you are only a British National (Overseas), after 19 March 2009).
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You were born outside the UK on or after 13 January 2010, at the time of your birth your mother or father was a member of the armed forces serving outside the UK, you apply for registration, and if you are under 18 at the date of application your parents consent to the registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Whether a person automatically gets British citizenship at birth depends on a combination of when and where they were born, and their parents’ circumstances at that time.
a person born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 automatically becomes a British citizen at birth if at that time one of their parents is a British citizen or an Irish citizen living in the UK.
People born to a non-British/Irish parent living in the UK without an immigration time restriction (such as with indefinite leave to remain) also automatically become British citizens at birth.
People adopted by a British citizen in a UK court automatically become British citizens. There are more specific requirements for people adopted overseas.
Usually, British citizenship can only automatically pass on to one generation born overseas. Therefore, people born overseas generally only automatically become British at birth if their British parent was not also born overseas (subject to limited exceptions, explained below).
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Those who were born or adopted in the UK, or who became British by applying for naturalisation, are British citizens “otherwise than by descent”. This reflects that their eligibility for citizenship is based on a connection to the UK as their place of birth, adoption or qualifying residence.
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Those who were born overseas and automatically became British at birth are usually British citizens “by descent”. This reflects that their eligibility derives from having an ancestral connection to the UK. A child born overseas to a parent who is a British citizen “by descent” doesn’t automatically become British at birth.
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Only people who are British citizens or have another type of British nationality status can apply for a British passport. You can apply online here or via a paper form.
