Usually, only children under the age of 18 are eligible to register for citizenship. Children who are born in the UK can be eligible to register as a British citizen as soon as their parents acquire Indefinite Leave to Remain or another form of settled status.
Children who are born outside the UK may be eligible to register as a British citizen if they have at least one British parent or if they have lived in the UK for over 10 years. In some circumstances, adults can be eligible to register for British citizenship, this includes if they have another form of British nationality such as British overseas nationals or British overseas territories citizens , if they have a connection with Gibraltar or Hong Kong, or if they have a British mother or father and had the right to become a British citizen when they were born.
British overseas territory citizens have the right to a British passport and also the right to receive diplomatic protection, however overseas territory citizens are still subject to immigration control and do not have an automatic right to live and work in the UK. In order to no longer be subject to immigration control a British overseas territory citizen would need to apply to naturalise as a British citizen. British overseas territories citizens could be eligible for naturalisation if they became a British overseas territories citizen after 21 May and meet certain conditions.
Do you need help applying for a British citizenship? Our lawyers can assist you. Get in touch. Once you have become a British citizen you can apply for your first British passport.
A UK passport is one of the most powerful passports in the world, it will allow you to travel freely between the United Kingdom and many other countries. Your passport can also be used to prove your right to live and work in the UK. Many people also choose to use a checking service before submitting their passport application to ensure that the form has been filled in correctly and to reduce the chance of delaying your application if you have made a mistake, checking services will come at an additional cost the the application fee and will vary depending on the organisation you use.
Applying for British citizenship is an incredibly complex process, even the smallest mistake could result in your application being refused. This is why is is advised that you seek the assistance of an immigration expert to help you with your application. Our London immigration lawyers are highly experienced when it comes to British citizenship applications and will greatly increase your chances of success.
This article shows the fees in force on the date of publication shown above. Older versions of this article stated the fees applicable at the time, which for reference can be found at UK visa fees.
The authoritative source for visa fees is the Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulation , as amended. Immigration and asylum barrister, blogger, writer and consultant at Garden Court Chambers in London and founder and editor of the Free Movement immigration law website.
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Receiving, preparing and forwarding documents — consular functions. Processing an application which is subsequently rejected as invalid. Or were you born outside of the UK, and you are a child of a British national?
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Oops, there was an error sending your message. Please try again later. However, many people mistakenly believe that this is an automatic right, when in fact, becoming a British Citizen is at the discretion of the Home Secretary.
What does being a British Citizen mean? When applying for UK naturalisation, one of the key considerations will be cost and how much you will need to pay in British Citizenship fees. This includes the fee for the citizenship ceremony. The table below details all British citizenship fees, if you are apply for citizenship through, for example, registration.
If you need to resit, you will have to pay the test fee again. Certified document translations will also be required if the original versions of your supporting documents are not in English or Welsh.
This could include documentation such as your birth certificate, marriage certificate or your degree. Since the naturalisation application is costly and extensive, most applicants also opt to take professional guidance and engage an immigration lawyer to take care of the application on their behalf. British citizenship applications typically take around 6 months. This may vary depending on the complexity of the application and service issues such as COVID restrictions delaying application processing.
Unlike most UK visa and settlement applications, there is no premium service for naturalisation applications. This means you will not be able to pay extra to fast-track your application. The naturalisation fee is payable when making your application. The application fee is not refundable or transferrable.
This applies if the application is rejected or withdrawn. This makes it essential for naturalisation applicants to ensure their application is correct, complete and comprehensive, with all required supporting documentation submitted in the correct format. To avoid a refused citizenship application and losing your British citizenship application fee, you will need to ensure you meet all of the eligibility requirements and that your eligibility is evidenced in the way the Home Office stipulates.
The good character requirement applies to all naturalisation applicants over ten years of age. It is an area of growing scrutiny, with increasing numbers of applications being refused on good character grounds. The Home Office issued guidance to caseworkers on the good character requirement in January , which can help applicants understand the kind of factors that will be assessed, such as criminality, financial soundness, past immigration matters, and issues of deception and dishonesty.
This is not, however, an exhaustive list, and caseworkers will consider an application as a whole to determine if the applicant meets the requirement. The residence rules are another common ground for refusal by the Home Office. There are effectively two parts to the residency requirement. First, you have to have lived in the UK lawfully for a period of five years or more on the date you make your application, unless you are a foreign spouse of British citizens or UK settled person and are able to apply after three years of residence in the country.
Second, you cannot have been absent from the UK for more than days during this five-year qualifying period, or days if you are naturalising as a foreign spouse. In addition, you must not have been overseas for more than 90 days in the months immediately before the date of your application.
If your absences exceed these limits, or if you have not been resident in the UK for the minimum residence period, or are not able to evidence your qualifying residence, your application will be refused. In some cases, it may be possible to argue compelling reasons for any extensive absences, but the applicant will need to provide substantial evidence to support their case.
A further requirement on naturalisation applicants is the they can speak and understand English to a specific level, and that they pass a citizenship test about British life, culture and history. Importantly, this must all be evidenced in the correct way.
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