Trusted UK Immigration Services

Your path to becoming British starts here

Ready to make the UK your permanent home? Our team specialises in helping applicants navigate every step of the British citizenship process, from eligibility checks to final applications. Whether you are seeking citizenship through naturalisation, registration or unique pathways, we provide expert advice and a smooth application experience. With us by your side, you are one step closer to becoming a British citizen and enjoying all the privileges it brings.

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Trusted UK Immigration Services | TS Immigration

ILR IN THE UK

Pathways to British citizenship

For adults (aged 18 and over) applying to become British citizens, there are two application routes: naturalisation and registration. Registration is also the process through which children apply for British citizenship.

Failure to register an eligible child as a British citizen before their 18th birthday can have serious consequences. They may have to apply for naturalisation as an adult instead, which is a discretionary application with more stringent eligibility criteria that may be challenging to meet.

The UK permits its nationals to hold dual or even multiple nationalities. However, other countries may not allow this and may revoke citizenship or require individuals to renounce their original nationality if they acquire another. Applicants for British citizenship should carefully consider how this may affect their current citizenship status before applying.

Applicants should also be aware of the potential impact of becoming a British citizen on their tax status, including any new fiscal obligations or changes in access to benefits, before proceeding with their application.

Adults seeking to become British citizens should first consider whether they may be able to automatically acquire citizenship through a family connection with the UK. Due to the complex development of British nationality law, some may be unaware that they already qualify as British citizens. Those wishing to confirm their status should consult our nationality and immigration adviser, who has extensive experience in tracing nationality status. If automatic acquisition is confirmed, applicants can apply directly to HM Passport Office with the required documentation to obtain their first British passport.

Every British citizen is either a British citizen "by descent" or "otherwise than by descent". This distinction is crucial because it affects how citizenship can be passed to children born outside the UK.

British citizenship acquired through birth, adoption, naturalisation or registration within the UK (or a qualifying territory) is considered "otherwise than by descent". A British citizen "otherwise than by descent" can automatically pass their British citizenship to a child born outside the UK or qualifying territories.

A British citizen "by descent" cannot automatically pass citizenship to a child born outside the UK or qualifying territories. However, in these cases, the child may be eligible to register as a British citizen.

A British citizen "by descent" cannot change their citizenship by applying to be registered or naturalised as a British citizen "otherwise than by descent".

Applying for naturalisation

To be eligible for naturalisation, the applicant must:

be at least 18 years old.
be of sound mind.
meet the good character requirement.
satisfy the English language requirement and pass the Life in the UK test.
intend to make the UK their home.
meet the residence requirement.

In most cases, applicants aged 18 or older who are successful in their naturalisation or registration applications must attend a citizenship ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the applicant will be presented with a certificate of British citizenship. Once an applicant has received their naturalisation or registration certificate, they can then apply for their first adult British passport.

The good character requirement is a key consideration for naturalisation and certain categories of registration. Although there is no precise definition, a range of factors are taken into account.

Factors considered in assessing whether the good character requirement is met include:

Criminality: Whether the applicant has been convicted of a crime or if there are reasonable grounds to suspect involvement in criminal activity. Having a criminal record does not automatically mean that an application will be refused.
Financial soundness: Issues with the applicant's financial affairs, such as unpaid taxes (including council tax), bankruptcy, or being a director of a company that has gone into liquidation or accrued significant debt, may impact the application.
Deception and dishonesty: Instances where the applicant has been deceptive or dishonest in dealings with the UK government, such as making false benefit claims, submitting dishonest information in previous UK immigration applications, or using deception in the citizenship application process. Generally, applications will be refused if there has been deception within the ten years prior to the application for citizenship.

For the good character requirement, it is irrelevant if a criminal conviction is otherwise considered "spent". For applications submitted on or after 31 July 2023, applicants must disclose all convictions, including those that are spent. Spent convictions will still be evaluated by the caseworker reviewing the application. If an applicant fails to disclose a conviction or pending prosecution, or provides misleading information, their application may be refused on grounds of deception.

It is also important to note that the good character requirement does not apply to those applying for registration under provisions that allow British Nationals (Overseas) who do not hold any other nationality to register, for example.

The applicant must have resided in the UK for at least the past five years. Up to the date of the application, they must not have spent:

more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year qualifying period.
more than 90 days outside the UK in the final twelve months of that period.

In certain special circumstances, there is some discretion to waive excess absences during the qualifying period and within the last twelve months.

The residence requirement is reduced from a minimum of five years to a minimum of three years in the UK.
During the three-year qualifying period, the applicant should not normally have spent more than 270 days outside the UK, and no more than 90 days in the twelve months prior to submitting their application.
Applicants must be free from immigration time restrictions (i.e., hold indefinite leave to remain in the UK or, if an EEA national, Permanent Residence or Settled Status) on the date they submit their application. Unlike other applicants, they do not need to be free from immigration time restrictions for the prior twelve months, meaning they can apply for British citizenship as soon as they acquire indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
There is no requirement for the UK to be their principal home—an important and often overlooked distinction in the criteria.