Overview
You can apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalisation’ if you are 18 or over and for the past 12 months you have had either:
- indefinite leave to remainin the UK
- indefinite leave to enter the UK
‘Indefinite leave to enter’ is permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad – for example, on a Returning Resident visa.
You may have lost your indefinite leave to remain or enter if you have been away from the UK for more than 2 years at any time since you obtained it.
You must also:
- prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application
- prove yourknowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
- have passed the ‘Life in the UK’ test
- intend to continue living in the UK
- be of good character
Residency requirements
You should have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the date of your application.
You cannot include any time spent in the UK when you are exempt from immigration control (for example, as a diplomat or member of visiting armed forces).
You should also not have:
- spent more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years
- spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
- broken any UK immigration laws (for example working illegally in the UK)
These applications can take a number of months to process. Reeds Immigration can certify your passport(s) so you are able to travel during this period.
Contact us for more information and advice.
General Enquiries
