British Citizenship — United Kingdom

You must meet both the knowledge of life requirement and the English language requirement before UKVI approves your citizenship application. Most adult applicants applying on Form Form AN need to pass the Life in the UK Test and provide valid English language evidence, unless an exemption applies.

Life in the UK Test — booking and timing

You must book the Life in the UK Test online at least 3 days before your chosen test date. UKVI requires you to book in advance; you cannot attend without a confirmed booking.

To book, you need a valid email address, debit or credit card, and an accepted form of ID.

The name on your booking must exactly match the name on the ID you present at the test centre. Any mismatch can prevent you from taking the test.

You must pass the test before submitting Form AN. Applicants who previously passed it for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a Spouse or Partner Visa, a Family Visa, or a UK Ancestry Visa do not retake it if they already satisfied the requirement, but UKVI will expect proof.

Children registered using Form Form MN1 are generally not subject to this requirement.

English language proof

You must prove your knowledge of English unless you qualify for an exemption. UKVI will not approve your citizenship without valid evidence.

You must provide one of the following:

• Approved proof of English language proficiency, or
• Evidence that you are exempt

If you previously met the English requirement when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or certain visas such as a Spouse or Partner Visa, UKVI may accept that you already satisfied the requirement, provided your evidence remains valid and applicable.

Include your English evidence when submitting Form AN. If you do not provide acceptable proof, UKVI can refuse your application.

Exemptions and special circumstances

You may qualify for exemption from the English requirement and, in limited cases, the Life in the UK Test. UKVI requires formal evidence to accept any exemption.

If you have a serious physical or mental condition, you must provide a completed exemption form or a letter from a doctor confirming your condition.

UKVI assesses whether your condition prevents you from meeting the requirement. The medical evidence must clearly explain the impact on your ability to learn English or take the test.

Children applying on Form MN1 are typically not required to meet these language and knowledge requirements. Adult applicants on Form AN must meet them unless UKVI confirms an exemption applies.

You complete your journey to British citizenship at a formal ceremony. At this event, you make the required pledges and receive your certificate of British citizenship.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) confirms your approval before you can attend.

Oath of allegiance and declaration

At the ceremony, you must make an Oath of Allegiance (or affirmation) and a pledge. This step is mandatory for adult applicants approved through Form Form AN or certain registrations.

You cannot become a British citizen without completing this requirement.

The oath confirms your loyalty to the Sovereign. The pledge confirms your commitment to respect the rights, freedoms, and laws of the United Kingdom.

Children registered using Form Form MN1 may have different requirements depending on age. UKVI will state in your approval notice whether attendance is required.

Bring the documents listed in your invitation. If you previously held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), a UK Ancestry Visa, a Spouse or Partner Visa, a Family Visa, or a Child Visa, your ceremony marks the formal end of your immigration status and the start of citizenship.

If you cannot attend, follow the instructions in your UKVI notice to rearrange.

Receiving your certificate

After you complete the oath and pledge, you receive your Certificate of British Citizenship. This document proves you are a British citizen.

Check your certificate carefully before leaving the ceremony.

If you later lose or damage your certificate, you must apply for a replacement. The current fee to reissue a nationality certificate is:

Store your certificate securely. You will need it to apply for your first British passport and for certain legal or administrative processes.

Next steps after the ceremony

Once you receive your certificate, you can apply for a British passport. Submit your passport application using the details shown exactly as they appear on your certificate.

Make sure your personal information matches across all documents.

You should also update your employer, if required, notify relevant financial institutions, and retain copies of your approval and certificate.

If you need another official copy of a nationality document in the future, apply for a replacement and pay the required £428 fee.

From this point forward, UKVI no longer manages your stay as a migrant. You hold full British citizenship status.

British citizenship is available if you meet strict residence rules, hold settled status such as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), and satisfy UKVI’s good character requirements.

Some applicants qualify through marriage, UK birth, or specific visa routes like the UK Ancestry Visa or a Family Visa.

Residence and settled-status requirements

Most applicants must show five years of lawful residence in the UK before applying.

You also need to have held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or another settled status for at least 12 months before submitting Form Form AN.

If you’re married to a British citizen, you don’t need to wait 12 months after getting ILR, but you must have lived in the UK for the last three years.

Physical presence in the UK exactly five years before UKVI receives your application is required.

• No more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year qualifying period
• No more than 90 days outside the UK in the final 12 months
• Proof you were in the UK on the qualifying date

If you hold pre-settled status and started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may apply once you’ve clocked up five years of residence.

Double-check your eligibility date before you send in Form AN.

Good character and supporting evidence

UKVI checks the good character requirement for every applicant.

You’ll need to provide evidence covering the full qualifying period, including details of time spent outside the UK and proof you were here on the exact date five years before your application.

Prepare to submit:

• A completed Form AN
• Records of all absences from the UK in the qualifying period
• Proof of lawful residence and ILR
• Evidence supporting your good character

UKVI examines your history in detail. Incomplete travel records or incorrect absence calculations can lead to refusal.

Calculate your absences carefully and make sure your documents match the dates you declare.

If you’re unsure about which documents are acceptable, refer to the citizenship guidance published by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Spouse, birth and other special categories

Different rules may apply if you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen.

To apply as a spouse or civil partner, you need to:

• Have lived in the UK for the last three years
• Hold ILR at the time of application
• Meet the good character requirement
• Apply using Form AN

You might have held a Spouse or Partner Visa or another Family Visa previously, but ILR is required before applying for citizenship.

If you were born in the UK but didn’t automatically become a British citizen, eligibility is still possible. In some cases involving children, use Form Form MN1 or a Child Visa route before registration or naturalisation.

Applicants who held a UK Ancestry Visa can apply for citizenship after obtaining ILR and meeting residence and absence requirements.

Each route depends on your immigration history, current status, and compliance with UKVI’s residence rules.

A child can be registered as a British citizen by applying to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) with the correct form and evidence.

Most children use Form Form MN1. Timing and documentation are key—UKVI will refuse applications that don’t meet requirements.

When to use child registration forms

Use Form MN1 to register a child who is under 18.

Once a child turns 18, they can’t use MN1 and must apply for naturalisation as an adult with Form Form AN.

A child may qualify if a parent became British or got Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after the child’s birth.

This includes cases where you held a Spouse or Partner Visa, Family Visa, UK Ancestry Visa, or another qualifying status and later became settled.

Submit before the child turns

1. UKVI rejects MN1 applications filed after the child is an adult.

Required child documents

Provide clear evidence of the child’s identity and your status. Missing documents slow down the process.

Include:

• Full birth certificate showing both parents’ names
• Evidence of your British citizenship, if relevant
• Proof of your settled status, such as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
• Evidence of any change of status after the child’s birth

If you became British or settled after your child was born, include proof of when this happened.

UKVI checks these details to assess eligibility.

All documents must match the information in the application. Names, birth dates, and immigration status need to be consistent.

Common mistakes in child registration

Refusals or delays often result from missing key evidence. The most common mistake is not providing the full birth certificate with both parents listed.

Avoid these errors:

• Submitting a short birth certificate without parental details
• Failing to include proof of your British citizenship or ILR
• Applying with Form MN1 after the child turns 18
• Providing inconsistent parental information

If your child is already 18, don’t use MN

1. UKVI will reject the application and the adult should apply using Form AN.

Check every document before submission. Accurate parental evidence and correct timing keep refusals to a minimum.