You can apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalisation’ if you’re 18 or over, and for the past 12 months you’ve had either:

• indefinite leave to remain in 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 must also:

• prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application
• prove your knowledge 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

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’re 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)

This is one way to apply for British citizenship.

You must apply separately for your children – you cannot include them in your own application.

You can apply to ‘register’ your child for citizenship if they were born either:

• outside of the UK
• inside the UK before you were granted indefinite leave to remain

When you do not need to apply for your child

Your child may automatically be a British citizen if they were born both:

• in the UK
• after you were granted indefinite leave to remain

You can apply for a child’s passport if your child is under 16.

Your child can apply for an adult passport if they’re over 16.

You’ll get a letter confirming your application. It can take up to 4 weeks.

You’ll usually get a decision within 6 months – some applications can take longer.

You’ll get a letter if you need to give more information to help with your application.

You’ll need to attend a citizenship ceremony if your application is successful.