Pass the Life in the UK test first time
To become a British citizen by naturalisation you normally need to pass the Life in the UK Test: 24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, taken on a computer at a test centre, with a 75% pass mark. You also need to prove your English at B1 level or above (unless you are exempt), have the right residence and status, and be of good character.
Checked against official sources · October 2026
Step by step
- 01
Check which route you are on
Most adults apply by naturalisation after living in the UK for 5 years and holding indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or EU settled status for 12 months. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the qualifying period is 3 years and you can apply as soon as you have ILR or settled status. GOV.UK lists other routes (British parent, Irish citizens, the Windrush scheme and others), so check https://www.gov.uk/british-citizenship first.
- 02
Pass the Life in the UK Test
Book online at least 3 days ahead through the official GOV.UK booking service. The test costs £50. It has 24 questions taken from the official handbook, a 45-minute time limit and a 75% pass mark. If you already passed it for your settlement application, you do not need to take it again. Keep the unique reference number you get when you pass, because the application form asks for it.
- 03
Have your English evidence ready
You need a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at B1 or above in speaking and listening, or a degree taught or researched in English. If your B1 (or higher) qualification was accepted when you got ILR, you can usually reuse it. Nationals of the majority English-speaking countries on the GOV.UK list, and people aged 65 or over, do not need to prove English.
- 04
Gather documents and 2 referees
Check your absences: under the 5-year route you should not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK in the 5 years, or more than 90 days in the last 12 months. Under the 3-year spouse route the limit is 270 days in 3 years. Choose 2 referees who have known you for at least 3 years. One must be a professional person. The other must hold a British passport and be either a professional person or over 25. Read Guide AN before you start.
- 05
Apply online and pay the fee
Apply online on GOV.UK. Paper Form AN is mainly for applicants in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory. On GOV.UK in October 2026, the adult naturalisation fee is £1,839: £1,709 for the application and £130 for the citizenship ceremony. You must have been in the UK on the day exactly 5 years (or 3 years) before the Home Office receives your application.
- 06
Give your biometrics
After you apply, you will be told how to prove your identity. This is usually an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point for fingerprints and a photo, and there is no charge for it. You can upload documents yourself or have them scanned at the appointment.
- 07
Wait for the decision
You will usually get a decision within 6 months. You may be able to pay for the priority service, which usually takes 30 working days. The super priority service cannot be used for citizenship. You must keep valid permission to stay in the UK until you have attended your ceremony. ILR and settled status count as permission to stay.
- 08
Attend your citizenship ceremony
If you are approved, you will get an invitation and must attend a ceremony arranged with your local council within 90 days. You take the oath (or affirmation) of allegiance and make the pledge, and you become a British citizen at that point. You then receive your certificate. To travel, you need to apply for a British passport separately, because you cannot travel on the naturalisation certificate.
Who can apply
Age 18+ and of sound mind
Naturalisation is for adults. Children are registered instead, for example through Form MN1, which costs £1,000 per child on GOV.UK in October 2026.
Residence
On the standard route you need to have lived in the UK for at least 5 years, with no more than 450 days away in those 5 years and no more than 90 days away in the last 12 months. On the spouse or civil partner route you need 3 years, with no more than 270 days away and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months. You must also have been physically in the UK on the first day of the qualifying period. The Home Office has some discretion over excess absences. Guide AN explains how it is used.
Settled status for 12 months
You must hold ILR, indefinite leave to enter or EU settled status, and on the standard route you must have held it for 12 months. Spouses and civil partners of British citizens do not have to wait the 12 months. Some EU citizens with pre-settled status may also qualify. GOV.UK explains when.
Life in the UK Test
You need a pass in the Life in the UK Test unless you are 65 or over or have a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents you from taking it. To claim that exemption you need the official form completed by a doctor. Living in the UK for a long time does not exempt you.
English at B1 or above
You need a SELT at B1 or above in speaking and listening, or a degree taught or researched in English. People who are 65 or over, people with a qualifying long-term condition, and nationals of the listed majority English-speaking countries are exempt. Knowledge of Welsh or Scottish Gaelic also meets the requirement.
Good character
Under the British Nationality Act 1981 you must be of good character. Caseworkers look at criminal records, deception, immigration breaches, finances (such as bankruptcy, unpaid council tax or NHS debts of £500 or more) and more. Since February 2025, Guide AN says that applications will normally be refused from people who entered the UK illegally, or who arrived on a dangerous journey without the required entry clearance or ETA, however long ago it happened. Always declare everything, because untruthful declarations can lead to refusal.
Intention to live in the UK
On the 5-year route you must intend to keep the UK as your main home, or to continue in Crown or other qualifying service. This does not apply on the spouse or civil partner route.
Two referees
You need 2 referees. Each must have known you for at least 3 years and must not be related to you or to each other, be your representative, or work for the Home Office. One must be a professional person of any nationality. The other must be a British passport holder who is either a professional person or over 25.
Everything about the United Kingdom process
Booking and taking the Life in the UK Test
How to book, what ID to bring, what happens on the day, and what to do if you fail. Based on the GOV.UK guidance in October 2026.
ReadHow to study the handbook efficiently
Questions are only taken from the official handbook. Here is how to cover it, and the areas candidates most often lose marks on.
ReadNaturalisation application step by step
From checking eligibility to submitting the online application (Form AN), plus what has and has not changed in 2025-2026.
ReadThe English language requirement
Who must prove English for citizenship, what evidence counts, and who is exempt.
ReadYour citizenship ceremony
The final step: when to book, what you promise, and what to do afterwards.
ReadLife in the UK Test: the topics that trip people up
The Home Office does not publish which questions people fail, but some parts of the handbook are easy to confuse. These are the facts to double-check before test day, chapter by chapter.
ReadFrom ILR to citizenship: timeline and costs in 2026
How long it usually takes to go from indefinite leave to remain (ILR) to a British passport, and what each step costs, using the GOV.UK fees in force from 8 April 2026.
ReadCitizenship through marriage or civil partnership with a British citizen
Marrying a British citizen does not make you British, but it gives you a shorter route to naturalisation. How the 3-year spouse route works, and how it differs from the standard route.
ReadAbsences: the 450-day and 90-day rules explained
How the Home Office counts time outside the UK for naturalisation, the limits on each route, and when caseworkers can use discretion, based on Guide AN (July 2026).
ReadThe good character requirement explained
What the Home Office looks at when it decides whether you are of good character, what you must declare, and the rules on criminal records, immigration history and finances in 2026.
ReadBritish citizenship for children: registration and Form MN1
When a child is already British, when they need to be registered, how Form MN1 works, and what it costs in 2026.
ReadCommon questions
How many questions are on the Life in the UK Test, and what is the pass mark?
24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. You need 75% to pass, which is 18 correct answers.
How much does it cost to become a British citizen?
On GOV.UK in October 2026, adult naturalisation costs £1,839: £1,709 for the application and £130 for the ceremony. On top of that you pay £50 for each Life in the UK Test attempt, the cost of an English test if you need one, and later your British passport. Fees usually change in April, so check GOV.UK before you apply.
Is there an interview for British citizenship?
Not normally. The knowledge check is the computer-based Life in the UK Test. GOV.UK says the Home Office may occasionally ask you to attend an interview, which you must do without an interpreter. Our oral practice session is a study tool, not a copy of a real interview.
What happens if I fail the test?
You can rebook as many times as you need, but you pay £50 each time. Book again once you are consistently scoring well above 18 out of 24 in timed practice.
Are the real test questions published?
No. The Home Office does not publish the question bank. Questions are based only on the official handbook, 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents' (3rd edition). Every practice question on this site, and on any other site, is unofficial.
Is there a new handbook or a new test in 2026?
In October 2026, GOV.UK still describes the same test: 24 questions, 45 minutes, £50, based on the official Guide for New Residents. The government's earned settlement consultation (November 2025 to February 2026) asked whether integration should be assessed through 'a revised Life in the UK Test', but we found no announced replacement. Books labelled '2026 edition' are commercial study guides, not a new official handbook.
Has the qualifying period for citizenship changed to 10 years?
Not in October 2026. The 10-year baseline is a proposal from the earned settlement consultation, and it is about settlement (ILR), not citizenship directly. The consultation said changes to citizenship would need new primary legislation. Today's naturalisation rules are 5 years of residence plus 12 months with ILR or settled status, or 3 years for spouses and civil partners of British citizens. Check GOV.UK, because the government said it would set out its final settlement policy later in 2026.
Do I need the Life in the UK Test if I have EU settled status?
Yes, unless you are exempt (for example because you are 65 or over). The EU Settlement Scheme did not test knowledge of life in the UK or English, so you must meet both requirements before applying to naturalise.
Can I travel abroad while my application is being decided?
Guide AN says you can travel on your valid passport, with evidence of your immigration status, while you wait. Keep an eye on the absence limits: no more than 90 days in the 12 months before you apply. Long absences after applying may also be relevant if they suggest you do not intend to live in the UK.
Can I keep my other nationality?
The UK allows dual nationality, but your other country might not. Check with that country's authorities before you naturalise.