Citizenship 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.

Checked against UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office) · Oct 20263 min read

Marriage does not make you British automatically

If you marry, or form a civil partnership with, a British citizen, you do not become British. You still have to apply to naturalise. The difference is that you can use a shorter route, under section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981, which has a 3-year residence period and no 12-month wait after settlement.

You must be 18 or over and married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen when you apply. GOV.UK says you cannot apply under this route if your partner has died. In that case, check the standard route at https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain.

The requirements

GOV.UK lists these requirements for the spouse or civil partner route:

You have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before you apply.
You have indefinite leave to remain, indefinite leave to enter, or settled status. Some EU, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein citizens with pre-settled status may also qualify.
You were not outside the UK for more than 270 days in those 3 years, or for more than 90 days in the last 12 months.
You were physically in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office receives your application.
You have not broken immigration laws during the 3 years.
You meet the English requirement (B1 or above, unless exempt), you have passed the Life in the UK Test (unless exempt), and you are of good character.
You have 2 referees who meet the Guide AN rules.

How it differs from the standard 5-year route

The residence period is 3 years, not 5.
You can apply as soon as you have ILR or settled status. There is no 12-month wait, but you must be free from immigration time restrictions on the date you apply.
The absence limit is 270 days over the whole period instead of 450. The 90-day limit for the last 12 months is the same.
You do not need to show that you intend to make the UK your main home. That requirement applies only to the standard route.
The fee is the same: £1,839 in October 2026 (£1,709 for the application plus £130 for the ceremony).
The English, Life in the UK Test and good character requirements are the same.

There is no minimum length of marriage for this route. What counts is 3 years of residence and being settled.

If you are on the partner visa route

Many people come to the UK on a partner (family) visa and get ILR after 5 years on that route. By then they have usually lived in the UK for more than 3 years, so they can apply for citizenship straight away.

Before you do, check:

your absences in the 3 years before the date you will apply, and in the last 12 months
that you were in the UK on the date exactly 3 years before you apply
that you have your Life in the UK Test reference number. If you passed the test for ILR, you do not take it again.

If your partner works abroad for the UK government or a closely linked organisation, GOV.UK says you may be exempt from the residence requirements. Guide AN explains the conditions.

Documents for this route

As well as the documents everyone needs (proof of identity, proof of settled status, Life in the UK Test reference number, English evidence and referees), you will normally need:

your marriage or civil partnership certificate
your partner's British passport, or other proof that they are a British citizen

Guide AN lists the exact evidence. Online applicants can usually upload documents or have them scanned at the biometrics appointment.

Common mistakes

Applying before you are settled. A partner visa is not enough: you need ILR, settled status or indefinite leave to enter.
Counting from the wedding date. The 3 years is about where you lived, not how long you have been married.
Forgetting short trips. Small trips add up quickly against the 270-day limit.
Assuming marriage exempts you from the Life in the UK Test or English requirement. It does not.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Read the GOV.UK page at https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-spouse and Guide AN before you apply.

Not legal advice. This guide is general information compiled from official sources. Rules change — confirm your own situation with UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office).

Sources