From 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.

Checked against UK Visas and Immigration (Home Office) · Oct 20264 min read

The timeline at a glance

On the standard 5-year route, the usual order is:

You are granted ILR, indefinite leave to enter, or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
You wait until you have held that status for 12 months. Guide AN says you should be free from immigration time restrictions for the 12 months before you apply, so many people apply after about 6 years in the UK.
You apply online and pay. An online application is received on the same day.
You give your biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) at a UKVCAS service point. There is no fee for this.
You usually get a decision within 6 months, or usually within 30 working days if you are eligible for and pay for the priority service.
If you are approved, you must book and attend a citizenship ceremony within 90 days of your invitation. You become British at the ceremony.
You then apply for a British passport, because you cannot travel on the naturalisation certificate.

Use the 12-month wait well: pass the Life in the UK Test if you have not already, and check your English evidence and your absences.

When you do not need to wait 12 months

If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can apply as soon as you have ILR or settled status, as long as you have lived in the UK for at least 3 years.
Some EU, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein citizens (and their family members) with pre-settled status may qualify if they started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and have lived here for 5 years in a row while working, looking for work, studying or being self-sufficient.

Whatever your route, you must have been physically in the UK exactly 5 years (or 3 years) before the Home Office receives your application. If you were abroad on that day, the application may be rejected, so check the date before you submit.

Costs in October 2026

Fees are from the Home Office fees table in force from 8 April 2026 and the GOV.UK passport fees page:

Settlement (ILR), if you have not applied yet: £3,226 per person (it was £3,029 before 8 April 2026).
Life in the UK Test: £50 per attempt. If you passed it for your ILR application, you do not take it again.
English test: the price is set by the approved SELT provider. You do not need a new test if you are exempt, or if a B1 (or higher) qualification was accepted for your ILR.
Naturalisation: £1,839, made up of £1,709 for the application and £130 for the ceremony.
Priority service (optional, if your application is eligible): £500 on top of the application fee.
Biometrics at a standard UKVCAS appointment: no fee.
First adult British passport (standard 34 pages): £102 online, or £115.50 with a paper form.

For example, someone who already passed the Life in the UK Test and met the English requirement for ILR would typically pay £1,839 for citizenship and £102 for an online passport application, a total of £1,941, or £2,441 with the priority service.

What can delay you or reset the clock

Absences: more than 450 days outside the UK in the 5 years, or more than 90 days in the last 12 months, can lead to refusal. Often the simplest solution is to wait until older trips fall outside the 5-year window. See our guide to the absence rules.
Long trips after ILR: GOV.UK warns that ILR can be lost if you spend more than 2 years outside the UK at any time (5 years for EU settled status, or 4 years for Swiss citizens and their family members).
Good character problems, such as unpaid debts, criminal records or past immigration breaches.
Missing or unsuitable referees, or an English qualification that does not count.
Letting your permission to stay lapse. Your permission must last until your ceremony. ILR and settled status count.

What is changing, and what is only proposed

In force or scheduled:

Fees usually change each April. Always check the fee on GOV.UK on the day you apply.
From 26 March 2027, the English requirement for settlement (ILR) on many routes rises from B1 to B2 (statement of changes HC 1691). In October 2026, Guide AN still sets B1 for naturalisation.

Proposed only:

The 2025 to 2026 'earned settlement' consultation proposed making the usual qualifying period for ILR 10 years instead of 5. In October 2026 we found no final rules putting this into effect on GOV.UK. The consultation said changes to citizenship itself would need new primary legislation.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK, or speak to a regulated immigration adviser if your situation is complicated.

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