Naturalisation application step by step

From checking eligibility to submitting the online application (Form AN), plus what has and has not changed in 2025-2026.

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

Before you start

Read Guide AN, the Home Office guidance for naturalisation (last updated July 2026), on GOV.UK. It sets out the legal requirements and how caseworkers apply them.

Check the following:

The qualifying period: 5 years, or 3 years if your spouse or civil partner is British.
That you were in the UK on the first day of that period. Count back exactly 5 (or 3) years from the date the Home Office will receive your application.
Your absences: no more than 450 days (or 270 days) in the whole period, and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.
On the 5-year route, that you have held ILR or settled status for at least 12 months.

This page is general information, not legal advice. If your case is complicated, for example because of criminal records, immigration breaches or long absences, get advice from a regulated adviser: someone registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), or a solicitor or barrister.

Documents you will typically need

Your passport, or another proof of identity and nationality
Proof of your ILR or settled status (for example your eVisa details)
Your Life in the UK Test reference number
Your English evidence (a SELT at B1 or above, or a degree), unless you are exempt
If you are applying as a spouse or civil partner, your marriage or civil partnership certificate and your partner's British passport
Details of your absences from the UK. Use your own records, such as emails and boarding passes.
Details of your 2 referees

Guide AN lists exactly what applies to you.

Fee and how to pay

On GOV.UK in October 2026, the adult naturalisation fee is £1,839. That is £1,709 for the application and £130 for the citizenship ceremony. Fees usually change every April, so check the fee on GOV.UK on the day you apply. If the application is refused, the fee is not normally refunded, so make sure you meet every requirement before you pay.

You may be able to pay extra for the priority service, which usually gives a decision within 30 working days. The super priority service is not available for citizenship.

Submitting, biometrics and waiting

Apply online on GOV.UK. Online applications are received on the same day. Then book your biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS service point, where there is no fee for biometrics. You will usually get a decision within 6 months, and you will be told if it will take longer.

While you wait:

Keep your permission to stay valid. ILR and settled status count as permission to stay.
Tell UKVI if your circumstances change, for example if you move, marry or are arrested.
You may occasionally be asked to attend an interview, which you must do without an interpreter.

What is in force and what is only proposed (October 2026)

In force:

Since February 2025, Guide AN says applicants who entered illegally, or arrived on a dangerous journey without the required entry clearance or ETA, will normally be refused. This applies however long ago it happened, with some consideration for children and victims of trafficking.
New fees from 8 April 2026, as above.
A statement of changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 1691) raises the English requirement for settlement (ILR) on many routes from B1 to B2, from 26 March 2027. It affects settlement applications. In October 2026, Guide AN still sets B1 for naturalisation.

Proposed only:

The 'earned settlement' consultation (20 November 2025 to February 2026) proposed raising the usual qualifying period for ILR from 5 to 10 years, with longer or shorter periods depending on contribution.
The consultation said changes to citizenship would need new primary legislation.
EU Settlement Scheme status holders and the Windrush scheme are out of scope of the settlement reforms.

In October 2026 we found no final rules implementing the 10-year baseline on GOV.UK. Check GOV.UK for the latest position.

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