Those with refugee status and subsidiary protection may not apply for naturalisation as a British citizen until they have been in receipt of Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement leave) for 12 months.[1] They are subject to the same test of ‘good character’ as other applicants and must pass a ‘Life in the UK’ test and meet the requirements for English language proficiency.[2] There is also a fee, which from 9 April 2025 is £1,605 (EUR 1,928) for the naturalisation application and £130 (EUR 156) for citizenship ceremony.[3]
The requirements that a person be of good character specifically refer to applicants who previously entered the UK unlawfully i.e. through evading immigration control.[4] Where unlawful entry happened in the previous ten years, the application will normally be refused.[5] On 10 February 2025 the guidance was amended to remove the ten year limit, so that anyone applying on or after that date who has entered the UK without permission will normally have their citizenship application refused.[6] This change is subject to at least two legal challenges.[7]
Applications for naturalisation are made to the Home Office. There are no time limits for decisions to be made. The main obstacle is the fees.[8]
269,621 grants of UK citizenship were made in 2024.[9]
[1] Schedule 1, paragraph 1(2)(c), British Nationality Act 1981, available here.
[2] UK government, ‘Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or ‘settled status’’, accessed 24 March 2024, available here,
[3] Home Office, Immigration and Nationality fees, available here.
[4] Home Office, Naturalisation as a British citizen: caseworker guidance, 23 August 2023, available here.
[5] Home Office, Naturalisation as a British citizen: caseworker guidance, 23 August 2023, available here.
[6] Home Office, ‘Good character: caseworker guidance’, 13 February 2025, available here.
[7] Duncan Lewis, ‘Duncan Lewis to challenge ‘Unlawful’ Good Character British Citizenship Requirements’, 21 February 2025, available here and Wilson LLP, ‘Challenge to ‘good character’ citizenship guidance’, 5 March 2025, available here.
[8] UK government, ‘Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or ‘settled status’’, accessed 24 March 2024, available here.
[9] Home Office, Immigration system statistics data tables, Citizenship summary tables, year ending December 2024, table Cit_01, available here.