British Citizenship
- Details
- Written by: Wembley Solicitors
You can make a British citizenship application to become a British national if you meet all the eligibility requirements of the British Nationality Act 1981.
If you need assistance with any type of British citizenship application, our immigration and UK nationality solicitors can provide legal advice and help.
Table of Contents
- What is British citizenship?
- What are the ways to become a British citizen?
- Citizenship fee waiver for children under 18
- How to apply for British citizenship?
- What are the requirements to become a British citizen?
- UK naturalisation timeline
- British citizenship application fee
- British citizenship solicitor near Wembley, London
- British citizenship solicitor fees
- Need Legal Advice & Assistance?
What is British citizenship?
British citizenship is a type of UK nationality that gives you permission to live permanently in the UK and allows you to work without any restrictions.
Once you become a British citizen you can apply for a UK passport.
What are the ways to become a British citizen?
Below is a list of some common routes to British citizenship:
- British citizenship after indefinite leave to remain
- British citizenship by naturalisation
- British citizenship by registration
- Register a child as a British citizen (Under 18)
- Register child as British citizen born outside the UK
- British citizenship by marriage
- British citizenship by descent
Many other ways to become a British citizen such as registering a person born to a British mother before 1983, registering BNO as a British citizen, and so on.
Citizenship fee waiver for children under 18
A British citizenship fee waiver allows eligible children under the age of 18 to apply for citizenship without paying the standard application fee.
If you are considering applying for a citizenship application fee waiver for your child, contact our British citizenship solicitors today at 0203 417 3700.
How to apply for British citizenship?
You can either make a British citizenship application yourself or get legal services from British nationality lawyers to maximise your chances of success.
British citizenship application process
- You can either apply online or by post for British citizenship by naturalisation;
- Upload scanned copies of all the supporting documents;
- Book your biometric appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point;
- Wait for the decision, UK citizenship applications usually takes 3-6 months.
If your application for British citizenship is successful and you are 18 or over then you will need to attend the UK citizenship ceremony.
You do not need to send your original documents anywhere if applying online for British citizenship.
Using a Solicitor for your British citizenship application
There are high chances of getting a UK citizenship application refusal if you are not fully aware of the UK immigration and nationality law.
People seek professional legal advice and assistance with their British applications from highly experienced UK nationality solicitors to boost their chances of success.
What are the requirements to become a British citizen?
There are 4 main requirements to become eligible to apply for British citizenship as listed below:
- Residency requirements
- Good Character requirement
- English Language requirement
- Life in the UK Test
You must meet all other eligibility requirements depending on your personal circumstances.
Residency requirements
If you are applying for British citizenship by naturalisation, you should have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the date of your British application.
If you are applying for British citizenship by marriage then you may be able to apply after three years of lawful residence in the country.
You should also not have:
- spent more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years (or 270 days, if you are following the UK citizenship by marriage route)
- spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
- broken any UK immigration laws (for example living illegally in the UK)
“Good Character” requirement
The applicants aged 10 or over must meet the ‘good character’ requirement for British citizenship.
There is no clear definition of ‘Good Character’ under British Nationality Act (BNA) 1981 but Home Office generally assesses and considers criminality, international crimes, terrorism, deception, and dishonesty related things.
English language test requirement
You may need to meet the English language requirement for the British citizenship application if you are from a non-English-speaking country. You may be exempt from taking or passing the English language test.
You can prove your knowledge of the English language with an academic qualification, or by passing an approved English language test.
B1 English test for UK citizenship
For British citizenship application, you must pass at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
“Life in the UK Test” for British citizenship
You need to pass the Life in the UK test to be eligible to apply for British citizenship. The Life in the UK test is a mandatory requirement to prove that the applicant has adequate knowledge of British life, culture, and history.
UK naturalisation timeline
UK citizenship applications usually take 3-6 months after a biometrics appointment. However, it may take longer than usual depending on the complexity of the matter.
British citizenship application fee
The fee for a British citizenship application is £1,330 if you have indefinite leave to remain or 'settled status' in the UK.
You will be asked to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photo) and there’s no fee for this.
British citizenship solicitor near Wembley, London
Our Wembley, London based team of British nationality lawyers provides legal services throughout the UK and will be able to assist you with any type of British citizenship application.
UK citizenship lawyers at Wembley Solicitors will:
- provide legal advice regarding your UK Citizenship application;
- do eligibility assessment for British nationality entitlement;
- explain the entire British citizenship application process.
- give you a complete list of required documents in support of your application.
- check all the supporting documents to ensure that they are sufficient and in the correct format;
- fill out the complete application form and prepare detailed representations/cover letter for the Home Office UKVI in reference to the Immigration Rules;
- book an appointment for you to enrol your biometrics;
- upload all the supporting documents;
- liaise with the Home Office UKVI throughout the process until we receive the decision;
- keep you updated with every stage of your application.
Contact our UK nationality solicitors on 020 3417 3700 or fill in the enquiry form for immediate legal advice & assistance with any type of British citizenship application.
British citizenship solicitor fees
Our British nationality lawyers charge a fixed fee in the region of £800 to £1000 (excluding VAT) for complete legal services in relation to the British citizenship application.
A team of the best British citizenship solicitors at Wembley Solicitors will guide you through every step of the UK citizenship application process.
Need Legal Advice & Assistance?
We provide expert advice, practical assistance, and professional representation to guide you through the application and decision-making process, from start to finish.
We're authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), so you know you're in safe hands.
Contact our solicitor today to get legal advice and assistance with your UK immigration matters.
You can call us on 02034173700 or leave your details here for a callback request regarding your legal matter.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Moeen & Co. Solicitors before making any decisions based on the information provided on this website.