British Citizenship Application & Document Checking Services

Our immigration solicitors review your completed British citizenship application and documents before you submit it to UKVI, to avoid costly mistakes.

The application review costs a fixed fee of £600 + VAT and helps identify potential errors or missing evidence, improving your chances of a successful outcome. The £1,709 naturalisation fee isn't refunded on refusal, so we check your residence, absences, good character, referees and documents first.

• Naturalisation (form AN), including spouses of British citizens
• Child registration applications
• Absences counted across the full 5-year (or 3-year) period
• Good character declarations reviewed for risk

For a British citizenship application & document checking service, call Wembley Solicitors today at 020 3417 3700 or book an appointment online.

Table of Contents

What do you check on a citizenship application?

A solicitor reviews your draft form and evidence against the British Nationality Act requirements and Home Office guidance.

• Residence period and date you were physically in the UK at its start
• Total absences and absences in the final 12 months
• Immigration status: ILR or settled status held for long enough
• Good character: convictions, cautions, fines, tax and immigration breaches
• Referees eligible and correctly completed
• English and Life in the UK evidence

Which citizenship documents do you check?

We check identity, status, residence and knowledge evidence.

• Current and previous passports covering the residence period
• ILR, EU settled status or eVisa evidence
• Life in the UK test pass notification
• English test certificate or degree evidence
• Proof of residence across the period
• Marriage certificate and partner's British passport, if applying as a spouse
• Two referees' details and declarations

See our British citizenship documents checklist.

Which citizenship requirements do you test?

We test each requirement for naturalisation on the date you apply.

• Lived in the UK for 5 years (3 if married to a British citizen)
• Absences within the limits: usually up to 450 days in 5 years and 90 in the final year
• ILR or settled status held for 12 months, unless married to a British citizen
• Life in the UK test passed and English at B1
• Good character

Since 10 February 2025, Home Office guidance says applicants who entered the UK illegally will normally be refused on good character grounds. We flag this risk early. More detail: citizenship by naturalisation and citizenship by marriage.

What mistakes do you find most often?

Most problems we find are undeclared character issues and absence miscounts.

• Driving offences, fines or cautions not declared
• Absences in the final 12 months over the limit
• Applying before ILR has been held for 12 months
• Referees who are related or don't meet the criteria
• Passport gaps in the residence period

Already refused? See citizenship application refused.

How much does a citizenship document check cost?

Our citizenship application check is a fixed £600 + VAT. Home Office and ceremony fees are paid separately.

How does the British citizenship application checking service work?

You complete the application yourself, a solicitor checks it, and you submit once every issue is fixed.

1. Complete your online application on GOV.UK and save it as a draft, without paying or submitting.
2. Book the application checking service online or call Wembley Solicitors on 020 3417 3700.
3. Send us copies of your draft form, travel history and supporting documents.
4. A solicitor checks every answer and document against the nationality rules, including the residence, absence and good character requirements.
5. We go through the findings with you online, by phone or face to face, and explain how to fix each issue.
6. Make the corrections, then submit on GOV.UK, pay the Home Office fee, and complete your identity check.

How long does a citizenship application check take?

Most citizenship application checks are completed within 1-3 working days of receiving all your documents.

• Standard: completed within 1-3 working days
• Same day: available depending on the complexity of your case, confirmed when you book
• One-off service, with no retainer or ongoing fees

When should I book a citizenship application check?

Book 2-3 weeks before you plan to apply, once you're confident you meet the residence and absence limits.

• You usually need to have held ILR for 12 months, unless you're married to a British citizen
• Your two referees need time to complete their declarations
• Count absences in the final 12 months up to your planned application date
• A same-day appointment may be possible for urgent cases, depending on complexity

Frequently asked questions

Completed your British citizenship application?

Call Wembley Solicitors on 020 3417 3700 for an expert review of your completed British citizenship application forms and supporting evidence before you submit them to UKVI.