Why not apply to become a British national?
If you hold indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or Settled Status (EU SS) you can usually apply to be come a Citizen.
Contact us to check if you are can apply now!
UK Nationality and Citizenship questions!
Timescale for deciding citizenship applications.
We aim to decide citizenship applications within 6 months of submission, although some applications can take longer. Each application is considered on its own merits and some applications may be decided ahead of others irrespective of when they were submitted.
Therefore, we cannot provide you with information or a progress update of your nationality application if it was made less than 6 months ago. If we require further information from you to support your application, the case-working team will contact you directly.
These emails could arrive at your email account and then may be redirected to your spam/junk email folder/s by your mailbox provider. You are therefore advised to regularly check these folders for emails from your allocated caseworker/case working team.
Citizenship ceremonies and ceremony invitations
If your citizenship application is approved, you will be sent an invitation, by email within 3 weeks of this decision, to attend a citizenship ceremony. If your local authority sends you a date for you to attend a citizenship ceremony before you have received an invite from us – please wait for 5 working days before contacting us as the invite should be on its way to you.
To limit the chances of an invitation email being redirected to your spam/junk email folder you may wish to add the email address below to your email contact list: home.office.atlas@notifications.service.gov.uk
Please remember to check your spam/junk email folder/s before contacting us further.
Excess absences due to Coronavirus
Discretion can be exercised over excess absences in a range of circumstances. Guidance has recently been updated to include absences occasioned by the COVID 19 pandemic to the extent there described. The revised guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/914183/Naturalisation–as–a–british–citizen–by–discretion_v6.0.pdf
General Citizenship Information
In accordance with the new data regulations we have updated our Privacy Information Notice and you can find out more by going to:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal–information–use–in–bordersimmigration–and–citizenship
Or: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home–office/about/personal–informationcharter
Windrush
If your query is about a Windrush Scheme application or a Windrush Compensation Scheme claim – there is a dedicated Windrush Help Team that handle these issues.
Information on how to contact this team can be found on our website at – https://windrush.campaign.gov.uk/
Citizenship Applications
If you applied using a paper form and need your documents returning before the application is decided.
Advice may be found here – Please be advised that you do not need to withdraw your citizenship application when requesting your passport to be returned whilst your application is being considered.
If you have changed address
Advice may be found here
Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions relating to British nationality, including links to relevant pages of our website: www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/citizenship
Am I already a British citizen?
If you think you have an automatic claim to British citizenship status, further information on checking your status can be found here.
If you believe that you have a claim to British nationality, you can test the strength of your claim by applying for a United Kingdom passport. If you are living in the UK, advice about the passport application process, and relevant forms, can be obtained by calling Her Majesty’s Passport Office on 0300 222 0000 or from:
www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports
If you are living outside the UK further information may be found at:
It is also open to you to seek advice about your nationality status from a professional legal adviser in private practice. A list of suitably qualified advisers can be obtained from the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. Their website is at: www.oisc.homeoffice.gov.uk
PRE-APPLICATION QUERIES
I am not British, but I wish to become British. What are the requirements and how do I apply?
The requirements and the fees can be found on our website.
Please note: The onus is always on the applicant to ensure that they fully meet the requirements for any application as set out in the appropriate guide. All applicants are advised to read the guide thoroughly and make sure they satisfy the requirements before submitting any application. We will not be able to tell you prior to submitting any application whether it will be successful. The application fee will be retained if an application is refused or withdrawn, and only the ceremony fee will be returned.
Information on the requirements for naturalisation can be found on the Guide AN
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-an-guidance
To naturalise as a British citizen – you must meet the knowledge of Life in the UK and the English Language
For information regarding the Life in the UK test please click here
For information about the English language requirement please click here
How do I book a Life in the UK test if I don’t have one of the specified identity documents?
If you do not have suitable photo ID, you will not be able to book a test until after you have submitted your application. You should state on the ‘Further information not covered in other sections’ part of the application form, that you do not have the necessary documents to book the test. You should still prepare for the test before submitting your application as you will be required to pass it within 21 days of us contacting you to make the special arrangements.
How do I transfer my certificate of entitlement to the Right of Abode to my new passport?
Since December 2006, the Home Office no longer undertakes transfers of Right of Abode vignettes. All requests for Certificate of Entitlements to the Right of Abode must be submitted with a fresh application and documents supporting the claim.
Information on the requirements for Certificates of Entitlement to the Right of Abode, may be obtained here.
Are my referees in support of my application suitable?
Further information about referees may be found in page 10 of the Citizenship General Information Booklet found here.
The list is not an exhaustive list; therefore, an individual’s profession may not be listed as acceptable although they may fall under the category of a person of any nationality who is of professional standing or a member of a professional association. If the caseworker is not satisfied with your referee, they may request another.
How do I give up (renounce) British citizenship?
Full details on how to apply can be found on our website here.
POST APPLICATION QUERIES
Will receipt of my application be acknowledged?
When you have made your application using our ‘Online’ system, you will receive an acknowledgement online, and you will not receive an acknowledgement through the post.
I have a valid reason for being unable to register my Biometrics within 15 working days (30 working days for applications made overseas)?
To explain the reason for this, please email us at: NationalityBiometrics@homeoffice.gov.uk
How long will it take for my application to be decided?
Decisions on applications are usually made within six months. However, in respect of naturalisation applications, we make enquiries to ensure that applicants can satisfy the statutory requirements. Some of these enquiries can take longer than six months to complete but we endeavour to conclude applications at the earliest opportunity. As soon as we can reach a decision, applicants or their representatives are notified accordingly.
How do I obtain a copy of my certificate of British nationality?
If your certificate was issued after October 1986 click here
If your certificate was issued before October 1986, a copy will not be held at the Home Office but should be available from The National Archive at:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/contact–us/request–a–search–for–a–certificate–of–britishcitizenship–1949–1986/
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help–with–your–research/researchguides/naturalisation–british–citizenship/
The personal details on my certificate of British nationality are incorrect. Can they be amended?
Further guidance may be found here
How do I obtain confirmation that I have NOT been registered or naturalised as a British national?
Further guidance may be found here. Please note that UKVI do not retain records of grants of citizenship prior to October 1986.
Can the Home Office confirm my previous nationality, status and/or passport details at the time of my British nationality application?
The Home Office is only able to comment on issues relating to British citizenship and so cannot confirm your nationality at the time your application was submitted. If you wish to confirm this information you would need to contact your country’s embassy in the UK.
You may wish to note that we record the personal details of individuals who apply for registration or naturalisation as they are recorded on their application form. This may have been supported by documentation which would have been submitted with your application. Copies of documents are not automatically retained on file.
If you did not receive your passport back, your passport would have been sent to your country’s embassy in the UK.
International and BNO Visa Application Enquiries
This mailbox will only deal with enquiries relating to British Nationality applications made within the UK and outside the UK. Any other enquiries that are not related to British Nationality will not be answered. Relevant contact details can be found on https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk
Where do I find information about European Economic Area (EEA) Nationals and their dependants applying for Settled Status in the UK
Visit https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families for information if you are an EEA national or the family member of an EEA national. Further advice may be obtained by calling our Contact Centre on 0300 1237379.
Where do I find information about immigration?
Further information can be found here or by calling our Contact Centre on 0300 790 6268.
Who should I contact if I wish to report (actual or potential) abuse of the UK’s immigration and nationality laws?
You can complete a form and leave this information by clicking here
The Home Office treats any information received seriously and any such information will be forwarded to the relevant department and investigated accordingly.
We are grateful for any information provided. However, we will not be able to advise you of the progress or results of any investigation relating to this information.
If you wish to make an allegation by post, please write to us at:
Allegations Intel
Post Room, 1st Floor Apollo House
36 Wellesley Road
Croydon, CR9 3RR
You can remain anonymous, but please include as much detail as possible, including home and/or work addresses and postcodes, if you have this information.
What should I do if I have a different nationality related enquiry that has not been covered by this message or by the website links provided?
If you need further information about making a nationality related application, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 0300 790 6268, selecting option 2 if you are calling from the UK.
If your query relates to a British nationality application that has already been submitted, you can call our Customer Contact Centre as above, or you can complete the attached enquiry form and send this to us by email at: FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
We will aim to respond to your enquiry within 20 working days and we respectfully request that you do not chase your enquiry within that time.
Please be advised that currently the maximum file size for us receiving emails (including any attachments) on our system is 25MB.
These limits pertain to the whole email and not just the attachment, so if you send us a large email trail, including multiple emails forwarded without deletion within, that contributes to the final email size.
Please note that a response to an email sent to the
FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk email address will only be answered if it is a nationality related query. If your query relates to your citizenship application, please send the query from the same email address that you have given on your application form.
Details of how to contact other departments within UK Visas and Immigration can be found on our website at: www.gov.uk/contact–ukvi