Overview
To become a UK citizen, a person must first become a settled person or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) holder in the UK. This means that the individual has been granted the right to live and work in the UK without any time restrictions.
Once the individual has obtained ILR, they may be eligible to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. To be eligible for naturalisation, the following requirements must be met:
- The individual must have lived in the UK for at least five years (or three years if married to a British citizen).
- The individual must not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period (or 270 days during the three-year period).
- The individual must not have any criminal convictions or be in breach of any immigration laws.
- The individual must have passed the Life in the UK test, which assesses their knowledge of British culture, customs, and history.
- The individual must have an appropriate level of English language ability.
Once the individual meets these requirements, they can submit an application for naturalisation as a British citizen. If the application is approved, the individual will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony, where they will pledge allegiance to the UK and be presented with their certificate of British citizenship.