Settlement and Citizenship

To naturalise as a British citizen, most applicants aged 18 to 64 must show knowledge of life in the UK and English language ability. Many people meet both when they get indefinite leave to remain, but it is worth checking before you apply. The Life in the UK test The test is booked online through GOV.UK and costs £50 It has 24 multiple-choice questions and lasts 45 minutes You need to answer at least 18 questions correctly to pass You only need to pass once; a pass used for

Physical biometric residence permits have been replaced by eVisas, a digital record of your immigration status held in your UKVI account. Creating your UKVI account You need a UKVI account to view and use your eVisa. You create it online, verify your identity and link your passport. Proving your status Employers check your right to work with a share code Landlords in England check your right to rent with a share code Share codes are generated from the View and Prove service a

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) lets you live in the UK without a time limit. This checklist covers the five-year routes as they stand in October 2026. Has the five-year rule changed? Not yet. The government consulted on an earned settlement model, with a proposed ten-year baseline, between November 2025 and February 2026. As at October 2026 those proposals are not in the Immigration Rules, and most work and family routes still lead to ILR after five years. Applications are

What is the New Priority Service? Applicants can now choose a Priority Service when submitting an eligible British citizenship application by paying an additional fee of £500. The Home Office states that applications submitted using this service should normally receive a decision within 30 working days from the date the applicant attends their biometric appointment. How Much Does the Priority Service Cost? The Priority Service fee is: £500 (in addition to the standard Home Of