Applying for British Passport after Indefinite Leave to Remain

Am I Eligible for a British Passport after Obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain?

Many people often confuse naturalisation and Indefinite Leave to Remain and believe that you can apply for a British passport as soon as you have obtained settled status, however this is not true. Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a status that grants you permanent residence in the United Kingdom. With ILR you can live, study and work in the UK free from any time restrictions.

Whilst ILR and British citizenship both allow you to live in the UK permanently, they do differ. One of the main differences is that you cannot be eligible for a UK passport with Indefinite Leave to Remain. In order to obtain a UK passport you must be a British citizen. Although you cannot be eligible as a person with ILR, you can use your ILR status as a route towards British citizenship after which you would be eligible for a UK passport.

Having British nationality does not guarantee that you can get a UK passport, your application can still be refused if:

• you’re suspected of a serious crime and an arrest warrant has been issued
• a court order stops you having a UK passport or restricts your travel
• you’re on bail and bail conditions mean you cannot leave the UK
• you’ve been brought back to the UK before at the government’s expense and have not repaid what you owe
• you’ve received a European Union or United Nations order which restricts your travel

Benefits of a British Passport for ILR Holders Who Naturalise

A British passport is one of the most powerful passports in the world that you can obtain. Having a UK passport will make travel significantly easier for many. A UK passport can be used to travel freely in and out of the United Kingdom. British passports are so powerful because they allow for visa-free travel to 139 countries across the globe.

You can also travel to 7 countries with just travel authorization obtained online and a further 38 countries in which you can apply for a visa upon your arrival rather than prior to it. A UK passport can also be used to prove your status as a British Citizen. Having British Citizenship comes with many other types of rights, including the right to vote in all UK elections, stand for office and access free healthcare on the NHS.

Can You Keep Your Foreign Passport After Getting a British Passport?

For many people, one of the first questions after naturalisation is whether they must give up their existing passport. The short answer is: not as far as the UK is concerned.

The UK permits dual nationality, meaning you are free to hold a British passport alongside your original country’s passport. You do not need to renounce your previous citizenship to become a British citizen.

However, the UK’s position is only half the picture. Your original country may have different rules, and some nations do not recognise or permit dual citizenship so acquiring British nationality could, in some cases, result in automatic loss of your original citizenship. It is essential to check with your home country’s embassy or consulate before proceeding.

US citizens are a notable example where dual nationality is straightforward as the United States permits citizens to hold British citizenship simultaneously without requiring renunciation.

It is your responsibility to check your country’s rules before applying for naturalisation. The UK government will not advise on foreign nationality law.

How to Apply for British Citizenship After ILR: Step-by-Step

If you have Indefinite Leave to Remain you can still obtain a UK passport by applying to become a British citizen through the process of naturalisation. Naturalisation is the process that overseas citizens use to become a British national. Americans can still retain their US citizenship whilst also holding British citizenship, this is called dual citizenship. To be eligible to apply for citizenship this way you must have lived in the UK with settled status for at least 12 months, unless applying as the Spouse of a British citizen. As well as holding Indefinite Leave to Remain for 12 months, there are several other requirements that you will need to meet before you apply for British citizenship, you must:

• Be over the age of 18
• Pass the Life in the UK Test
• Have lived in the UK for 5 years or more
• Not have been in breach of any immigration rules whilst you have lived in the UK
• Demonstrate that you can meet the good character requirement

Citizens from the United States are not required to demonstrate their knowledge of the English language, but you may need to do this if you are not a US national. When you apply for British citizenship you will be required to provide evidence that you have been living in the UK for at least 5 years and that you meet the other requirements. If your application is approved, the final part of the process is to attend the British citizenship ceremony. Once you have done this you will officially be a British national.

How Long After ILR Can You Apply for British Citizenship?

Once you have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain, British citizenship is the natural next step for many — but timing your application correctly is essential.

The standard rule is that you must hold ILR for at least 12 months before applying to naturalise as a British citizen. Alongside this, you must have lived in the UK for at least five years (or three years if you are the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen), with no more than 450 days spent outside the UK across that five-year period, and no more than 90 days absent in the final 12 months.

One practical point many applicants miss: your 12-month wait begins from the date ILR was granted, not the date your BRP or eVisa was issued, which can sometimes differ.

It is also worth noting that the 2025 Immigration White Paper proposes extending the qualifying period for ILR itself to ten years for most routes. This is not yet law, but if enacted, it would significantly delay the citizenship pathway for future applicants.

What Happens to Your ILR After You Get British Citizenship?

Once you have successfully naturalised as a British citizen, your Indefinite Leave to Remain effectively becomes redundant. You no longer need it as your right to live in the UK is now grounded in citizenship, not immigration leave.

Your biometric residence permit (BRP) or eVisa record will no longer apply as evidence of your status. Your certificate of naturalisation and, subsequently, your British passport become your primary identity and travel documents.

This distinction matters for one important reason: ILR can lapse. If you leave the UK for more than two years, your ILR may be lost entirely. British citizenship carries no such risk as it is permanent and cannot lapse due to time spent abroad.

It is also worth noting that children born in the UK after one parent was granted ILR may already be British citizens by birth. If so, they can apply for a British passport directly, without needing to go through the naturalisation process.

If you are unsure of your child’s citizenship status, checking this early can save considerable time and cost down the line.

How to Apply for a British Passport After Naturalisation

Once you have become a British citizen and attended your citizenship ceremony, you can apply for your first UK passport straight away. You can apply online using the application form available on the gov.uk website or you can also get an application form from your local UK post office and apply by post.

What Documents Do You Need to Apply for a British Passport After Naturalisation

When applying, there are several documents you will need to submit, they include:

• A certificate of naturalisation or registration
• The passport you used to enter the UK
• If applying with a paper form you will need to send two passport sized photographs, one of which must be signed by a countersignatory to prove your identity

You must submit original copies of the above documents. After you apply, you may need to attend a passport interview to prove your identity. Following the application you should allow up to 10 weeks to receive your passport.

British Passport Application Fees After ILR and Naturalisation

Understanding the full cost of the journey from ILR to a British passport helps you plan ahead. Here is a breakdown of the key fees involved at each stage.

The Life in the UK Test costs £50 per attempt. Passing this is a prerequisite for most naturalisation applications.

The naturalisation application (Form AN) currently carries a fee of £1,709 and is one of the most significant costs in the process and non-refundable if your application is refused.

Once you receive your certificate of naturalisation, your first British passport costs £102 if applied for online, or £115.50 by post. Note that no fast-track or urgent service is available for first-time passport applicants.