Citizenship · Guide

How much does British citizenship cost in 2026?

Becoming a British citizen costs most adults £1,839 in Home Office fees. That is the figure on GOV.UK, but it is not the whole bill. Tests, a passport, children's applications and the fees you pay again if something goes wrong all add to it.

Vishal Gautam, IAA-regulated adviser (Level 1)
Last reviewed 25 October 2026 · 4 min read

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Rules checked 25 October 2026. Every fee comes from the Home Office fees table in force from 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK, checked 25 October 2026. Rules change, so check the date before you rely on it.

This guide lists every cost, who pays which one, and what a typical family should budget in 2026.

The fees at a glance

These are the Home Office fees in force from 8 October 2026:

Fee	Who pays it	Amount
Naturalisation application	Most adults, including spouses of British citizens	£1,709
Citizenship ceremony	Every adult who becomes British	£130
Life in the UK Test	Adults who need it, each time they sit it	£50
Registering a child under 18	Each child	£1,000
Registering an adult	Adults who qualify to register rather than naturalise	£1,540
Priority service (optional)	Online applications made in the UK	£500
Nationality review	If you ask the Home Office to look again at a refusal	£513

There is no immigration health surcharge on a citizenship application.

What a single adult usually pays

For one adult with indefinite leave to remain, the usual total is:

£1,709 for the naturalisation application
£130 for the citizenship ceremony
£50 for the Life in the UK Test, if you haven’t already passed it
£102 for a first adult British passport applied for online (£115.50 on a paper form)

That comes to £1,991, plus an English test if you need one. If you already passed an approved English test at B1 or above for your settlement application, or you have a degree taught in English, you may be able to use that instead.

Quick check

Could you qualify? Six questions, one minute

Nothing is saved or sent. This is a general guide, not advice on your case.

Are you 18 or over, with ILR, indefinite leave to enter or settled status?Some EU and EEA citizens with pre-settled status can also apply.
Have you held that status for at least 12 months?Not needed if you’re married to a British citizen.
Were you in the UK on the date exactly 5 years before you’ll apply?The Home Office counts back from the day it receives your application.
Have you spent 450 days or fewer outside the UK in those 5 years, and 90 or fewer in the last 12 months?Only whole days count. The days you leave and return don’t.
Have you passed the Life in the UK test, and do you have English at B1 or above?Exempt if you’re 65 or over, or a long-term condition prevents it.
Is your record clear of convictions, immigration breaches and illegal entry?Include cautions, fines and convictions abroad, even spent ones.

Answer the questions to see where you stand.

What a family pays

Take a couple with indefinite leave to remain and one child who was born abroad before they settled:

Two naturalisation applications with ceremonies: 2 × £1,839 = £3,678
Registering the child: £1,000
Two Life in the UK Tests: £100
Passports: two adult passports at £102 and one child passport at £66.50 = £270.50

Total: £5,048.50, before any English tests. Every fee is per person, so the bill grows with each family member.

This is an illustration, not a quote for your family.

Married to a British citizen

If your husband, wife or civil partner is British, the fee is the same £1,839. What changes is the timing: you can apply as soon as you have indefinite leave to remain, without waiting 12 months, and the residence period is 3 years rather than 5.

Children: £1,000 each, and sometimes nothing

Each child under 18 costs £1,000 to register. If your child turns 18 during the application, you also pay the £130 ceremony fee.

Two points can save you money:

A child born in the UK after you got indefinite leave to remain may already be British automatically. You would then only need their passport.
If your child is under 18 and you can’t afford the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver.

Registering through a British parent

Some people can register as British because of a parent. The cost depends on when and where you were born. Some applicants pay only the £130 ceremony fee, while others pay £1,000. Check which group you are in before you budget. Our British citizenship by descent page explains the routes.

The costs people forget

Indefinite leave to remain first. Most people need it before they can naturalise. It costs £3,226 per person. See our 5-year ILR guide.
Retaking the Life in the UK Test. You pay £50 every time you sit it.
The English test. Prices vary by provider, so check before you book.
The priority service. £500 gets most online applications decided within 30 working days instead of the usual 6 months. There is no super priority service for citizenship.
A refusal. The application fee is generally lost if you are refused, and asking for a nationality review costs another £513.

How to keep the cost down

The most expensive mistake is paying £1,709 for an application that was never going to succeed. Before you apply:

Count your days outside the UK against the limits for your route.
Check anything that could affect good character, including immigration history, finances and any convictions.
Use an English qualification you already have, if it still counts.
Check whether a child born in the UK is already British before paying to register them.

Our naturalisation page covers the requirements in full, with a quick check you can do in a minute.

Sources

Home Office, immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026
GOV.UK, Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain and if your spouse is a British citizen
GOV.UK, Life in the UK Test
GOV.UK, Passport fees
GOV.UK, Get a faster decision on your visa, settlement or citizenship application

Speak to us

If you’d like us to check your eligibility before you pay the Home Office, book a consultation. This guide is general information, correct on 25 October 2026. It is not advice on your own case.

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About the author

Vishal Gautam

Principal adviser at V Immigration Ltd, regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1 (organisation F202638454). Vishal advises individuals and employers in Birmingham and London. Appeals and complex cases are referred to a solicitor or higher-level adviser.

This article is general information, current at the date shown. It is not legal advice on your case.

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