How to Get UK Citizenship as an Indian Citizen

To get UK citizenship as an Indian citizen, you first need to live in the UK long enough to secure Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), then meet a separate set of naturalisation requirements, apply to the Home Office, and attend a citizenship ceremony. The total application fee is £1,839 as of April 2026, and the journey from first arriving in the UK to holding a British passport typically takes at least six years.1GOV.UK. Home Office Immigration and Nationality Fees, 8 April 2026 One thing to settle before you start: India does not allow dual citizenship, so becoming British means giving up your Indian passport.

India Does Not Permit Dual Citizenship

Under Section 9 of the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country automatically ceases to be an Indian citizen the moment that foreign citizenship is granted.2India Code. The Citizenship Act, 1955 There is no grace period and no option to hold both passports at the same time. The instant you receive your Certificate of Naturalisation at the British citizenship ceremony, your Indian citizenship ends by operation of Indian law.

You are then required to surrender your Indian passport to the Indian High Commission in London. Holding onto an Indian passport after acquiring foreign nationality is a criminal offence under Section 12(1A) of the Indian Passports Act.3High Commission of India, London. Surrender of Indian Passport The surrender itself is done through a VFS service centre appointment, with a £20 fee plus service charges, and you get a Surrender Certificate in return.

Former Indian citizens can then register as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). An OCI card is a lifelong multiple-entry visa to India with no requirement to report to police no matter how long you stay, and it gives you treatment similar to Non-Resident Indians for most financial, economic, and educational purposes.4Ministry of External Affairs, India. OCI Frequently Asked Questions You cannot vote in Indian elections, hold government posts, or buy agricultural or plantation land as an OCI, but for visiting family, managing property, or doing business in India, it removes the need for a visa each time.

Step One: Reach Indefinite Leave to Remain

You cannot apply for British citizenship until you hold ILR or settled status. Getting to ILR is usually the longest part of the whole process, and the route depends on how you came to the UK.

  • Skilled Worker visa. After five continuous years living and working in the UK on a qualifying work visa, you can apply for ILR. You must still be sponsored by your employer and meet the salary requirements at the time you apply.5GOV.UK. Indefinite Leave to Remain if You Have a Skilled Worker Visa
  • Spouse or partner visa. The standard path to ILR is five years for those on a family visa based on a relationship with a British citizen or settled person. Minimum income requirements apply and were raised to £29,000 per year for applications first made on or after 11 April 2024.6GOV.UK. Indefinite Leave to Remain if You Have Family in the UK
  • Long residence. Ten continuous, lawful years in the UK on any combination of visas can qualify you for ILR on long residence grounds.

Each route has its own absence limits, financial thresholds, and documents. Once you hold ILR, the route that got you there stops mattering for citizenship purposes.

Step Two: Meet the Naturalisation Requirements

Once you have ILR, a waiting period usually begins before you can apply for citizenship. The requirements differ if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen.

If You Are Not Married to a British Citizen

You must have held ILR for at least 12 months before applying.7GOV.UK. Check if You Can Become a British Citizen You also need to have lived in the UK for at least five years before the date the Home Office receives your application. Across those five years, you cannot have been absent for more than 450 days total, or more than 90 days in the final 12 months.8GOV.UK. Naturalisation as a British Citizen by Discretion You must also have been physically present in the UK on the exact date five years before the Home Office receives the application.

If You Are Married to a British Citizen

The residency period drops to three years, with a maximum of 270 days of absence overall and no more than 90 days in the final year.9GOV.UK. Apply for Citizenship if Your Spouse Is a British Citizen The 12-month wait after receiving ILR is also waived — you can apply for citizenship as soon as you have ILR or settled status.7GOV.UK. Check if You Can Become a British Citizen

Requirements Everyone Must Meet

Step Three: Documents and Application

Applications are submitted online through GOV.UK. The form covers your personal details, residency history, travel absences, and referees, and you pay by card at the end. As of 8 April 2026, the naturalisation fee is £1,709 plus a £130 citizenship ceremony fee, for a total of £1,839, and it is non-refundable if you are refused.1GOV.UK. Home Office Immigration and Nationality Fees, 8 April 2026

You will need:

  • Your current Indian passport, or a British Travel Document if that applies.
  • Proof of your immigration status through your UKVI account eVisa. Physical BRP cards have been replaced by eVisas; if you have an expired BRP, use it to set up your UKVI account and access your digital status.13GOV.UK. Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs)
  • Evidence of continuous residence across the qualifying period, such as utility bills, tenancy agreements, payslips, or bank statements.
  • Your Life in the UK test certificate.
  • Your English language evidence, whether a SELT certificate or a qualifying degree certificate.
  • Marriage or civil partnership certificate if applying on the spouse route.
  • Details of any convictions, cautions, or penalty notices, from the UK or elsewhere.
  • Two referees who can confirm your identity and good character and meet the criteria in the application form.

After you submit and pay, you book an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to give your fingerprints and photograph. Supporting documents can be uploaded online or scanned at the appointment.14GOV.UK. UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services

After You Apply

The Home Office aims to decide most applications within six months, and if yours will take longer you should be told before that point.15GOV.UK. Apply for Citizenship if You Have Indefinite Leave to Remain or Settled Status – After You’ve Applied Your ILR remains valid the whole time, so you can keep working and travelling, though heavy absences during the wait can raise questions.

There is no formal right of appeal for naturalisation refusals. You can apply for a review using form NR if you believe the decision was not properly based on law, policy, or procedure, or you can submit a fresh application at any time and pay the full fee again.16GOV.UK. Application for Review When British Citizenship Is Refused

The Citizenship Ceremony

If your application is approved, you must attend a citizenship ceremony before you actually become a British citizen. Your local authority organises it, and the invitation usually arrives within a few weeks of the decision.17GOV.UK. Citizenship Ceremonies You make an oath of allegiance to the Crown, or an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God, and a pledge to respect the rights, freedoms, and laws of the UK.

You leave the ceremony with your Certificate of Naturalisation. That is the document you use to apply for a British passport. It is also the moment your Indian citizenship ends under Indian law, so start the passport surrender process with the Indian High Commission as soon as you have your British passport in hand.

A Tax Consequence to Plan For

Becoming British does not itself change your UK tax position, because tax is based on residence rather than citizenship. But long-term UK residence has significant Inheritance Tax consequences that many naturalised citizens miss. Since 6 April 2025, the old domicile-based rules have been replaced by a long-term UK resident test: you become a long-term UK resident for Inheritance Tax purposes once you have been tax resident in the UK for the previous ten consecutive years, or for ten or more years within the previous twenty.18GOV.UK. Inheritance Tax if You’re a Long-Term UK Resident Once you cross that line, Inheritance Tax applies to your worldwide assets, including property, bank accounts, and investments held in India. Since most Indian citizens will have been in the UK at least six years by the time they naturalise, many will hit the ten-year mark within a few years of getting their British passport, and it is worth speaking to a tax adviser who understands both systems before you get there.