British citizenship processing times

Last updated 14 October 2026

The Home Office says you will usually get a decision on a citizenship application within six months of providing your biometrics, and that it will tell you before the six months are up if your case will take longer. Many applications are decided faster; some take considerably longer.

What makes an application slow

Good character enquiries, where there is a criminal record, immigration breach or tax issue to investigate.
Checks with other agencies, including security checks for some nationalities.
Missing or inconsistent documents, particularly travel history and evidence of residence.
Referee problems: a referee who does not meet the requirements or cannot be contacted.
Volume: the Home Office works applications in date order and backlogs vary through the year.

Can you speed it up?

There is no priority service for naturalisation. A well-prepared application with a complete travel history and the right referees is the only reliable way to avoid delay. Your MP can enquire on your behalf after the six months, and in extreme cases a pre-action letter and judicial review can compel a decision.

After approval

You attend a citizenship ceremony within three months of the invitation, receive your certificate, and can then apply for a British passport. Passport applications take several weeks on top.

Travel while waiting

You can travel while a citizenship application is pending, unlike most immigration applications, but you must keep within the absence limits and be available for the ceremony.

If it is overdue

Check the status through the Home Office's contact route, keep records of every chase, and contact us if it has gone well beyond six months with no explanation. See Home Office delays.