How Much Does British Citizenship Cost in 2026?

British citizenship (naturalisation) costs £1,839 in total from 8 April 2026. That is a £1,709 application fee plus a £130 citizenship ceremony fee. Child citizenship registration costs £1,000 per child. These fees are paid when you submit your application — not after a decision.

Key Facts at a Glance

Cost Item	Amount (from 8 April 2026)
Adult naturalisation application fee	£1,709
Citizenship ceremony fee	£130
Total for adult naturalisation	£1,839
Child citizenship registration	£1,000 per child
Application fee — refundable if refused?	No
When do you pay?	At application submission
Passport (not included)	£102 adult / £66.50 child (standard online application)
Life in the UK test (separate)	£50

Quick Overview

✅ The total for adult naturalisation is £1,839 — the ceremony fee is included, not separate
✅ Child registration costs £1,000 per child — this is a separate registration, not naturalisation
⚠️ The application fee is not refunded if your application is refused
⚠️ A British passport is NOT included — it is an additional cost after you receive citizenship
📌 Both adults in a couple must apply separately — there is no joint application or reduced rate
📌 The £1,839 comes on top of the ILR fee (£3,226) — budget for both as part of the full journey
💡 Once you have citizenship, you never need to renew or pay again — it is permanent
💡 The cost is significant, but compare it to renewing a Skilled Worker visa every 2-3 years

The Total Cost — £1,839 for Adults

From 8 April 2026, the total cost of British citizenship through naturalisation is £1,839 per adult. This breaks down as:

Application fee: £1,709
Citizenship ceremony fee: £130
Total: £1,839

You pay the full £1,839 when you submit your Form AN application. The ceremony fee is not charged separately later. You pay it upfront as part of the application.

The ceremony itself is conducted by your local council. It is where you take the Oath of Allegiance and receive your certificate of naturalisation. It must be attended within a set period after approval.

Child Citizenship — £1,000 Per Child

Children cannot be naturalised — they are registered as British citizens. The fee for child citizenship registration is £1,000 per child from 8 April 2026.

This is a separate process from the parents' naturalisation. Each child needs their own application and pays the full £1,000 fee.

This is a high cost for child citizenship registration. A family of two adults and two children faces:

2 × £1,839 (adults) = £3,678
2 × £1,000 (children) = £2,000
Total citizenship fees: £5,678

And that comes after paying ILR fees of £3,226 per person.

Use our free citizenship planner to calculate your total citizenship cost based on your route, number of children, and which tests you have already passed.

What the Citizenship Fee Does NOT Include

A British passport: After receiving citizenship, you can apply for a British passport. This is a separate fee. An adult standard passport costs £102 (online application). A child passport costs £66.50. A 54-page frequent traveller passport is £14 more. Budget for this if getting a British passport is your goal.

Immigration adviser fees: If you use an OISC-regulated adviser to prepare your Form AN, you pay them separately. Adviser fees vary widely.

Document translation: If any of your supporting documents are not in English, you may need certified translations. This adds cost.

The Life in the UK test: The £50 test fee was paid separately when you booked the test. It is not part of the citizenship application fee.

Is the Fee Refunded if You Are Refused?

No. The citizenship application fee of £1,709 is not refunded if your application is refused. The ceremony fee of £130 is refunded if your application is refused, as the ceremony will not have taken place.

This means a refused application costs you the full £1,839 with nothing to show for it. It is essential to make sure you genuinely meet all the British citizenship requirements before submitting.

How Does This Compare to the ILR Cost?

Most people apply for citizenship after first obtaining ILR. The ILR fee is £3,226 per person. So the full journey cost — ILR plus citizenship — per adult is:

ILR: £3,226
Citizenship: £1,839
Total per adult: £5,065

For a family of two adults:

ILR (2 × £3,226): £6,452
Citizenship (2 × £1,839): £3,678
Total for 2 adults: £10,130

This does not include the Life in the UK test, B1 English test, passport fees, or adviser fees.

The Full Journey Cost — A Realistic Picture

This is significant money. It is worth naming that plainly. For many families, this represents months of savings. The fees have increased over time and may increase further.

Some practical notes:

You cannot avoid the fees by using a solicitor instead. Legal fees come on top of Home Office fees. There is no route that bypasses the application fee.

Fee waivers are not available for naturalisation. The Home Office does not offer fee waivers for citizenship applications from adults.

Plan years ahead. Treating ILR and citizenship as planned expenses — saving monthly from the day you arrive — makes the cumulative cost far more manageable.

When You Pay

You pay the full citizenship fee when you submit your Form AN application online through GOV.UK. Payment is taken immediately on submission. Your application does not enter the queue until payment is confirmed.

You cannot pay in instalments. You cannot reserve a place while gathering funds.

After You Receive Citizenship — Ongoing Costs

Once you are a British citizen, there are no ongoing immigration fees. You do not renew a visa. You do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Your status is permanent and cannot be taken away except in very specific circumstances.

A British passport renewal is periodic — roughly every 10 years. That is the only recurring cost after citizenship is granted.

Common Mistakes

❌ Forgetting that both spouses must apply and pay separately A couple applying for citizenship together pays 2 × £1,839 = £3,678. There is no joint application, no discount for applying together, and no reduced rate for spouses. Each person is assessed individually.

❌ Not budgeting for the passport as a separate cost Many people see the citizenship fee and assume they will have a British passport included. They do not. After citizenship, you apply for a passport separately and pay a separate passport fee.

❌ Applying for citizenship before completing the 12-month ILR requirement On the standard route, you must have held ILR for at least 12 months before applying. Applying too early means your application will be refused — and the fee is not refunded.

❌ Assuming the fee is the same as ILR The ILR fee (£3,226) and the citizenship fee (£1,839) are different amounts. Both apply to the same person — ILR comes first, then citizenship a year later. Budget for both.

❌ Not checking current fees before applying Fees change. The figures in this article are correct as of 8 April 2026. Always check GOV.UK immediately before submitting your application to confirm the current fee.

Expert Tips

Plan for the full journey cost from day one. If citizenship is your eventual goal, the total per adult for ILR + citizenship is around £5,065. Dividing this across 6 years of saving is around £70 per month per person. Start early.
Pass the Life in the UK test before your ILR application. The same pass notification letter is used for both ILR and citizenship applications. You do not need to retake the test. Saving £50 per person and avoiding the hassle is a small but real benefit.
Apply for citizenship as soon as the 12-month ILR period is complete. There is no benefit to waiting. Every month you delay is another month without a British passport and another month of potential fee increases.
Children's citizenship may be urgent if they are approaching 18. The rules for registering a child as British change at 18. If your child is approaching that age, get advice on their route before they turn 18 and the options narrow.
Use a regulated immigration adviser for complex situations. If there are gaps in your residence, absences approaching the limit, or any good character issues, a regulated adviser can assess your application before you submit. The cost of advice is far less than the cost of a refused application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Adult naturalisation costs £1,839 total from 8 April 2026 — £1,709 application fee plus £130 for the citizenship ceremony. Child citizenship registration costs £1,000 per child.

Is the citizenship ceremony fee included in the £1,839?

Yes. The £130 ceremony fee is included in the total £1,839. You pay it at the point of application. You do not pay it separately after approval.

Can I get a refund if my application is refused?

The application fee of £1,709 is not refunded on refusal. Check all the citizenship requirements carefully before applying to avoid losing this money.

Do I get a British passport when I get citizenship?

No. A British passport is separate and costs an additional fee. After receiving your certificate of naturalisation, you apply for a passport as a separate process.

Does my partner pay a separate fee?

Yes. Each person must submit their own application and pay the full £1,839. There is no joint application or reduced rate for couples applying together.

Has the citizenship fee increased recently?

Yes. Fees were increased on 8 April 2026. The figures in this article reflect those updated fees. Always verify the current fee on GOV.UK before submitting.

Can I pay the citizenship fee in instalments?

No. The full fee is payable at the time of submitting the application. The Home Office does not offer payment plans for citizenship fees.

How This Aligns With Official Guidance

The fees stated in this article are drawn from the Home Office immigration fees document updated on 8 April 2026. Naturalisation fees and child registration fees are published on GOV.UK and updated when the Home Office changes its fee schedule. The refund policy is set out in the Home Office guidance on nationality applications.

Official Resources

Our Free Tools

The Life in the UK test is required for citizenship. These are completely free:

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The citizenship journey has a clear total cost. Work backwards from when you want citizenship, budget for both the ILR fee and citizenship fee, and start the Life in the UK test preparation with free practice here. Every step you complete brings the final cost closer and the goal more certain.

Last reviewed: April 2026 — figures correct at time of publication. Always check GOV.UK for the latest fees and requirements.