You can apply for British citizenship if you hold settled status under the EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme). Settled status is also known as ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) under the EU Settlement Scheme. The scheme is for citizens of the EU, other EEA nations (Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein), or Switzerland who started residing in the UK by 31 December 2020 and their family members.

Usually, you must have held settled status for 12 months before you can apply for British citizenship through naturalisation, but if you are a spouse or a civil partner of a British citizen, you can apply immediately after obtaining settled status. 

What is EUSS - Settled status?

Settled status is a special form of ILR that allows eligible EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members to live, work, and study permanently in the UK without any immigration restrictions. An eligible national here means a person from the EU, other EEA nations (Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein), or Switzerland who started residing in the UK by 31 December 2020. For most people, the last date to apply to the EUSS was 30 June 2021. However, in certain circumstances you may still be able to apply for the EUSS even if you did not apply by this deadline if you qualify under the Immigration Rules or can show there were reasonable grounds for missing the deadline.  

Who can apply for British Citizenship After Settled Status Under the EU Settlement Scheme?

You can normally apply for British citizenship if you have lived in the UK for 5 years and have held settled status for at least 12 months. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the residence period is normally 3 years and you can apply as soon as you hold settled status, without waiting a further 12 months.

In addition, you must also:

• be aged over 18

• prove you were in the UK at the start of the relevant qualifying residence period: normally exactly 5 years before the application, or exactly 3 years before the application if applying as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen

• be able to prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic

• have booked and passed the ‘Life in the UK’ test 

• show that you intend to continue living in the UK if applying under the standard 5-year naturalisation route; this future-intentions requirement does not apply to an application made as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen

• be of good character

Residency requirements

You must have resided in the UK for at least 5 years prior to the date of your citizenship application without breaking any UK immigration laws.

For the purpose of calculating 5 years' residence, you are not allowed to include any time spent in the UK when you are exempt from immigration control as a diplomat, member of the staff of a diplomat or their household, or a member of visiting armed forces.

What if you have spent time outside the UK during the qualifying residence period?

You should not have:

• Been absent from the UK or spent time outside the UK for more than 450 days during the 5 years before your application

• Been absent from the UK or spent time outside the UK for more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months

• Broken or violated any UK immigration laws (for example, entering the UK without permission or living illegally in the UK)

If you are applying as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen, the usual absence limit is 270 days during the 3-year qualifying period and 90 days during the final 12 months, subject to the Home Secretary’s discretion.

When you apply for citizenship, the Home Office will ask you to provide information about the time you have spent outside the UK during the periods mentioned above. You should provide as much detail as you can using your own records, such as boarding passes, flight booking confirmations, emails, passport stamps (if available), or travel itineraries. The Home Office will check its own immigration records and fill in any gaps or make any corrections for you. This does not mean you can leave the travel section blank or make no effort to provide information about time you have spent outside the UK.

When to apply for citizenship after settled status?

You must have been physically present in the UK on the day exactly five years before the Home Office receives your citizenship application. If you apply online, the Home Office will receive your application on the same day. Applying by post will take longer for your application to be received by the Home Office. 

Your application may be rejected if you fail to meet this condition. However, rejection of your application will depend on the reason why you were not in the UK on the specified day. The Home Office will consider if there are special circumstances because of which you were not in the UK on the specified day, for example:

• you were not able to live in the UK when your 5-year period started because of health reasons or travel restrictions

• you were asked to leave the UK during the 5 years, but that decision was later overturned

How to apply for British citizenship after settled status?

You can apply yourself or use an agent or representative. 

If you apply yourself, you can apply online or by post using the form AN. If you apply from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, you have to apply in person or by post instead. You should check which option you can choose with your governor’s office.

If you use an agent or representative, they are usually a private company or individual who can help you with your citizenship application and provide advice.

Your agent or representative should be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). You can also use some barristers or solicitors who are not registered with the IAA.

What are the documents for citizenship after settled status?

You will need to provide various supporting documents along with your citizenship application.

Common documents include:

• Evidence of identity such as your passport, National identity card, Home Office travel document, or your birth certificate.

• Your passports or travel documents or Home Office records as evidence of meeting residence requirements. If you do not have passports to cover the qualifying period, you should explain why and supply employer’s letters (this should include start and finish dates) or tax and National Insurance letters, payslips, educational establishments or other government departments showing your presence in the United Kingdom during the relevant period.

• Evidence of your settled status under the EUSS will suffice for your lawful residence in the UK during the qualifying period.

• Evidence of KOLL (Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK). If you were exempt from meeting the English language requirement when you were granted settled status, you will be required to submit an exemption form again when you apply for citizenship.

You are not required to send your documents anywhere. You can upload copies of your documents into the online service or have them scanned at your UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services) appointment.

Enrolment of your biometric for citizenship after settled status

As part of your British citizenship application after settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will be required to give your biometric information (your fingerprints and photograph) at a UKVCAS. 

You will be told where to enrol your biometric information after you apply.

Pay the application fee for citizenship after settled status

The total naturalisation cost is currently £1,839, made up of a £1,709 application fee and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee.

Please note that there’s no fee for giving your biometrics.

Wait for a decision on your application for citizenship after settled status

It usually takes up to 6 months to get a decision. However, it can take longer. If yours will take longer, the Home Office will tell you before 6 months have passed. They will tell you if you need to provide more information to help with your application.

Get a decision

If your application is successful, you will be required to attend a citizenship ceremony within 3 months of receiving your invitation from the Home Office. 

During the citizenship ceremony, you will be required to make an oath of allegiance (or an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge, which means you promise to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK.

You will be given your certificate of British citizenship and a welcome pack at the end of the citizenship ceremony.

How can Visa and Migration Ltd. Help?

We can help you apply for British citizenship after settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. We will ensure you meet all the requirements, have documents in place, and that there is no reason for refusal, and if there are, address them properly. If the Home Office needs more information or documents, we can help you with that as well to avoid any delay. 

If you are unsure of how to apply, what documents to include, and how to demonstrate if your situation warrants citizenship, and want expert advice on citizenship application after the settled status under the EUSS in 2026, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com