You have the right to live in the United Kingdom for the rest of your life if you are a British citizen. You are free to live, work, study, claim benefits, and apply for a British passport in the United Kingdom. Depending on your circumstances, you can apply for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’).
The main ways to get UK citizenship are:
• British Citizenship by Decent
If you were born outside the UK and had a parent who was a British citizen at the time of your birth, you may be automatically classified as a British citizen by descent. Your parent may have been born or adopted in the United Kingdom, obtained British citizenship, or worked as a Crown.
• British Citizen by Birth
Not everyone born in the United Kingdom becomes a British citizen automatically. It is determined by where and when you were born if you are a British citizen by birth. If you were born in the United Kingdom before January 1, 1983, you are most certainly a British citizen by birth. If at least one of your parents was a British citizen or settled in the UK when you were born, you will probably be a British citizen by birth if you were born in the UK after this date.
• British Citizenship by Marriage
To apply as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen you must have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. You’ll also need to have either indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
• British Citizenship by Naturalization
There are two main ways to gain citizenship through naturalization, as follows:
a. If you have indefinite leave to remain or EU Settled Status
b. If you are married to or the civil partner of a British citizen
• Settled status to British citizenship 5-year route
If you have lived in the UK for at least 5 years and have held one of the followings for at least 1 year, you can apply for citizenship through naturalization:
● Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK
● Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme
● Indefinite Leave to Enter the UK