Irish citizens will be able to access a cheaper, more streamlined route to British citizenship from 22 July 2025.
The Home Office made an announcement on the new provisions on 3 July 2025.
What are the requirements for the new registration process?
Irish citizens will need to meet the following requirements to be eligible:
- They must have been living in the UK for at least the last 5 years before they apply
- They must have been physically present in the UK on the start date they seek to rely on);
- Unless waived in special circumstances, their absences from the
UK must not be more than:
- 450 days in the 5-year period; and
- 90 days in the 12 months leading up to their application;
- They have not been in the UK in breach of immigration laws at any time during the 5-year period; and
- They are of good character.
For the purposes of the route, 'the UK' includes Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and the British overseas territories.
There is no requirement to meet an English language requirement for this route, or to pass the Life in the UK Test.
To complete the process, applicants aged 18 or over must normally attend a citizenship ceremony.
What will registration under this route cost?
The application fee will be £723 for adults and £607 for children. Fee waivers will be made available for children looked after by a local authority and those who can demonstrate they can't afford the fee.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
