Lori Meadows
If you're an international student who wants to become a UK citizen, there are a few different routes you could take. The most common way is to first apply for a Student visa, which allows you to stay in the UK for the duration of your studies. After you graduate, you can apply for a Graduate visa, which will allow you to stay in the UK for up to three years. During this time, you can gain the necessary skills and experience to obtain a Skilled Worker visa, which is employer-sponsored and valid for five years. Once you've held this visa for five years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, which will allow you to become a permanent resident of the UK. After holding this status for 12 months, you can finally apply for British citizenship. It's important to note that there are other routes to gaining British citizenship, such as marriage to a UK citizen, and that the requirements for citizenship may change depending on your country of origin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | You must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years and have had one of the following for 12 months: indefinite leave to remain, settled status, indefinite leave to enter the UK, or be an EEA/Switzerland national |
| Application Process | Apply for citizenship with biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) and pay a fee of £1,735 (including a £130 citizenship ceremony fee) |
| Additional Requirements | Must be over 18 years old, have no significant changes in circumstances, and not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months before applying |
| Post-Study Options | Obtain a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for 2-3 years after studies, or seek an employer with a Tier 2 sponsor license for a 5-year visa |
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What You'll Learn
Student visa requirements
To study in the UK as an international student, you will most likely need a Student Visa. This visa allows you to live and study in the UK for the duration of your course. The Student Visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.
- You must be 16 or over and planning to study a course at the higher education level in the UK lasting longer than six months.
- You will need to prove your identity as part of your application.
- If you are doing a master's degree or above, you may need to apply for the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
- You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances, such as proof of parental consent if you are under 18, or written consent from your financial sponsor if you have received sponsorship.
- You will need to pay a visa fee of £524 per applicant. There is also a healthcare surcharge as part of your application, the cost of which depends on how long your visa lasts.
- You must apply before your current visa expires. The earliest you can apply is six months before your course starts, and your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.
- You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your course starts.
- You may be able to bring your partner and children ('dependants').
- You may be able to work, but the number of hours depends on your visa and university rules.
Extending Your Visa
You might be able to extend your visa to stay longer in the UK. To do so, you will need to pay £524. You will need to prove your identity as part of your application, and you will usually get a decision within eight weeks.
Switching to a Different Visa
After completing your degree, you can seek to find an employer in the UK who offers a job placement and has a Tier 2 sponsor license. Under their sponsorship, you can get a visa that lasts for five years, after which you can seek to become a permanent resident.
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Post-study work visas
International students can apply for a Graduate Route visa to stay and work in the UK after graduation. This visa allows graduates to work or look for work, and it lasts for 2 years. If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, the visa will be valid for 3 years. It is important to note that you cannot extend this visa, but you may be able to switch to a different type of visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa.
To be eligible for a Graduate visa, you must have studied a UK bachelor's degree, postgraduate degree, or other eligible course for a minimum period with a valid Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa. Your education provider must also confirm to the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course.
If you are unable to obtain a Graduate visa, there are other options to stay and work in the UK after your studies. One option is to find an employer in the UK who offers a job placement and has a Tier 2 sponsor license. Under their sponsorship, you can obtain a Tier 2 visa, which is valid for 5 years. If you are a national of an EEA country or Switzerland, you can become a permanent resident after your Tier 2 visa expires.
Another option is to switch from a Tier 4 or Student Route visa to a Skilled Worker visa. Most applicants will be considered ''new entrants' and will need to meet a minimum salary requirement of £30,960 or 70% of the going rate for the job, whichever is higher.
The Graduate Immigration Route visa (GIR visa) is another option for international students who want to stay and work in the UK after graduation. Dependants who are already in the UK as Tier 4/Student Route dependants can apply as your GIR dependants. New dependants cannot apply, except for dependent children born in the UK during your GIR visa period. Each dependent must complete a separate application form, and you will need to provide your GIR visa application reference number, known as a Unique Application Number (UAN).
The cost of the standard visa application for students and dependants is £880. Additionally, you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the visa application, which costs £1,035 per year. From mid-January 2024, the IHS fee will increase to £1,035 per year. You can be employed or self-employed under this visa, but if you wish to be self-employed, you must wait until your GIR visa has been successfully granted.
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Indefinite leave to remain
To be eligible for ILR, you must have lived in the UK for at least five years. This five-year period is counted exclusively as time spent under one of the following immigration statuses:
- Settled status
- Indefinite leave to enter the UK (permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad)
- You are from the EU, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (or are a family member of someone from these places) and have been working, looking for work (for up to three months), studying, or are self-sufficient.
It is important to note that time spent in the UK on a student visa does not count towards the five-year requirement for ILR. However, once you have completed your degree, you may be able to switch to a different type of visa, such as a Graduate visa, which allows international students to stay in the UK for up to three years after their studies. This time spent on a Graduate visa can then count towards the five-year requirement for ILR.
After obtaining ILR, you can apply for British citizenship. The application for citizenship costs £1,735, which includes a £130 citizenship ceremony fee. To apply, you must be over 18 years old and have lived in the UK for at least 12 months under ILR status. You must also not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months leading up to your citizenship application.
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Application fees
As an international student, there are no specific law regulations that make you eligible to seek British citizenship. Your student visa does not allow you to change your civil status as a regular UK resident. However, once you have completed your degree, you can explore options to switch your visa type and remain in the UK for longer.
To apply for citizenship, you must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years and have had one of the following for 12 months: indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or indefinite leave to enter the UK. If you are married to a British citizen, you do not need to wait 12 months to apply.
The fees associated with applying for British citizenship include the application fee and additional costs such as the citizenship ceremony fee, biometric enrolment, language test fees, and legal advice.
The standard adult naturalisation application fee is £1,605, and the citizenship ceremony costs an additional £130. Biometric enrolment, which includes fingerprints, photos, and signatures, costs £19.20. The Life in the UK test costs £50 per attempt, and if you need to resit, you must pay the fee again. If you need to prove your English language proficiency, you must take an approved language test, which can cost upwards of £150. Certified document translations are required if your original supporting documents are not in English or Welsh.
It is important to note that Home Office fees are subject to change, so applicants should check the official website for the most up-to-date information before submitting their application.
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Citizenship ceremony
Once you have applied for citizenship, you will need permission to stay in the UK until you are granted citizenship. This permission must last until you have had your citizenship ceremony. This ceremony costs £130 and you will be told how to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) after you have applied.
If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, this counts as permission to stay. You can apply for ILR after you have spent a certain period of time in the UK, typically five years. You must have held ILR for 12 months before you are eligible to become a British citizen, and your circumstances must not have changed significantly. If you are married to a British citizen, you can apply for citizenship as soon as you receive ILR status.
If you are on a student visa, this does not count towards your citizenship unless combined with the 10-year route. If you can get sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa, you will qualify for settlement after five years on that route and then citizenship a year after that. A family visa would also qualify you for settlement in five years, and then citizenship either immediately (if married to a British citizen) or after another year.
In July 2021, the UK government introduced a post-study work visa called the Graduate Visa. This visa allows international students to stay in the UK for two to three years after successfully completing their studies. While on a Graduate Visa, you can gain the necessary skills and experience to obtain a Skilled Worker Visa.
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Frequently asked questions
To become a UK citizen, you must first apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which is possible after spending a certain period in the UK, typically five years. Once you have ILR, you must hold it for 12 months before becoming eligible for British citizenship.
To be eligible for a Student Visa, you must have an unconditional offer from an approved educational institution. You will also need to demonstrate that you can pay for your course and your monthly living costs.
It costs £1,735 to apply for British citizenship, which includes the £130 citizenship ceremony fee.
