How to Apply for Dual Citizenship in the UK

If you qualify for U.K. citizenship, the process is relatively simple and can be done from anywhere in the U.S.

The United States and the United Kingdom both allow their citizens to hold dual nationality with any other nation that also allows dual citizenship. Therefore, both British and American citizens can hold citizenship in both the U.S. and U.K. without risk of losing their birth citizenship. You have to qualify for citizenship before you can apply for it, and unless you are the child of a British citizen, you must complete a designated length of legal residency before applying.

Things You'll Need

• Application form AN or MN3
• Supplemental documents
• £735 or £470 application fee

Instructions

1. Qualify for British citizenship. You must qualify for British citizenship by descent--one of your parents had to be a British citizen at the time of your birth--by naturalization after five years of residency or three years of residency with a marriage to a U.K. citizen. These are the only ways to obtain British citizenship.

2. Apply for citizenship. Visit the website of the U.K. Border Agency Home Office and download citizenship application form AN if you are naturalizing after five or three years of permanent residency. If you are obtaining British citizenship as a child of a U.K. citizen born overseas, download application form MN3. Print the application form and fill it in completely, truthfully, and legibly in black ink.

3. Gather supporting documents to send with the application form. If applying through form AN, you must send with your application proof of identity, evidence of English proficiency such as ESOL scores or evidence that you are exempt from such a requirement, evidence of your legal qualifying time such as your passport with entry dates, wedding or civil marriage certificate as well as the passport of your spouse, evidence of your activity over the past five years including tax certificates, letters of employment and bank statements.

   Documents that you need to send if using form MN3 include the child's birth certificate, passport, parent's passport, birth certificate or naturalization certificate, marriage certificate, and any divorce, adoption, or custody papers that apply.

4. Include the application fee, which as of 2010 was £735 for a naturalization application and £470 for a child under 18 applying for descent through a parent.

5. Send in your application and fee. If you are inside of the U.S. at the time of your application, send it to the nearest UK Consulate General or Embassy--the UK Border Agency website offers a full list of diplomatic posts. If you are in the U.K. at the time of application, mail it to:

   UK Border Agency
   Department 1
   PO Box 306
   Liverpool
   L2 0QN
   England

6. Wait for your application to be processed. The average processing time is about six months. When you are approved, you will be notified of when and where to attend a citizenship ceremony. At the ceremony you will swear the oath of allegiance to the queen and pledge your allegiance to the United Kingdom. At the end of the ceremony, you will be presented with your certificate of citizenship.

References

• UK Border Agency Home Office: Eligibility

Resources

• UK Border Agency Home Office