BNO Citizenship Registration Guidance Now Points to 30 Working Day Priority Service
09 Jul 2026
If you hold BNO status and are registering as a British citizen after living in the UK, updated official guidance now confirms a faster processing option.
Guide B2 covers registration as a British citizen following residence in the UK, and it explicitly applies to British Nationals (Overseas) alongside other British national categories such as British Overseas Territories citizens and British Overseas citizens. It was updated on 8 July 2026. Like the naturalisation guidance, it now says that if you want a quicker decision you may wish to apply to the priority service, and that you will "usually get a decision within 30 working days." The standard target for these applications is "within 6 months from the date on which we receive your application."
The guide confirms you must "pay the required fee" for your application, but does not state the fee amount in this document, so check the separate fees guidance before applying.
If you are a BNO visa holder planning to register as British after your qualifying residence period, this update gives you an official faster route to a decision if your circumstances allow it.
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