Children Born in the UK Can Register as British Once a Parent Gets ILR
08 May 2026
If you are on a BNO, Skilled Worker, or Family visa and you recently got ILR, your children born in the UK may now be able to register as British citizens. The application must be made before the child turns 18, so it is worth checking eligibility as soon as possible.
The fee for child citizenship registration fell to £1,000 on 8 April 2026, down from £1,214. Almost every other immigration fee rose by around 6.5% in April. Child citizenship registration is the rare exception where the cost went down.
How the parent-settles route works
A child born in the UK does not automatically become British just because a parent later gets ILR. But once a parent becomes settled or a British citizen, the child becomes entitled to register. The application must be submitted while the child is under 18. Children aged 10 or over must also meet a good character requirement.
This means the clock can start straight away. If you got ILR this month and your child was born in the UK, you can put in their registration application now. Processing takes around six months, so do not leave it close to the child's 18th birthday. If you miss that deadline, the right to register under this route is lost.
The 10-year long residence route
Even if neither parent is settled yet, a child who has spent almost all of their first 10 years in the UK may qualify under a separate route. This can be used from the child's 10th birthday and does not depend on the parents' immigration status. The absence limit for the first 10 years of the child's life is very strict. Check the GOV.UK guidance carefully to see if your child qualifies.
Fees and waivers
The registration fee is £1,000. If your family cannot afford this, a fee waiver application can be submitted. If the child turns 18 before registration is complete, a citizenship ceremony fee of £130 may also apply.
The GOV.UK guidance on child citizenship registration was updated on 1 April 2026. If you have a child born in the UK and you are approaching or have recently passed your ILR date, it is worth reading the guidance now.
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