UK Naturalisation Fee Rising to £1709 from April 2026
11 Mar 2026
If you are approaching eligibility to apply for British citizenship, the cost of naturalisation is about to increase. Parliament has approved a new Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2026, which raises the maximum fees for naturalisation and several other immigration-related nationality services by approximately 6.5%. The actual fee increases are expected to take effect from April 2026, following the same pattern as the previous year's April fee round.
What is changing
The naturalisation application fee for British citizenship is currently £1,605 (in effect since April 2025). The 2026 Fees Amendment Order raises the maximum for this fee to £1,709 — an increase of £104. Based on previous years, the Home Office is expected to set the actual fee at the new maximum when the accompanying Fees Regulations are updated, also in April 2026.
Other fees increasing under the same Order include:
- Right of abode (certificate of entitlement): £589 → £627
- Renunciation of British citizenship: approximately 6.5% increase
- Other nationality and certificate services: similar increases across the board
The fee for a citizenship ceremony (currently £130, administered by local councils) is separate and not directly affected by this Order.
The settlement (ILR) application fee maximum is also being adjusted slightly — from £3,600 to £3,635 — though this does not automatically change the actual ILR fee of £3,029, which is set by a separate instrument. No confirmed change to the ILR application fee is expected in this round.
Who this affects
This increase applies to naturalisation applications submitted after the new fees come into force. It is particularly relevant for:
- BNO visa holders who received ILR in 2020 or 2021 and are now eligible (or nearly eligible) to apply for citizenship. You must hold ILR for at least 12 months before applying for naturalisation.
- Skilled Worker, Family, and other route holders who have recently settled and are approaching the one-year post-ILR mark.
- Families applying together — the £104 increase applies per applicant, so a couple would face an additional £208, and a family of four an additional £416.
The Life in the UK test fee (£50, paid to the test provider) is not part of this change.
What to do now
If you are already eligible to apply for British citizenship and have your supporting documents in order, submitting your application before the new fees take effect in April 2026 would save you £104 per person.
If you are not yet eligible — for example, because you reached ILR in early 2025 or later and have not yet completed 12 months of settled status — the higher fee will apply to your application regardless. Budget accordingly.
Check GOV.UK for the exact date the new fee takes effect once the Fees Regulations are formally made. The Home Office typically updates its fee table page at the same time.
Sources:
- Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2026 — Grand Committee, 3 March 2026 — Hansard(Amendment)Order2026)
- Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2026 — Draft Legislation
- Immigration fee levels and recent changes — House of Commons Library briefing via EIN, 17 February 2026