British Citizenship By Marriage After 3 Years In 2025

You can apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalisation’ if you are 18 or over, are married to, or in a civil partnership with, someone who is a British citizen and have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application. You must have been physically present in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office receives your application. In other words, to qualify for British citizenship as a spouse of a UK national, you must have lived in the UK for three years before you submit your application.

Deluxe Law Chambers solely specialise in UK visas & immigration and therefore we provide high quality UK visa and immigration services for British citizenship application through marriage. The quality service provided by our immigration lawyers is self-evident from our 5-star Google Reviews.

Who can apply for British citizenship by marriage?

Anybody who is married to a British citizen and meets the following requirements can apply for British citizenship through marriage:

• is over the age of 18
• has ILR in the UK
• has lived in the UK for 3 years
• is a person of good character

Apply for British citizen after 3 years of marriage

You can apply for British citizenship through marriage after three years of living in the UK as a spouse of a British citizen, if you meet all the eligibility requirements.

Eligibility Requirements for British citizenship by marriage or civil partnership

To apply for UK citizenship through marriage, you must meet the following requirements:

• Age: You must be at least 18 years old to apply for British citizenship.
• Residency: You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application and have held Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or settled status in the UK.
• Marriage: You must be married to a British citizen.
• Language requirements: You must demonstrate your knowledge of the English language. You can meet this requirement by passing an approved English language test, having an academic qualification taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country.
• Knowledge of life in the UK: You must pass the Life in the UK test.
• Good character: You must be of good character, which means that you must not have a serious or recent criminal record, and your conduct must not raise any public concern.

You will need to provide evidence of your identity, residence in the UK, and any criminal record, as well as pay the required application fee.

Residence requirement for british citizenship through marriage

To qualify for British citizenship as a spouse of a British citizen, you must have lived in the UK for three years before you submit your application.

You are also required to meet the residency condition. In other words, you must not have:

• Spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the three-year qualifying period before your application
• Spent more than 90 days abroad in the last 12 months before you submit your forms
• Broken any UK immigration law at any time during your residency in the UK.

Documents required for british citizenship by marriage

To apply for British citizenship by marriage, you will need to provide the following documents:

• Your identity documents and travel documents.
• Evidence of your residence in the UK for the 3 years.
• Evidence that you meet the English language requirement.
• You will need to provide the Life in the UK test certificate.
• Copy of your marriage certificate.
• Copy of your spouse’s British passport.
• Copy of your indefinite leave to remain.
• Referees declaration.

How much does it cost to apply for British citizenship as a spouse?

It costs £1,735 to apply for British citizenship by marriage.

What is the processing time of British citizenship by marriage?

You’ll usually get a decision within 6 months – some applications can take longer. If yours will take longer you’ll be told before 6 months have passed. You’ll be told if you need to provide more information to help with your application.

Immigration Solicitors fees for british citizenship

Our UK nationality lawyer charges a fixed fee between £700 + VAT – £1000 + VAT for our complete legal services in relation to your citizenship application.

Why choose Deluxe Law Chambers For Your UK Visa Immigration Cases?

Looking for trusted immigration solicitors in Manchester or London? At Deluxe Law Chambers, we offer expert legal advice for all UK visa and immigration matters. Our team is here to make your visa application process smooth, simple, and stress-free.

✅ Experienced Immigration Solicitors: Our team has years of experience and stays up to date with the latest UK immigration rules. We give you accurate and honest legal advice.

✅ Personalised Legal Support: Every visa case is different. We take the time to understand your situation and offer solutions that work for you.

✅ Fast Visa Services: Need a quick decision? We offer Priority and Super Priority visa services for faster results.

✅ Online & In-Person Services: We can handle your case online or in person at our Manchester office—saving you time and travel costs.

✅ Open 7 Days a Week: We’re available every day, including weekends, to offer expert immigration advice when you need it most.

✅ Free Initial Advice: Call us for a free 5-minute advice to get started.

✅ Fixed Fees with Instalments: Clear, affordable pricing with the option to pay in two instalments—no hidden costs.

At Deluxe Law Chambers, we are committed to providing professional, fast, and reliable immigration services.

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