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You may be eligible to apply to 鈥榬egister鈥� as a British citizen if you have British nationality.

There鈥檚 one way to apply for people with most types of British nationality. You cannot apply this way if you are a citizen or national of another country, or a British overseas territories citizen.

There鈥檚 a different way to apply if you鈥檙e a British national and:

• 测辞耻鈥檝别 lived in the UK for 5 years
• 测辞耻鈥檝别 worked as a Crown servant (for example in the diplomatic service, overseas civil service or armed forces)
• you have a connection with Gibraltar
• 测辞耻鈥檝别 lived in Hong Kong

You may be able to apply if you are one of the following:

• a British overseas citizen
• a British protected person
• a British subject
• a British national (overseas)

You cannot apply this way if you are a citizen or national of another country, or a British overseas territories citizen.

If you apply this way, your children will not automatically become British if they鈥檙e born outside the UK.

How much it costs

You may be able to apply for a fee waiver if you鈥檙e under 18 and cannot afford to pay the fee.

How to apply

Read the guidance to check if you can apply.

. You鈥檒l usually be able to keep your documents while your application is being processed.

If you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you have to apply in person or apply by post instead. Check which you can do with your governor鈥檚 office.

If you live elsewhere, you can apply by post.

Biometric information

You must also have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. You鈥檒l be told how to do this after you apply.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you鈥檙e applying in the UK.

You may be able to apply if you hold any form of British nationality and either:

• 测辞耻鈥檝别 lived in the UK for at least 5 years - and spent no more than 450 days abroad during that time, and no more than 90 days abroad in the last 12 months
• 测辞耻鈥檝别 worked as a Crown servant at any time (for example in the diplomatic service, overseas civil service or armed forces)

How much it costs

You may be able to apply for a fee waiver if you鈥檙e under 18 and cannot afford to pay the fee.

How to apply

Read the guidance to check if you can apply.

. You鈥檒l usually be able to keep your documents while your application is being processed.

If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, you have to apply in person or apply by post instead. Check which you can do with your governor鈥檚 office.

If you live elsewhere, you can apply by post.

Biometric information

You must also have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. You鈥檒l be told how to do this after you apply.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
• do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you鈥檙e applying in the UK.

You probably became a British citizen automatically if you were registered as a British overseas territories citizen in Gibraltar before 21 May 2002.

You must have had a connection with Gibraltar - for example you, your parents or your grandparents were born, registered or naturalised there.

You can apply to register as a British citizen if you were either:

• naturalised in Gibraltar as a British overseas territories citizen after 21 May 2002
• registered in Gibraltar as a minor after 21 May 2002

Get an application form from the Civil Status and Registration office.

You may be eligible to apply if you鈥檙e 鈥榦rdinarily resident鈥� in Hong Kong at the date of your application and:

• you were ordinarily resident there on 3 February 1997
• your parents were ordinarily resident there at the time of your birth if you鈥檙e a child born after 3 February 1997

Ordinarily resident means:

• you live in Hong Kong full-time
• you鈥檙e not breaking any immigration rules
• 测辞耻鈥檝别 moved to Hong Kong voluntarily with the intention of settling there

You must also be of 鈥榞ood character鈥� - read the guidance when you apply.

Nationality

You must either have:

• been a British national on 3 February 1997
• become a British national after 3 February 1997

You must not have held citizenship or nationality of another country at the time or since.

You can be a national of a country even if 测辞耻鈥檝别 never had a passport from there.

For example, you might be a Chinese national if you鈥檙e ethnically Chinese (even if you became a British national through a connection with Hong Kong - for example because you, your parents or your grandparents were born, registered or naturalised there).

Check with the immigration department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

How much it costs

You may be able to apply for a fee waiver if you鈥檙e under 18 and cannot afford to pay the fee.

How to apply

Read the guidance to form EM before you apply.

Fill in:

• application form EM
• the payment slip with the correct fee

Send the application form with your documents and payslip to the address in the form guidance.

Biometric information

You must also have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. You鈥檒l be told how to do this after you apply.

Where you send your application depends on the country you鈥檙e currently in.

England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

You should .

Channel Islands or Isle of Man

Send your application to the Lieutenant Governor.

British overseas territories

Send your application to the Governor of the territory.

Anywhere else (including Commonwealth countries)

Send your application to聽UK Visas and Immigration (part of the Home Office).

Returning your documents

Your documents will normally be sent back using 2nd class post.

If you want your documents sent back to you by recorded or special delivery, include a pre-paid self-addressed envelope. It needs to be big and strong enough to carry all your documents.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration (part of the Home Office)

Contact UK Visas and Immigration if you鈥檙e not sure if you鈥檙e eligible or do not know how to apply.

You鈥檒l get a letter confirming your application. It can take up to 4 weeks.

When you鈥檒l get a decision

You鈥檒l usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications can take longer. If yours will take longer you鈥檒l be told before 6 months have passed.

You鈥檒l get a letter if you need to give more information to help with your application.

If your circumstances change

You should contact UK Visas and Immigration (part of the Home Office) if your situation changes during your application (for example, you move house, get married or are arrested).

You might be asked to attend an interview where you鈥檒l need to speak without an interpreter.

Attending a citizenship ceremony

You鈥檒l need to attend a citizenship ceremony if your application is successful and you鈥檙e 18 years old or over.

Travelling to and from the UK

Once you get a British passport you must use this to enter the UK.

If you do not want a British passport you can apply for a certificate of entitlement instead.

You cannot enter the UK using your certificate of British citizenship.