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Pathways to British Residency and Citizenship

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom offers one of the widest sets of immigration routes of any country — from sponsored work visas and talent routes that need no job offer, to citizenship claims for people with a British parent or grandparent. This guide brings the UK's main residency and citizenship routes together in one place and links to a full breakdown of each.

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Ways to qualify

Career & business

For people with a job offer, in-demand skills, or a business to build. Most of these routes lead to settlement, and in time to citizenship.

UK Cross-Border Worker Permit The UK Frontier Worker permit is a post-Brexit route for eligible EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens who live outside the UK but started working in the UK by… other UK Skilled Worker Visa The UK Skilled Worker visa is for people with a qualifying UK job offer from a licensed employer sponsor. It generally requires a Certificate of… residency UK Health and Care Worker Visa The UK Health and Care Worker visa is for qualified medical, health, and adult social care professionals with an eligible UK job offer from an… residency UK Global Talent Visa The UK Global Talent visa is for leaders or potential leaders in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology. It generally requires… residency UK Fast-Growth Company Work Visa The UK Scale-up Worker visa is for people recruited into eligible jobs by approved fast-growing UK businesses. It generally requires a sponsored job… residency UK Innovator Founder Visa The UK Innovator Founder visa is for founders setting up and running an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the UK. It generally requires… residency UK Work Visas for Overseas Business Transfers UK Global Business Mobility visas are temporary work routes for people being assigned to the UK by an overseas employer or contract relationship. They… residency UK Work Visa for Top-University Graduates The UK High Potential Individual visa is for recent graduates of universities on the UK's Global Universities List. It does not require a job offer,… residency UK Temporary Work Visas The UK Temporary Work category covers short-term sponsored routes such as Seasonal Worker, Creative Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker,… residency UK International Sportsperson Visa The UK International Sportsperson visa is for elite sportspersons and qualified coaches endorsed by their sport's governing body and sponsored by a UK… residency UK Overseas Business Representative Visa The UK Representative of an Overseas Business visa is now mainly for employees of overseas newspapers, news agencies, or broadcasting organizations… residency UK Minister of Religion Visa The UK Minister of Religion visa is for people offered a job within a faith community, such as a minister, missionary, or member of a religious order,… residency UK Overseas Domestic Worker Visa The UK Overseas Domestic Worker visa is a short-stay route for domestic workers accompanying their overseas employer to the UK. It is usually limited… residency

Family

For joining a partner, parent, or child who already lives there — or claiming citizenship through marriage.

UK Partner or Spouse Family Visa The UK partner family visa is for spouses, civil partners, fiancees, proposed civil partners, and some long-term partners of a qualifying UK-based… residency UK Family Visa as a Child The UK child family visa is for a child joining or staying with a qualifying parent in the UK. It generally requires the child to be under 18 or… residency UK Family Visa as a Parent The UK parent family visa is for a parent who needs to live in the UK to care for a qualifying child. It generally requires the child to live in the… residency UK Adult Dependent Relative Visa The UK Adult Dependent Relative visa is for an adult who needs long-term personal care from a close relative living permanently in the UK. It is a… residency

Ancestry & heritage

A parent, grandparent, or birth in the country can make you a citizen already — or let you claim it, often without relocating.

Automatic British Citizenship Through Parent UK automatic citizenship by descent is for people born outside the UK on or after January 1, 1983 who had a British parent able to pass citizenship at… citizenship British Citizenship by UK Birth Since 1983 People born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 may already be British if a parent had a qualifying status when they were born. This usually means a… citizenship British Citizenship by UK Birth Before 1983 This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in the United Kingdom or in another qualifying birth… citizenship British Citizenship Through Your Mother If you were born outside the UK before 1983 and your mother was British, Section 4C may let you register as a British citizen by descent. A UK-born… citizenship British Citizenship for UK-Born Children A child born in the UK after 1982 may be entitled to register as British if they were not British at birth but later a parent became British, settled,… citizenship British Citizenship After 10 Childhood Years UK Section 1(4) is an entitlement route for people born in the UK who did not become British at birth but lived there through their first ten years.… citizenship British Citizenship by Adoption UK citizenship through adoption is for people adopted through a qualifying process by a British citizen. It generally requires proof of the adoption,… citizenship British Citizenship Through a British Parent UK Section 3(2) is a registration route for minor children of a British citizen by descent where the British parent has lived in the UK for the… citizenship British Citizenship After UK Family Residence UK Section 3(5) is a registration route for minor children of a British citizen by descent when the child and parents build the required UK residence.… citizenship British Citizenship Through Unmarried Father UK Sections 4G-4I are registration routes for people who missed British citizenship because older law treated unmarried British fathers differently.… citizenship UK Right of Abode for Commonwealth Citizens Some Commonwealth citizens have a retained right of abode in the UK through a UK-born parent or a pre-1983 marriage. It is not a visa: it is the right… other British Citizenship Recovery UK Section 13 resumption is for people who previously renounced British citizenship and want it back. It generally requires proof of the former… citizenship British Citizenship for Territory Citizens UK Section 4A is for current British Overseas Territories Citizens who want to register as British citizens. It generally requires proof of BOTC… citizenship British Citizenship Through a BOTC Mother This route is for people born before 1983 who missed British Overseas Territories Citizenship (BOTC) because their mother could not pass on status in… citizenship British Citizenship Through an Unmarried BOTC Father This route is for people who missed British Overseas Territories Citizenship (BOTC) because older law did not treat unmarried fathers the same way as… citizenship UK Citizenship for Stateless People The UK has registration routes for people who are not recognized as citizens of any country. Eligibility depends on when and where the person was born… citizenship British Citizenship for Chagossian Families Direct descendants of someone born in the British Indian Ocean Territory can apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship and British… citizenship UK Ancestry Visa The UK Ancestry visa is for Commonwealth citizens, Zimbabwe citizens, and British nationals (overseas) who have a qualifying UK-born grandparent and… residency British Citizenship for Other UK Nationals Some people who already hold another type of British nationality can register as British citizens. The route can cover British overseas citizens,… citizenship British Citizenship for Historical Unfairness UK Section 4L is a broad registration route for people who would have become British but for historical legislative unfairness or official acts or… citizenship UK Returning Resident Visa The UK Returning Resident visa can restore indefinite leave to remain for someone who was previously settled in the UK but has been away long enough… residency British Overseas Territories Citizenship This discretionary route is for adults who can show they would have become, or could have become, British Overseas Territories Citizens but for a… citizenship

Study

Routes to study there, and often to stay on and work after you graduate.

UK Student Visa The UK Student visa is for people aged 16 or older who have an offer from a licensed UK student sponsor. It generally requires a Confirmation of… residency UK Graduate Visa The UK Graduate visa is for people who are in the UK on a Student or Tier 4 visa and have successfully completed an eligible UK course. It gives… residency UK Child Student Visa The UK Child Student visa is for children aged 4 to 17 who have an unconditional offer from an independent school that is a licensed Child Student… residency

Citizenship by residence

Once you've lived there long enough and settled, you can often apply to become a citizen.

UK Citizenship After Living There This citizenship pathway is for long-term residents of the United Kingdom. It generally requires enough lawful residence, good character, and any… citizenship UK Long Residence A person who has lived lawfully and continuously in the United Kingdom for 10 years may qualify for indefinite leave to remain under the… residency

Other routes

Nationality-specific schemes and special cases.

UK Residence Rights for Irish Citizens Irish citizens generally already have the right to live, work, study, and access many services in the UK under the Common Travel Area. This is not a… other UK Residence Status for EU Citizens The EU Settlement Scheme protects UK residence rights for eligible EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and qualifying family members connected to pre-2021 UK… residency UK Immigration Status Through Windrush The Windrush Scheme helps eligible long-settled people get proof of their right to live and work in the UK, and in some cases apply for citizenship… other UK British National Overseas Visa The UK British National (Overseas) visa is for eligible Hong Kong BN(O) status holders and certain adult children of BN(O) status holders. It can… residency UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa The UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for young adults from participating countries and territories who want to live and work in the UK temporarily. It… residency UK India Young Professionals Scheme Visa The UK India Young Professionals Scheme visa is for Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 who have a bachelor's-level qualification or higher and are selected… residency