Form AN British Naturalisation Form

Form AN is used by most non-UK nationals applying to naturalise in the UK as a British citizen. Children should use form MN1.

Non-British citizens can apply to naturalise after 12 months of holding either Indefinite Leave to Remain, EU Settled Status or permanent residence by completing Form AN.

It is important that you ensure you satisfy the eligibility requirements for naturalisation before starting the application process, and that you take care when completing the form. Failure to complete Form AN correctly may result in a rejected application and loss of the application fee.

In this user guide, we will explain what Form AN is and how you can prepare to complete your application for British citizenship.

 

Who can apply for British Naturalisation using Form AN?

If you are married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can apply using Form AN if you:

• Are 18 years or over on the date of application
• Are married on the date of application
• Are of sound mind
• Are able to communicate in English to an acceptable degree
• Meet the Good Character requirement
• Have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years before application, and
• You satisfy the relevant residency requirements.

 

If you are not married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you can apply using Form AN if you:

• Are 18 years or over on the date of application
• Are of sound mind
• Intend to continue to live in the UK
• Are able to communicate in English to an acceptable degree
• Meet the Good Character requirement
• Have sufficient knowledge of life in the UK
• Have lived in the UK for a minimum of 5 years before application, and
• You satisfy the relevant residency requirements.

 

Naturalisation requirements

To naturalise as a British citizen, you’ll need to meet several key requirements:

Residency

You must have legally resided in the UK for at least 5 years before the date your application is received by the Home Office. This generally means holding Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or another qualifying long-term visa.

Some exceptions apply if you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, allowing you to apply after 3 years of residence.

During the residential qualifying period you must have been legally in the UK and you must not have breached immigration laws.

• You should not have been outside the UK for more than 90 days in the 12 months prior to application. Further restrictions on absences beyond the preceding 12-month period also apply.

 

Character and Good Conduct

You must have a good character, with no serious criminal convictions or immigration violations. You should not pose a threat to national security or have been involved in terrorism-related activities.

 

English Language & Life in the UK

You must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language and British culture, history and politics. This typically involves passing the Life in the UK test or passing a relevant English language qualification.

 

Intention to Remain in the UK

You must genuinely intend to make the UK your permanent home and not just use citizenship for travel benefits.

 

Information you will need to provide in Form AN

Form AN is made up of the following sections:

Personal information

• Applicant contact details
• Knowledge of language/life in the UK
• Parents’ details
• Partner’s details
• Details of employment since entering UK

 

Residence requirements

• Details of all absences from the UK in the last 5 years
• Permanent residence details

 

Good character requirement

• Details of any criminal convictions/cautions

 

Crown service

For those in or with partners in Crown service.

 

Referees

• Include details of your two naturalisation referees, who must be eligible to provide a reference.

 

Biometric registration/information

• You will need to submit your fingerprints and photograph as confirmation of your identity.

 

Declaration

• Sign your form AN to confirm the information you have provided in the form is correct.

 

Form AN supporting documents

Along with your form, you will also need to submit digital copies of documents which verify your eligibility under the naturalisation requirements. The specific documents to provide will vary depending on your circumstances and the basis of your application, making professional advice helpful to ensure you do not omit anything critical to your application. As a minimum, applicants should provide:

• Evidence of your Indefinite Leave to Remain, EU SS or EEA PR
• Proof that you meet the knowledge of life and language in the UK requirements ie Life in the UK test certificate
• ID e.g. valid passport, valid travel document or birth certificate
• Proof of residence in the UK for the relevant period
• Evidence of previous visas/residency documents
• All travel documents from the five-year period to show continuous residence

 

Form AN referees

Only certain individuals can act as a referee for your naturalisation application.

Each referee should know the applicant personally for a minimum of three years. They are required to be willing to give full details of their knowledge of the applicant and to advise the Home Office of any reason why the applicant should not be approved.

One referee should be a person of any nationality who has professional standing, eg minister of religion, civil servant, or a member of a professional body e.g. Police officer, Local government officer, Surveyor, accountant. You may use a solicitor as a referee but they cannot be representing you with your application).

The second referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25.Referees should not:

• be a relative of the applicant
• be related to the other referee
• be your solicitor or agent for this application
• be an employee of the Home Office
• have been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the past 10 years for which the sentence is not spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

 
If you applying from overseas and do not know a British citizen passport holder who is a professional person or over the age of 25, a Commonwealth citizen or citizen of the country in which you are residing may complete and sign the form, provided:

• they are over 25 or have a professional standing in that country and
• they have known you for three years, and
• the Consul considers their signature to be acceptable.

 

How long does the British citizenship application process take?

On average, we advise our clients to anticipate that their British citizenship application will be processed in approximately 2-3 months. The complexity of your application will determine how long it will take for your application to be processed as well as the volume of other applications UKVI have to process.

 

What does it cost to submit Form AN?

UKVI charge a fee of £1,580 per adult citizenship application.

 

Child applicants

A parent can apply for British citizenship under Form AN at the same time as their child (under Form MN1). Parents should however consider the possibility that the child may be found to be eligible for registration, but that their own application may be refused.

Section 7 of Form MN1 invites the parent to confirm that, in this event, the child should still be registered as a British citizen.

If the relevant box is not ticked, the child’s application will be treated as having been withdrawn at the point when the parent’s application is refused. The child’s application fee will not be refunded.

 

What happens to your current citizenship if your application is successful?

Before submitting Form AN, clarify the position in respect of your existing nationality by contacting the authorities of the country of which you are a citizen through the Embassy or High Commission.

In some countries, a person will automatically lose their nationality if they become a citizen of another country. Others will continue to recognise you s a citizen on dual nationality basis.

 

What if your British citizenship application is refused?

You may resubmit an application however it is important to understand why the application failed in the first instance and how this can be addressed or recitifed, for example an error in completing the form, the incorrect fee paid or failure on discretionary grounds.

 

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris is a leading UK immigration law firm specialising in British citizenship and naturalisation applications. In addition to advice and guidance on Form AN, we also support with naturalisation applications for children, using Form MN1.

Many websites on the internet offering immigration services are unregulated management companies or intermediaries that sell on your details to third parties.

DavidsonMorris is fully regulated by the Law Society of England and Wales and is a registered member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association.

You can contact us if you are seeking legal help in relation to an application for British Citizenship and completing Form AN. Our legal team will provide you with a professional, friendly, reliable service to avoid any issues or delays with your application.

 

Form AN FAQs

What is form AN?

Form An is the application form for adults applying to naturalise as a British citizen.

Who can be a referee on my form AN?

Your citizenship referees must include on person of professional standing, such as a doctor, and one referee that has a valid British passport and be either a professional person or aged at least 25 years old.

Which documents do I need to provide with my Form AN application?

Your citizenship application will need to be supported with proof that you meet the naturalisation requirements. This includes evidence of your identity, UK residence, that you are settled in the UK, that you meet the knowledge of life and language in the UK requirements and any additional documents if you are applying as a spouse.

 
LAst updated: 3 November 2023