Citizenship grants remain near record levels despite annual fall
22 May 2026
If you hold ILR and are thinking about applying for British citizenship, the latest figures show large numbers of people are successfully naturalising, even after a fall from last year's peak.
The Home Office published quarterly immigration statistics on 21 May 2026, covering the year ending March 2026. The data shows 236,512 citizenship grants in total, down 12% from the year ending March 2025. Despite the fall, this remains the "second highest level recorded within the data since 2005." Of the total, 165,429 grants were through naturalisation (down 14%) and 71,083 through registration (down 7%).
The high volumes suggest the Home Office is processing applications at scale. Eligibility rules and residence requirements for naturalisation have not changed.
If you already hold ILR and have been resident in the UK for the required period, you may be eligible to apply for naturalisation. Check the GOV.UK guidance to confirm you meet the residence and good character requirements before you apply.
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