UK Mentions Total Costs Foreigners Must Pay Before Applying for Citizenship in 2026

• The United Kingdom (UK) government has released the specific fee structure and eligibility criteria for foreign nationals seeking British citizenship
• According to the official announcement, the total mandatory application and ceremony cost has been revised for applicants
• At the current exchange rate, the amount also excludes other underlying processing expenses

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As the global relocation trend remains highly active, many foreigners residing in the United Kingdom are working towards securing permanent British citizenship.

For those married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the UK government has detailed the official fees, eligibility criteria, and residency requirements for naturalisation.

According to the official guidelines published on the UK government’s portal, applicants must prepare to meet significant financial and administrative requirements before submitting their citizenship forms.

Cost breakdown for UK citizenship

Applying for British citizenship as a spouse of a citizen is not free, and the UK Home Office has laid out a clear two-part mandatory fee structure:

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1. Application Fee: £1,709
2. Citizenship Ceremony Fee: £130

• Total Mandatory Cost: £1,839

At the current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official exchange selling rate of approximately 1,815.12 per Pound Sterling, this total sum converts to about N3,338,006.

Note: The Home Office also indicates that applicants may choose to pay additional fees if they want to access faster decision-making services.

Ways to qualify for British citizenship

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had published seven ways that foreigners can qualify for British citizenship.

Foreigners who qualify under more than one category are advised to choose the option they wish to apply through to become a British citizen.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.