
Guidance on settling in the UK and becoming British — indefinite leave to remain, the qualifying routes that lead to it, and the path from settlement to naturalisation. These guides cover the residence rules, the Life in the UK test, the application forms, and the timelines at each stage.
Most UK visa routes lead to settlement after five years, then to British citizenship a year later. Reaching it means meeting the continuous residence rules, passing the Life in the UK test, and filing the right SET or naturalisation forms. Our guides cover settlement from the work, family, and BN(O) routes, plus citizenship for those born abroad. Browse the settlement and citizenship guides below.