Citizenship for EU Nationals After Brexit

Brexit changed how EU nationals live in the UK, but the route to British citizenship remains open. This guide explains how the EU Settlement Scheme interacts with citizenship applications and what EU nationals need to do.

Checked 2 September 202611 min readWritten by the Rowan Editorial Team

Section: British Citizenship
Reading time: 11 min
Last checked: 2 September 2026
Source: The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
Rowan does not: Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.

In short

EU Settled Status is treated as equivalent to ILR for citizenship applications.
Pre-Settled Status is NOT sufficient. You must have full Settled Status.
The UK allows dual nationality. Most EU countries also allow it.
Time living in the UK before Brexit counts towards the residency requirement.
The Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) issue has been resolved for most applicants.

EU nationals with Settled Status can apply for British citizenship using Settled Status as the equivalent of ILR. The residency, language, and good character requirements are the same as for anyone else. This guide covers the specific considerations for EU nationals, including dual nationality, Comprehensive Sickness Insurance issues, and the transition from EU free movement to the new system.

The EU Settlement Scheme and Citizenship

The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) was created to protect the rights of EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals living in the UK after Brexit. It offers two types of status:

Settled Status: For those with 5 years of continuous residence in the UK. Equivalent to ILR.
Pre-Settled Status: For those with less than 5 years of residence. Temporary status, valid for 5 years.

For citizenship purposes, only Settled Status counts. It is treated as the equivalent of Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you have Settled Status, you do not need to apply separately for ILR before applying for citizenship.

If you have Pre-Settled Status, you must first upgrade to Settled Status (after 5 years of continuous residence) before you can apply for citizenship.

Eligibility for Citizenship

As an EU national with Settled Status, you apply for citizenship through naturalisation using Form AN. The requirements are:

If Not Married to a British Citizen (Section 6(1))

Aged 18 or over
Hold Settled Status
Have held Settled Status for at least 12 months
Have lived in the UK for at least 5 years
Not more than 450 days absent in 5 years
Not more than 90 days absent in the final 12 months
Pass the Life in the UK test
Meet the English language requirement
Be of good character

If Married to a British Citizen (Section 6(2))

Hold Settled Status (no 12-month waiting period)
Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years
Not more than 270 days absent in 3 years
Not more than 90 days absent in the final 12 months
Same knowledge and good character requirements

See our citizenship for spouses guide for more details on the spouse route.

The Comprehensive Sickness Insurance Issue

Before Brexit, EU nationals exercising free movement rights as students, self-sufficient persons, or job seekers were technically required to have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) to be exercising their treaty rights lawfully.

Many EU nationals did not know about this requirement and did not have CSI. The Home Office initially treated time without CSI as not being "lawfully resident", which caused problems for citizenship applications.

This issue has been largely resolved. The Home Office confirmed that for EU Settlement Scheme purposes, CSI was not a requirement. However, for citizenship applications, the position was less clear for some time.

As of 2026, the Home Office generally accepts that EU nationals with Settled Status were lawfully resident for the purpose of citizenship residency requirements, regardless of CSI. If you are concerned about this issue, seek specific legal advice.

Dual Nationality

The UK allows dual nationality without restriction. Becoming British does not require you to give up your EU nationality.

Most EU countries also allow dual nationality, including:

France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Poland, Romania, and many others

A small number of EU/EEA countries have restrictions on dual nationality. If you are from one of these countries, check the specific rules before applying for British citizenship. In practice, most EU nationals can hold both citizenships without issue.

Retaining your EU nationality has significant practical benefits. It allows you to live and work in any EU country, access EU consular assistance when travelling, and pass your EU nationality to your children.

Why EU Nationals Apply for Citizenship

Before Brexit, few EU nationals bothered with British citizenship because free movement gave them most of the same rights. Post-Brexit, the calculus has changed:

Security: Settled Status can lapse after 2 continuous years outside the UK (5 years for Swiss nationals). Citizenship cannot.
Voting: EU nationals with Settled Status can vote in local elections but not general elections (unless they are also Irish or Commonwealth citizens). British citizens can vote in all elections.
Passport: A British passport provides visa-free access to many countries that may require visas for your EU nationality.
Future policy changes: While Settled Status is protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, some EU nationals prefer the additional security of citizenship.

The English Language Requirement

EU nationals from non-English-speaking countries must meet the English language requirement. You can do this by:

Holding a degree taught or researched in English (with a UK ENIC statement)
Passing an approved English language test at B1 level or above
Being a national of a majority English-speaking country (Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus within the EU/EEA)

Many EU nationals who have lived in the UK for years speak excellent English but do not have a formal qualification. If this is you, you will need to take an approved test. The test is at B1 level (intermediate), which most long-term residents find straightforward.

The Application Process

Confirm you have Settled Status (check using the GOV.UK View and Prove service).
Check that you have held Settled Status for at least 12 months (if applying under Section 6(1)).
Calculate your absences from the UK to ensure you are within the limits.
Pass the Life in the UK test and obtain English language evidence.
Find two suitable referees.
Complete Form AN online.
Pay £1,839: £1,709 to apply plus the £130 ceremony fee.
Attend a biometric appointment.
Wait for a decision (approximately 6 months).
Attend a citizenship ceremony.

Settled Status and the 2-Year Absence Rule

Like ILR, Settled Status can lapse if you are absent from the UK for more than 2 continuous years (5 years for Swiss nationals). This is one of the main reasons EU nationals apply for citizenship.

If you travel frequently to your home country or might need to spend extended time abroad (caring for family, for example), citizenship provides permanent protection against losing your UK status.

Cost Summary

Citizenship application: £1,709, plus a £130 ceremony fee
Life in the UK test: £50
English language test (if needed): approximately £150 to £200
British passport: £102 online
Total: approximately £1,990, or £2,140 to £2,190 if you need an English language test

EU nationals who came to the UK under free movement did not pay the healthcare surcharge or visa fees, so the total cost of the citizenship journey is significantly lower than it is for non-EU nationals.

For a detailed breakdown, see our citizenship fees guide.

You may also find our eVisa Guide andImmigration Health Surcharge helpful.

Questions and answers

Can EU nationals still apply for British citizenship?

Yes. EU nationals can apply for British citizenship if they meet the standard requirements. Those with EU Settled Status can use it as the equivalent of ILR for citizenship purposes. The process is the same as for any other nationality: you need 5 years of residence (or 3 if married to a British citizen), to have passed the Life in the UK test, and to meet the English language and good character requirements.

Does EU Settled Status count as ILR for citizenship?

Yes. EU Settled Status is treated as equivalent to Indefinite Leave to Remain for the purpose of citizenship applications. If you have Settled Status, you can apply for citizenship without first obtaining ILR through a separate application.

Do I need to give up my EU nationality to become British?

No. The UK allows dual citizenship. Becoming British does not require you to give up your EU nationality. However, check whether your EU country allows dual nationality. Most EU countries do, but a few have restrictions.

Can I use my time living in the UK before Brexit for citizenship?

Yes. Time spent living in the UK before Brexit counts towards the residency requirement for citizenship. If you had 5 years of residence in the UK before obtaining Settled Status, that time counts. The key requirement is that you must have been lawfully resident.

What if I only have EU Pre-Settled Status?

Pre-Settled Status is not equivalent to ILR. You cannot apply for citizenship with Pre-Settled Status alone. You need to wait until you are eligible for full Settled Status (usually after 5 years of continuous residence), obtain it, and then apply for citizenship.

This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.

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