What are the differences between Indefinite Leave to Remain and British citizenship?

An Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK and British citizenship allow individuals to live permanently in the UK. With an ILR and as a British citizen, you can reside, work, study, and accompany your family to the country. As an ILR status holder, you can live in the UK indefinitely without immigration restrictions, while British citizenship recognizes you as a UK national with complete rights in the UK. An ILR in the UK can be acquired through different UK visa routes, usually granted for 3-5 years. In contrast, citizenship in the UK allows voting, applying for a British passport, and even gaining dual citizenship. With an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), you will also have limited time outside the country. While both the UK immigration statuses offer permanent residency in the UK with similar benefits, ILR and British citizenship are two different UK immigration pathways.  

 

*To know more about the ILR to citizenship conversion, also read…

Can you convert the UK ILR to British citizenship?

 

UK ILR vs. British Citizenship

The table below has some of the key differences between an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) UK and British Citizenship:

Factors	UK ILR	British Citizenship
Absences	Cannot be absent from the UK for more than 180 days.	Lasts for a lifetime.
Children	Can apply for citizenship of the child.	The child will automatically get citizenship if born to an individual with British citizenship.
Voting rights	Cannot vote	Can vote
Passport	No	Yes, you can get a passport after acquiring British citizenship
When can you apply?	After living in the country for 5  or 10 years (Depending on the visa type)	After acquiring the ILR status
Requirements	Be above 18 years of age.	Be above 18 years of age
	Life in the UK test	Have lived in the UK as a lawful resident for 5 years.
	English language proficiency	Life in the UK test
	Continuous residence in the UK (3,5,10 years)	Intention to continue living in the UK
	Be of good character	English language requirements

 

*To know more about the ILR process, also read…

How to get UK ILR?

 

Steps to Apply for British Citizenship

You can apply for citizenship after completing 12 months with an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) status.

 

 You can refer to the below steps to apply for naturalization in the UK:

 

Step 1: Check if you are eligible to apply online

Step 2: Fill out the online application

Step 3: Arrange the documents required for citizenship

Step 4: Upload the requirements and apply online

Step 5: If approved, you can attend the Citizenship ceremony in the UK

 

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance with UK Immigration? Contact Y-Axis, the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, for end-to-end assistance!