Priority Service for Naturalisation as a British Citizen applications

The Home Office has recently released a new Priority Service for British citizenship applications. Learn how this new Priority Service works and how it can speed up your application.

The standard processing time for a British citizenship application used to be 6 months. From 6 July 2026 , applications to Naturalise as a British Citizen can now be expedited. However, applications that require enhanced scrutiny, external checks, national security/identity enquiries, or applications that are particularly complex, may fall outside of the expedited timeframe.

How long does Priority Service take?

The Priority Service should put most applications within the processing time of 30 working days, which equates to six weeks. This is calculated from the date that the applicant attends their biometric appointment at the visa application centre.

It should be noted that this processing timeframe is not guaranteed. If you have a complex application which requires enhanced scrutiny, external checks, or further enquiry from the Home Office, the application may take over 30 working days to process, even if you have paid for Priority Service.

How much does the Priority Service cost?

The Priority Service costs £500. This fee must be paid in addition to the normal costs for a naturalisation application, which currently stands at £1,839 for adults applying for British citizenship.

Can I upgrade my application to Priority Service?

If you have already submitted your naturalisation application to the Home Office, you cannot upgrade it to Priority Service. This service is only available for new applications from 6 July 2026.

Will Priority Service improve my naturalisation application?

No. The Home Office makes it very clear that paying for Priority Service will not influence the outcome of an application. Your application may be considered sooner, but it will be considered in the usual way.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on citizenship applications. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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