According to latest UK immigration statistics published on Nov 30, 2017, total applications for British citizenship fell by 3% to 137,286 in the year to September 2017.
- UK Citizenship applications made by non-EU nationals fell by 17%
- UK citizenship applications by EU nationals more than doubled +108%
- UK Permanent residence cards issued to EEA nationals increased by 480%
EEA nationals and their family members can apply for documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards, as confirmation of a right of permanent residence in the UK. EEA nationals only need to apply for a permanent residence document if they want to apply for British citizenship
After 12 November 2015, a person applying for citizenship who is claiming to have permanent residence as an EEA national or the family member of an EEA national has been required to provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence
To apply for British citizenship by naturalisation, the conditions are:
- lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application
- spent no more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years
- spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
- had settlement in the UK for the last 12 months if you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
- had permanent residence status for the last 12 months if you are a citizen of an EEA country
- not broken any immigration laws while in the UK
Applications for citizenship, EU and non-EU nationals
Year ending | Total applications | Non-EU | EU nationals |
---|---|---|---|
September 2012 | 185,991 | 176,094 | 9,897 |
September 2013 | 206,340 | 190,006 | 16,334 |
September 2014 | 163,468 | 146,940 | 16,528 |
September 2015 | 142,360 | 127,218 | 15,142 |
September 2016 | 142,179 | 126,413 | 15,766 |
September 2017 | 137,286 | 104,430 | 32,856 |
Change: latest year | -4,893 | -21,983 | 17,090 |
Percentage change | -3% | -17% | +108% |
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics July to September 2017
Permanent residence cards for EEA nationals and their family members
Year ending | Total | Non-EU | EU nationals |
---|---|---|---|
September 2015 | 18,713 | 9,252 | 9,461 |
September 2016 | 37,555 | 11,377 | 26,178 |
September 2017 | 168,198 | 16,223 | 151,975 |
Change: latest year | +130,643 | +4,846 | +125,797 |
Percentage change | +348% | +43% | +481% |
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics July to September 2017
Source: Gov.uk