Accredited official statistics

Citizenship

Updated 26 May 2016

Valid: 26 May 2016 to 24 August 2016

Data relate to the year ending March 2016 and all comparisons are with the year ending March 2015, unless indicated otherwise.

Back to ‘Immigration statistics January to March 2016’ content page.

This is not the latest release. View latest release.

1. Key facts

Applications for British citizenship increased by 13% in the year ending March 2016 to 152,239 but were 34% (-80,023) lower than the peak of 232,262 in 2013.

There were 148,497 British citizenship decisions, 22% more than in the previous 12 months (121,339). Numbers granted British citizenship increased by 17% (+ 19,119 to 134,659) while refusals and withdrawals increased by 139% (+8,039 to 13,838).

Grant rates fell from 95% in the year ending March 2015 to 91% in the year ending March 2016 following the introduction of enhanced checks on cases requiring higher levels of assurance in April 2015, e.g. those cases with previous asylum refusals and cases with adverse immigration histories.

The 19,119 increase in grants of British citizenship reflects increases in numbers of people granted citizenship in all broad categories.

Year-on-year comparisons of numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases as well as policy changes.

2. Grants and refusals of citizenship

Year Total decisions Total grants On basis of residence On basis of marriage As children Other grounds Refusals and withdrawals
Year to March 2012 181,832 175,267 95,625 34,384 40,512 4,746 6,565
Year to March 2013 202,742 195,642 107,146 39,663 43,586 5,247 7,100
Year to March 2014 214,981 206,852 112,380 46,893 43,413 4,166 8,129
Year to March 2015 121,339 115,540 56,632 23,533 31,066 4,309 5,799
Year to March 2016 148,497 134,659 68,415 28,323 32,508 5,413 13,838
Change: latest year 27,158 19,119 11,783 4,790 1,442 1,104 8,039
Percentage change +22% +17% +21% +20% +5% +26% +139%

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Citizenship tables cz 01 q and cz 02 q.
‘Other grounds’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds and registration under section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See Table cz 07 and the user guide for more detail.

Total decisions in the year ending March 2016 rose by 22% (+ 27,158) due to an increase in decisions made during the first 3 months of 2016. In January to March 2016 58,254 decisions were made, 50% (+19,365) more than in the same period in 2015 (38,889).

The chart below illustrates longer-term trends in applications for and grants of citizenship by calendar year.

The chart shows the number of applications for and grants of British citizenship between 2004 and the latest calendar year. The data are available in Table cz 03.

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Citizenship table cz 03.

The number of grants in 2015 (118,053) was the lowest since 2001 (90,282).

Between 2009 and 2013 there was a general increase in applications for and grants of citizenship, which is likely in part to reflect increased grants of permission to stay permanently (known as settlement) up to 2010. After a period of residence those granted settlement become eligible to apply for citizenship. The peak in grants of citizenship occurred in 2013, when there were 207,989 grants, more than double the level seen in 2001 (90,282) and the highest annual total since records began in 1962.

There were also increases in British citizenship applications made in 2005 (211,911) and 2013 (232,262). The increase in 2005 may have reflected people anticipating the introduction of the Knowledge of Life in the UK test on 1 November that year. Similarly, the increase in 2013 may, in part, have been due to some people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline for further information. Applications in 2014 fell to 127,259, a level not seen since 2004 (125,668). This may partly be due to the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013 and fewer grants of settlement since 2010.

4. Previous nationalities granted citizenship

The chart below shows the top 5 previous nationalities granted citizenship.
(Total number of grants in 2015 - 118,053)

The chart shows grants of citizenship by previous nationality in 2015. Former Indian and Pakistani nationals had the highest numbers of citizenship grants in most years from 1998 to 2015, (27%) of grants in 2015. The chart is based on data in Table cz 06.

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Citizenship table cz 06.

Grants of citizenship to EU nationals, as a proportion of total grants, have increased since 2011. This is mainly due to increased grants to nationals of Poland and Romania.

Grants to all EU nationals, other than Bulgaria, Croatia and Austria, rose in 2015 compared to 2014. The countries that increased most were Poland (up 597 to 3,763), Italy (up 364 to 843), Greece (up 357 to 615), France (up 311 to 722), Germany (up 283 to 592) and Hungary (up 269 to 708).

Total grants Non-EU EU nationals EU nationals as % of total
2011 177,785 170,379 7,406 4%
2012 194,209 183,674 10,535 5%
2013 207,989 190,344 17,645 8%
2014 125,653 115,582 10,071 8%
2015 118,053 105,083 12,970 11%

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics January to March 2016, Citizenship tables cz 06.
Includes Croatia as EU throughout. See Table cz 06 and the user guide for more detail.

5. Data tables

Further data on British citizenship are available in Citizenship tables cz 01 to cz 10.

In addition to applications and detailed breakdowns of decisions, these include information on refusals, citizenship ceremonies attended and renunciations of citizenship.

6. Background information

The figures in this section relate to the number of people who are granted or refused British citizenship.

The numbers of decisions made are not always fully comparable over time. This is because, as well as reflecting changes in the levels of those settling in the UK, the figures are influenced by policy and legislative changes, for example, when changes are made to English language requirements or the Life in the UK test. In addition, the level of decisions made may be affected by the resources available in the Home Office.

6.1 Migration Transparency Data webpage

A range of key input and impact indicators are currently published by the Home Office on the Migration transparency data webpage.