Both Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British Citizenship can be acquired to obtain the right to permanently reside in the UK without restrictions. However, they are two different statuses, which do not give you the same rights. Our team of experts detail the differences between ILR and British Citizenship.
Are ILR and Citizenship the same?
While having ILR will allow you to remain in the UK, it does not, however, change your nationality. You may permanently reside in the UK as an EU citizen, for example, as long as you have ILR. While you may work or study in the country, you will not have exactly the same right as a British citizen. These rights include:
- Applying for a British passport
- Voting outside of local elections
- Holding public office
You may also lose ILR if you are absent from the UK for over 2 years (5 years if you have the Settled Status), whereas British citizens may leave the country for any length of time.
Do you need ILR to apply for British Citizenship?
While there are several routes to obtaining British nationality, Indefinite Leave to Remain is a requirement for obtaining citizenship by naturalisation or marriage. Typically, individuals look at obtaining ILR to remain in the country, then consider applying for citizenship if they wish to.
You can find more information about requirements on our British Citizenship page.
Contact us
We can help with Indefinite Leave to Remain and British Citizenship. Our team has decades of experience navigating UK immigration laws and working cases all over the world, so we know how to present strong cases which have greater chances of success. Contact us for assistance or book a consultation.
