New Priority Service for British Citizenship Applications
The Home Office has introduced a priority processing service for British citizenship applications — both naturalisation and registration. For an additional £500, applicants can target a decision within 30 working days from their biometric appointment.
The 30-working-day target runs from the date of your biometric appointment, not from the date you submit your application. Applications already submitted cannot be upgraded to priority retrospectively.
Key Facts
- Additional fee: £500, on top of the standard naturalisation or registration fee
- Target: decision within 30 working days from the date of your biometric appointment
- Not guaranteed — enhanced scrutiny, external checks, or unusual complexity may take longer
- Cannot be applied to applications already submitted
- Paying the fee does not affect the outcome — only the speed
When the 30-day target may not be met
Cases requiring enhanced scrutiny, external checks, national security or identity enquiries, or unusual complexity may take longer even with the priority fee paid. The fee is non-refundable in these circumstances.
Based on Home Office guidance updated 6 July 2026 and UKVI staff guidance v4.0 published 2 July 2026. This is general information and does not constitute legal advice.