Birthactive
Citizenship by birth in the UK
For births from 1983, a child is normally automatically British when a parent is British or settled at the time of birth.
Sources: GOV.UK — British citizenship for people born in the UK
Citizenship routes
Ancestryreviewed
Naturalizationreviewed
Birthreviewed
Investmentreviewed
Ancestryactive
Citizenship through a British parent
British citizenship can usually pass one generation to a child born outside the UK, subject to the parent’s status and the date and place of birth.
Sources: GOV.UK — British citizenship through a British parent
Naturalizationactive
Naturalization after settlement
The standard route combines five years of residence with at least 12 months holding indefinite leave, settled status, or indefinite leave to enter.
Sources: GOV.UK — Naturalization with indefinite leave or settled status
Residence & settlement
Investment (golden visa)→ citizenship
Innovator Founder visa
The UK's current entrepreneur route: residence for founders of an innovative, viable and scalable new business, endorsed by a Home Office-approved endorsing body. No fixed minimum investment — applicants need 'sufficient funds' as assessed at endorsement. 3-year grants, extendable indefinitely; settlement (ILR) possible after 3 years. Leads to citizenship via ILR.
Sources: Innovator Founder visa - GOV.UK
Investment (golden visa)→ citizenship
Tier 1 (Investor) visa
The UK's former golden-visa route (GBP 2m+ passive investment) was closed to new applicants with immediate effect at 16:00 on 17 February 2022 over illicit-finance and hostile-state-actor concerns. Transitional cohort only: extension applications had to be made before 17 February 2026 (window now closed), and settlement (ILR) applications must be made before 17 February 2028. No successor investor route had been launched as of July 2026.
Sources: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: CP 632, 17 February 2022