Under British nationality law, adults usually naturalise as British citizens, which requires:
- Knowledge of Life in the UK (KoLL test), and
- English language requirements.
However, registration is a separate process from naturalisation and usually has less strict requirements, including (in some cases) no KoLL requirement.
You might be able to register if:
- You were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, and
- One of your parents became a British citizen or settled in the UK after your birth, and
- You are applying as an adult under section 1(4) of the British Nationality Act 1981.
This route does not require KoLL or English tests.
Section 1(4) Registration — Details:
You can register as a British citizen if:
- You were born in the UK,
- You are not already a British citizen,
- You’ve lived in the UK for the first 10 years of your life,
- You have not been outside the UK for more than 90 days in any one of those 10 years.
This is usually a child-focused provision, but you can still apply as an adult.
Another possible registration route is under Section 4(2) — for people who were British Overseas citizens or otherwise had a claim.