Citizenship
Published 25 August 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2016/citizenship
Valid: 25 August 2016 to 30 November 2016
Data relate to the year ending June 2016 and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2015, unless indicated otherwise.
Back to ‘Immigration statistics April to June 2016’ content page.
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1. Key facts
Applications for British citizenship increased by 7% in the year ending June 2016 to 146,999. This included a 14% increase in applications from EU nationals to 15,501, in part due to increases in applications from Polish nationals (up 9% to 4,246) and from Italian nationals (up 26% to 1,075).
There were 163,360 British citizenship decisions in the year ending June 2016, up by nearly half (46%) on the previous 12 months (112,090). The numbers granted British citizenship increased by 42% (+43,829 to 148,802) while refusals and withdrawals doubled (up 105% or 7,441 to 14,558). The corresponding fall in grant rates was from 95% to 91%. Higher numbers were refused or withdrawn, following the introduction of enhanced checks on cases requiring higher levels of assurance in April 2015, e.g. those cases with previous asylum refusals and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 43,829 increase in grants of British citizenship reflects increases in numbers of people granted citizenship in all broad categories (residence, marriage, as children).
Variations in numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases as well as policy changes and application levels in earlier periods.
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 ending June 2012 | 186,113 | 179,697 | 98,310 | 35,443 | 41,127 | 4,817 | 6,416 |
| Year ending June 2013 | 211,891 | 204,509 | 111,593 | 42,058 | 45,781 | 5,077 | 7,382 |
| Year ending June 2014 | 188,910 | 180,951 | 98,415 | 40,689 | 37,914 | 3,933 | 7,959 |
| Year ending June 2015 | 112,090 | 104,973 | 51,554 | 21,480 | 27,691 | 4,248 | 7,117 |
| Year ending June 2016 | 163,360 | 148,802 | 75,215 | 30,144 | 36,564 | 6,879 | 14,558 |
| Change: latest year | 51,270 | 43,829 | 23,661 | 8,664 | 8,873 | 2,631 | 7,441 |
| Percentage change | +46% | +42% | +46% | +40% | +32% | +62% | +105% |
Table notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 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 June 2016 rose by 46% (+51,270) mostly due to an increase in decisions made during the first 6 months of 2016 (+34,228 compared with the first 6 months of 2015), following increased applications in Q4 2015 and Q1 2016.
3. Long-term trends in applications for citizenship and grants and refusals
The chart below illustrates longer-term trends in applications for citizenship and grants and refusals.
Chart notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship tables cz 02 and 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. Quarterly application levels are also likely to have been influenced by rises in fees usually implemented in April (the beginning of the financial year).
Applications for British citizenship made in the year to June 2016 increased by 7% (+9,311) compared to the previous 12 months. Within this total, applications from EU nationals rose by 14% (+1,943). As the table below shows, EU nationals were 4% of the total in the year to June 2008 and 11% in the year to June 2016. Increases in applications from EU nationals in recent years are likely to reflect the immigration in previous years by EU nationals. The data show increased applications from nationals of Poland (up from 978 in the year to June 2010 to 4,246 in the latest 12 months) and Romania (up from 638 in the year to June 2012 to 1,921 in the latest 12 months).
Summary tables: Applications for citizenship, EU nationals
| Total applications | Non-EU | EU nationals | EU nationals as % of total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending June 2008 | 142,251 | 137,208 | 5,043 | 4% | |
| Year ending June 2009 | 171,714 | 166,061 | 5,653 | 3% | |
| Year ending June 2010 | 200,360 | 192,104 | 8,256 | 4% | |
| Year ending June 2011 | 209,934 | 200,760 | 9,174 | 4% | |
| Year ending June 2012 | 191,698 | 182,285 | 9,413 | 5% | |
| Year ending June 2013 | 187,335 | 173,786 | 13,549 | 7% | |
| Year ending June 2014 | 193,282 | 174,308 | 18,974 | 10% | |
| Year ending June 2015 | 137,688 | 124,130 | 13,558 | 10% | |
| Year ending June 2016 | 146,999 | 131,498 | 15,501 | 11% | |
| Change: latest year | +9,311 | +7,368 | +1,943 | ||
| Percentage change | +7% | +6% | +14% |
Table notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 01 q a.
Series are based on current EU membership, i.e. Croatians included in EU total throughout.
See Table cz 01 q a and the user guide for more details.
Applications received from nationals of most EU states increased in the latter half of 2015, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2015. The increase may in part be due people anticipating a change in the rules. After 12 November 2015 a person applying for citizenship who is claiming to have permanent residence as an EEA national or the family member of an EEA national must provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they meet the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions.
| Geographical region | 2015 Q1 | 2015 Q2 | 2015 Q3 | 2015 Q4 | 2016 Q1 | 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total EU | 3,978 | 3,650 | 4,183 | 5,347 | 2,833 | 3,138 |
| EU 14 | 1,330 | 1,254 | 1,528 | 1,659 | 1,044 | 1,303 |
| EU 2 | 853 | 764 | 779 | 1,140 | 605 | 565 |
| EU 8 | 1,740 | 1,580 | 1,807 | 2,473 | 1,148 | 1,214 |
| EU Other | 55 | 52 | 69 | 75 | 36 | 56 |
| Other regions | 35,644 | 32,164 | 30,190 | 35,651 | 38,221 | 27,436 |
| Total all regions | 39,622 | 35,814 | 34,373 | 40,998 | 41,054 | 30,574 |
Table notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 01 q a.
4. Previous nationalities granted citizenship
The chart below shows the top 5 previous nationalities granted citizenship.
(Total number of grants in 2015 - 118,053)
Chart notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 06.
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.
New tables have been introduced providing breakdowns of quarterly applications for citizenship by nationality (cz 01 q a) and quarterly grants of citizenship by previous nationality (cz 06 q).
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.