Apply for Naturalisation as a Member of HM Armed Forces

: Written by: Arshad Mahmood; Last Updated: 15 March 2026

You can apply for naturalisation as a British Citizen using form AN if you are a member of the British Armed Forces who is exempt from immigration control and has been resident in the UK lawfully for at least 5 years. Members of the armed forces who are exempt from immigration control due to military service for the last 5 years and are still continuing to serve the HM forces can apply for naturalisation as British Citizens. An application for naturalisation as a British Citizen by members of the armed forces who are exempt from immigration control is submitted to the UKVI using application form AN.

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Free Immigration Advice for Naturalisation as a British Citizen as a Member of HM Forces

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide one-off 5-minute free immigration advice in relation to your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen as a member of HM Forces. Ask a question online to our specialist team of immigration solicitors for free immigration advice online, or book an appointment online for detailed immigration advice and consultation with one of our immigration solicitors concerning your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen as a member of HM Forces.

Requirements For Naturalisation as a British Citizen

The requirements to be satisfied for naturalisation as a British Citizen by a member or ex-member of the British Armed Forces include the following:

The applicant should be free of immigration time restrictions on the date the application for naturalisation as a British Citizen is made to the Home Office, UKVI.
The applicant must have lived in the UK continuously for 5 years preceding the date of application for naturalisation as a British Citizen.
The applicant should meet the good character requirement in the same way as all other applicants for naturalisation are required to meet.
The applicant must meet the requirements of Knowledge of Life in the UK and the English Language.

Residence Requirements For Currently Serving Members of the Brigade of Ghurkhas

If, at the time of consideration, the applicant is currently serving in the Brigade of Gurkhas, the Home Office, UKVI should:

calculate the number of days of technical absence in the qualifying period and exclude this from the residence count;
combine technical absences with actual absences to obtain the total number of days of absence during the qualifying period;
apply the normal levels of permitted absence (i.e. 450/270/90 days) and not waive any excess absence

What is Discretion for Absences?

There is discretion within the British Nationality Act 1981 to overlook the requirement to have been in the UK on the first day of the 5-year qualifying period for a 6(1) application if the applicant is or has been a member of the Armed Forces.

The Home Office, UKVI, should normally exercise discretion where:

The applicant was a member of the UK armed forces on the first day of the 5-year qualifying period, and
He or she was unable to be physically present on that date because of his or her service in the armed forces, and
He or she meets all the other requirements for section 6(1).

In these cases, the Home Office, UKVI, should exercise discretion under paragraph 2(b) of Schedule 1 to the BNA 1981 and treat any "technical" absences during the qualifying period as residence. In addition, the Home Office, UKVI should, if necessary, be prepared to disregard any and all actual absences from the UK that were due to the applicant’s armed forces service.

What is the Requirement of Being Free From Immigration Control?

While in the armed services, applicants are exempt from immigration control and, therefore, free of immigration time restrictions. Applicants will have been free of immigration time restrictions throughout their period of service. In many cases, former armed services personnel will have been granted ILR on discharge and will meet the requirement to have been free of immigration time restrictions in the 12 months prior to the date of application.

In some cases, the former armed forces member will have been granted 28 days' limited leave on discharge before being granted indefinite leave to remain. In such cases, the Home Office, UKVI, should exercise discretion over the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions in the 12-month period before making the application. The Home Office, UKVI, does not normally exercise discretion in this way if the former armed forces member had been granted a longer period of limited leave on other grounds.

Naturalisation For Spouses/Civil Partners and Children Of Members Of HM Forces

Spouses/civil partners and children of servicemen are not exempt from immigration control while residing in the UK. Instead, they are generally given leave to remain as long as their spouse/civil partner is in service. While they still have limited leave to remain, neither spouses/civil partners nor children will be able to meet the criteria to be free of immigration time restrictions (spouse/civil partner) or future intentions (children), and their applications can be refused if they have not held ILR for the last 12 months.

The spouses/civil partners of servicemen exempt from immigration control may also have high levels of absence, either because they have been accompanying their spouse/civil partner while overseas or because they have not been able to accompany him while he is in the UK. The Home Office can exercise discretion to disregard any absences due to service abroad in the same way as such discretion is exercised for the servicemen.

Any child born legitimately in the UK to a parent who is in HM armed forces is automatically a British citizen. Where a child is not already a British citizen, the Home Office, UKVI should consider the application in line with the parents and be prepared to waive the criterion for children over 13 years of age to have completed two years' residence in the UK.

How We Can Help?

Our expert team of immigration solicitors in London can represent you in your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen and carry out all the work on your application until a decision on your application is received from the Home Office UKVI. As part of our professional legal services in relation to your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen, our expert team of immigration solicitors will carry out the following immigration casework:

Assessment of eligibility: Our immigration solicitors will assess your eligibility for naturalisation as a British Citizen by considering all the relevant information, including your past immigration history.

Advice on chances of success: Our immigration solicitors will advise you on the chances of success in your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen and will draw your attention to any weaknesses in your application.

Advice on documents: Our immigration solicitors will advise you on the list of documents to be submitted in support of your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen.

Assessment of documents: Our immigration solicitors will assess all the supporting documents to ensure that the documents you provide satisfy the Home Office UKVI requirements for naturalisation as a British Citizen.

Completing application form: Our immigration solicitors will complete the application form online, submit the same online, help you pay the Home Office UKVI fee for naturalisation as a British Citizen and schedule your appointment with the UKVCAS appointment centre for enrolment of your biometrics.

Preparing a detailed cover letter: Our immigration solicitors will prepare a detailed cover letter in support of the application, explaining in detail your eligibility for naturalisation as a British Citizen by referring to all the relevant information, documents, laws and requirements.

Uploading documents online: Our immigration solicitors will upload all supporting documents online to be considered in support of your application, including our cover letter prepared for your application.

Follow-up work: Our immigration solicitors will carry out all the work on your application for naturalisation as a British citizen until a decision is received from the Home Office UKVI regarding your application.

Why Choose Us For Naturalisation As A British Citizen As A Member Of HM Forces?

There are a number of reasons why you can choose our British nationality law solicitors and lawyers in London to handle your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen as a member of HM Forces. The main reasons include the following:

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Open 7 Days A Week: We are open seven days a week and pride ourselves on providing dedicated advice and legal representation for naturalisation applications.

All Work Carried Out By Qualified Specialist Immigration Solicitors: Our specialist team of fully qualified and experienced nationality law solicitors, who have extensive experience dealing with naturalisation applications, will carry out all the casework on your application for naturalisation as a British Citizen and member of HM Forces.

Free Immigration Advice Online: Our specialist team of nationality law solicitors and lawyers can provide one-off free immigration advice online for naturalisation as a British Citizen as a member of HM Forces through our website enquiry form.

Fixed Fees With Payment Plan: Our nationality law solicitors and lawyers charge reasonable and affordable fixed fees for an application for naturalisation as a British Citizen as a member of HM Forces with the option to pay our fixed fee in two instalments whereby you pay half of the agreed fix fee when we start our work on your naturalisation application and the remaining half when we have fully prepared the naturalisation application and it is ready for submission to the Home Office UKVI.

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