UK ILR and British citizenship for Aussies

Most Australians come to London for two years. Some meet someone, land a great job or just fall for the place. If that's you, this is how "for now" becomes "for good".

The short version

There are two steps: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), then British citizenship. ILR costs £3,226 per person from 8 April 2026 [3].
Most work and family routes still lead to ILR after five years. A move to a 10-year standard has been proposed but, as of late 2026, isn't in the Immigration Rules and has no start date [4][5].
You'll need to pass the Life in the UK test (£50, 24 questions) for both ILR and citizenship [1].
Citizenship usually comes 12 months after ILR, with limits on time abroad. It costs £1,839 including the ceremony [2].
Australia allows dual citizenship, so becoming British doesn't cost you your Australian passport. Always enter Australia on your Australian passport [8].

Step one: which visas lead to settlement

ILR is the UK's version of permanent residence. You can live, work and study without a time limit, and you stop paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. Not every visa gets you there.

Visa	Leads to ILR?	Usual qualifying period (current rules)
Youth Mobility Scheme	No	Time doesn't count
UK Ancestry	Yes	5 years
Skilled Worker	Yes	5 years
Spouse or partner of a British or settled person	Yes	5 years
Global Talent	Yes	3 or 5 years, depending on the category
Long residence (any lawful visas)	Yes	10 years continuous
Visitor or ETA	No	Doesn't count

The big lesson for Australians: Youth Mobility time doesn't count toward settlement. If you want to stay long term, switch to a route that does, such as Skilled Worker or a partner visa, as early as you can. Our Youth Mobility and Ancestry visa guide explains both visas.

Each route has its own rules. On work routes you also need to keep time outside the UK down. The general limit is no more than 180 days away in any 12-month period. Check the guidance for your route before you book a long trip home.

The proposed 10-year rule: what's real and what isn't

In late 2025 the UK government proposed an "earned settlement" model. Under it, the standard wait for ILR would rise from five years to ten, with possible shorter or longer waits depending on things like salary, public funds and contribution. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 [4].

Here's where things stood in autumn 2026:

Not law yet. The 10-year baseline hasn't been written into the Immigration Rules. The September 2026 Statement of Changes didn't include it [5].
No start date. The government indicated a timetable of autumn 2026, then said the final policy would come before February 2027. No date has been announced, and no minimum notice period has been promised [4][5].
No transitional deal. The government's starting position is that the new model would apply to people already in the UK without ILR. Transitional protection hasn't been decided [4][5].
What is confirmed: settlement applicants on several routes, including Skilled Worker, UK Ancestry and partner routes, will need English at B2 level from 26 March 2027, up from B1 [5][6].

The practical takeaway: the rules that apply are the ones in force when you apply [5]. If you'll qualify under the five-year rules, apply as soon as you're eligible. Don't sit on it waiting for a "better time".

Good news on English

Australian citizens are generally treated as meeting the English requirement because of nationality, as Australia is a majority English-speaking country. That means the B2 change is far less of a worry for most Australians than for other nationalities. Check that your route still allows this exemption when you apply.

The Life in the UK test

The Life in the UK test is a 45-minute, 24-question computer test on British history, traditions, law and government [1]. Expect questions on kings, battles and the Magna Carta, not the Ashes.

Key facts [1]:

Cost: £50.
Who needs it: most applicants for settlement or citizenship aged 18 to 64. You only need to pass it once.
Booking: online, at least three days ahead. There are more than 30 test centres in the UK, including several across London.
ID: if you have an eVisa, you book using a share code. The name on your booking must match your ID exactly.

The official handbook, Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents, covers everything in the test. Budget a few weekends of study. A cheeky number of Australians underestimate it, and you pay again for each resit.

Applying for ILR, step by step

Check your date. Count your qualifying period from the start date of your visa on the right route. Don't rely on memory.
Count your absences. List every trip out of the UK. Long Christmas visits to Perth add up.
Pass the Life in the UK test [1].
Sort English. Australian nationality usually covers it; check the route guidance.
Gather evidence: passport, payslips or employer letter for Skilled Worker, relationship and finance evidence for partner routes, and your full birth certificate chain for Ancestry.
Apply online and pay the £3,226 fee [3].
Give biometrics and confirm your identity.
Get your eVisa updated to show indefinite leave. Make sure your UKVI account has your current passport.

Don't lose it

ILR isn't forever if you leave. Settlement generally lapses after more than two years continuously outside the UK [7]. If that happens, you'd need to apply for a Returning Resident visa from outside the UK. You'd have to show strong ties and a genuine plan to settle. There's no right of appeal if it's refused [7]. If you might move back to Australia for a while, think about getting citizenship first.

Step two: British citizenship

Once you've held ILR for a while, you can apply to naturalise as a British citizen. The requirements for most people are [2]:

aged 18 or over
in the UK exactly five years before the Home Office receives your application
no more than 450 days outside the UK in those five years, and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months
held ILR for 12 months, unless you're married to a British citizen
of good character, with knowledge of English and a pass in the Life in the UK test

Cost (from 8 April 2026)	Amount
ILR application, per person [3]	£3,226
Life in the UK test [1]	£50
Naturalisation application [2]	£1,709
Citizenship ceremony [2]	£130
First adult British passport, standard online [3]	£102

Decisions usually come within six months [2]. If you're approved, you'll be invited to a citizenship ceremony with your local council. In London that's run by your borough's register office. You become a British citizen at the ceremony, not when the letter arrives.

The Australian angle on dual citizenship

Since 2002, Australians don't lose Australian citizenship by becoming a citizen of another country. The UK also allows dual citizenship. So you can hold both passports.

A few things to keep straight:

Enter Australia on your Australian passport. An Australian citizen can't be granted an Australian visa, even with another passport [8].
Keep your Australian passport current. Renew it through the Australian High Commission in London or online before it lapses.
Children born in the UK. A child born in London to an Australian parent can usually register for Australian citizenship by descent. Whether they're also British depends on your status at the time of birth. ILR or British citizenship generally makes a difference here, so check before the baby arrives.
Consular help. In a third country, the Australian embassy can help you as an Australian. Smartraveller explains how dual nationality can limit consular help in some places.

Citizenship doesn't change your Australian tax position by itself. Your tax residency still depends on where you live, so talk to the ATO or a tax adviser if you're planning a move home.

When it's worth paying for advice

Most straightforward Skilled Worker and partner cases are done by applicants themselves. Consider a regulated immigration adviser if you:

have gaps in your visa history or overstayed, even briefly
have a criminal record, including driving offences
are close to the absence limits
are mixing routes, such as Youth Mobility, then Skilled Worker, then partner

Want to know how long ILR took for someone on your route, or which London register office has the nicest ceremony room? Ask in Cooee UK, our Facebook group for Australians in the UK. Plenty of members have gone the whole way to the red passport.

Staying for good in the UK: ILR, the Life in the UK test and citizenship