Dual citizenship in the United Kingdom

the United Kingdom lets its citizens hold another nationality; a foreigner who naturalises does not have to give up the old one; the ordinary route takes about 5 years of residence.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Read this first. These are the general rules for the ordinary routes, not your case. Nationality law has many special routes (birth, descent, marriage, refugees, investment) and exceptions, and details change, so check the current law and ask the country's nationality authority. This is general information, not legal advice.

May citizens hold two?

Yes

Allowed: citizens may hold another nationality.

Must new citizens give up the old one?

Not required: you may keep your old nationality. The country you came from also has its own rule about losing its nationality, so check that too.

Years to naturalise

5 years

Five years of residence, plus a year after settled status.

Worth knowing in the United Kingdom

The UK allows dual nationality. Before applying you must normally have been settled in the UK for at least a year.

Before you apply anywhere

Two countries, two sets of rules. Each country decides for itself who its citizens are. One country can allow dual nationality while the other takes its own nationality away, so check the rule of BOTH countries before you naturalise or apply for a second passport.
A country may treat you only as its own citizen. Many countries do not recognise your other nationality inside their borders. You may have to enter and leave with that country's passport, and its authorities may refuse consular help from your other country.
Duties can follow you. Military service, tax filings and voting duties can apply to each nationality. The United States, for example, taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live.
Renouncing is permanent, and not always accepted. A formal renunciation may be hard to reverse. Some countries do not allow their citizens to renounce, so the paperwork may achieve nothing.
Ask the authority, not only a website. Nationality law has many exceptions for birth, descent and marriage, and details change. Confirm with the country's nationality authority or a lawyer there before you act.

Take it further

Immigration Law course$15
Status, visas, work authorisation and removal.
General Power of Attorney template$5
Let someone you trust act for you when you cannot.
Child Travel Consent Form template$5
Permission for a child to travel with one parent or another adult.
Country Legal Packs$5
The family and property rules of a European country in one PDF, with questions for a local lawyer.

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More about the United Kingdom

Sources

For the exact rule and its text, use the United Kingdom’s own nationality law and its nationality or immigration authority, which are the authority.

TheLawToKnow Tools’s dual citizenship guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the country’s own law or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.