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The Home Office has introduced a new Priority Service for people who want their British citizenship application to be considered more quickly. Under the new system, eligible applicants can pay an additional fee of £500, on top of the standard citizenship application fee, to request priority consideration.
According to updated Home Office guidance published on 2 July 2026, applicants who use the Priority Service should normally expect to receive a decision within 30 working days of submitting their biometric information.
This is a significant development for people who do not want to wait several months for a citizenship decision or who need the outcome of their application within a particular timeframe.
How Much Does the British Citizenship Priority Service Cost?
The additional fee for using the British citizenship Priority Service has been set at £500.
This fee does not replace the standard citizenship application fee. Applicants must pay the usual application fee and any other applicable charges, in addition to the £500 Priority Service fee.
How Long Will a Priority Service British Citizenship Application Take?
According to Home Office guidance, applicants using the Priority Service should normally receive a decision within 30 working days of submitting their biometric information.
It is important to note that the 30-working-day period begins from the date on which biometrics are submitted, rather than the date on which the online application is completed.
Standard citizenship applications are generally expected to be decided within six months. The new Priority Service is intended to reduce this waiting period significantly for eligible applicants.
Is the 30-Working-Day Timescale Guaranteed?
Using the Priority Service does not guarantee that every application will be decided within 30 working days.
The Home Office has confirmed that some citizenship applications may require more detailed consideration. Applications involving external checks, identity enquiries, national security considerations, enhanced scrutiny or particularly complex legal or factual issues may fall outside the 30-working-day timeframe.
The Home Office may also request additional documents or explanations from the applicant, which could delay the decision.
The Priority Service should therefore be understood as an expedited consideration service rather than a guarantee that a decision will be made by a fixed date.
Can an Existing Citizenship Application Be Upgraded to the Priority Service?
Home Office guidance expressly states that a citizenship application which has already been submitted cannot subsequently be converted into a Priority Service application by paying the additional £500 fee.
Applicants who wish to use the Priority Service must therefore select this option when making their citizenship application.
Does Paying for the Priority Service Mean the Application Will Be Approved?
Paying the £500 Priority Service fee does not mean that the citizenship application will be approved.
Applicants must still satisfy all legal requirements for naturalisation or registration. This may include the residence requirements, absence limits, immigration status requirements, English language requirement, Life in the UK Test and the Good Character requirement.
Can a Citizenship Application Be Expedited Without Paying £500?
In certain exceptional circumstances, an applicant may request priority treatment without paying the £500 Priority Service fee.
However, free priority treatment is not available simply because an applicant would prefer a quicker decision.
The Home Office normally expects there to be serious, exceptional and properly evidenced circumstances.
When considering such a request, the Home Office must first assess whether the application has been mishandled, overlooked or unnecessarily delayed.
An application being more than 12 months old does not automatically justify priority treatment. If the delay is considered reasonable because of security checks, identity enquiries, information awaited from another organisation or the complexity of the application, priority treatment may be refused.
What is the difference between the Priority service and the Free Priority Treatment?
The £500 Priority Service is a fee-based service designed for eligible applicants who wish to have a decision reached more quickly without having to demonstrate exceptional hardship.
A free priority treatment, on the other hand, is based on exceptional circumstances such as serious humanitarian grounds, essential travel, a specific job requiring citizenship, an error by the Home Office, or the national interest.
Whilst Priority Service must be selected at the time of application, a request for priority—at no extra cost—may be considered depending on serious and verifiable circumstances arising in an existing case.
How Can Advantage Solicitors Help with British Citizenship Applications?
At Advantage Solicitors, we provide our clients with comprehensive legal support regarding applications for British citizenship, naturalisation and registration processes.
If your application has been pending for a long time, if you suspect there has been an error on the part of the Home Office, or if you wish to request priority processing on serious grounds, we can examine the details of your case in detail.
This article has been prepared for general information purposes only and does not constitute personalised legal advice. Applications for citizenship are assessed on the basis of each applicant’s individual circumstances.
Fidan Osoy
Director Solicitor
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