A certificate of naturalisation is the document the Home Secretary grants to an adult who has been naturalised as a British citizen. It is presented at the citizenship ceremony and records the person's name and details. It cannot be used to travel. To travel as a British citizen the person needs a British passport or a certificate of entitlement.
Key points
- The British Nationality Act 1981 says the Secretary of State may grant a certificate of naturalisation if the applicant meets the legal requirements.
- You receive the certificate at your citizenship ceremony. You cannot use it to travel. You need a British passport or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode.
- The name, place of birth and date of birth on your application appear on the certificate and can be changed only in the most exceptional circumstances.
- GOV.UK shows a fee of £456 to replace a lost or damaged certificate for people who became citizens after 30 September 1986.
- UKVI cannot replace a certificate for someone who became a British citizen on or before 30 September 1986. The National Archives holds certified copies for that period.
How a certificate of naturalisation works
Section 6 of the British Nationality Act 1981 sets out the legal basis. If an adult applies to naturalise and the Secretary of State is satisfied that they meet the requirements of Schedule 1 to the Act, the Secretary of State “may, if he thinks fit” grant a certificate of naturalisation.[1]legislation.gov.uk, British Nationality Act 1981, section 6: Acquisition by naturalisation
The certificate is handed over at your citizenship ceremony. You make an oath or affirmation of allegiance and a pledge, and you are then presented with your certificate and a welcome pack.[5]GOV.UK, Citizenship ceremonies The Home Office AN guide lists receiving the certificate as part of step 5 of the process, the citizenship ceremony.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)
Someone who registers rather than naturalises gets a certificate of registration.[4]Home Office, Nationality forms guide (accessible version) GOV.UK treats the two together when it explains how to replace or correct either one.[3]GOV.UK, Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate
What the certificate shows and what it cannot do
The personal details on the certificate come from your application. The Home Office nationality forms guide says the name, place of birth and date of birth on the form will appear on the certificate. They can be changed only in the most exceptional circumstances. The guide also says the Home Office will not normally issue a certificate in a name that differs from your official documents.[4]Home Office, Nationality forms guide (accessible version)
The certificate can be used as evidence. The AN guide asks a spouse applicant to supply their husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s current passport or naturalisation or registration certificate to show they are a British citizen.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible) The Home Office guidance for caseworkers lists a certificate of naturalisation as evidence of a parent’s status when a claim to British citizenship depends on that parent.[6]Home Office, Automatic acquisition of British citizenship: caseworker guidance (accessible)
It cannot be used to travel. The AN guide says you cannot use your naturalisation certificate to travel, and that you cannot use a biometric residence permit, an eVisa or the certificate to enter the UK as a British citizen. You need a British citizen passport or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode. The guide also says there are no current plans to provide digital evidence of British citizenship.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)
The guide warns that citizenship can be taken away if it was granted on the basis of incorrect or fraudulent information. This is called deprivation of citizenship.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)
Replacing or correcting a certificate
| Situation | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Lost or damaged, citizen after 30 September 1986 | Apply online if you are in the UK. The fee is £456. You usually keep your documents. Tell the police if it was stolen |
| Mistake on the certificate | Send an application for correction and your original certificate to Department 201 at UKVI. You pay £456 if the mistake was your fault |
| Citizen on or before 30 September 1986 | UKVI cannot replace it. Search the National Archives for a certified copy |
The National Archives holds naturalisation certificates issued from 1 January 1844 to 30 September 1986, and registration certificates issued from 1 January 1949 to 30 September 1986.[3]GOV.UK, Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate The AN guide names form RR for corrections.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)
Example
At his citizenship ceremony Chidi is handed his certificate of naturalisation. He then sees that his surname is spelt wrongly because of a typing error on his own application. He sends the correction form and the original certificate to UKVI. UKVI writes to tell him whether he must pay. GOV.UK shows a fee of £456 where the mistake was the applicant’s fault, so he should expect to pay it.[3]GOV.UK, Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate
Chidi cannot use the certificate to fly home. He applies for a British passport before he books his flight.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible) The figures were correct on the date shown at the top of this page, and fees change.
What people get wrong
Many people think the certificate of naturalisation works like a passport. It does not. It records that the Home Secretary granted citizenship. It is not a travel document.
The AN guide says that without a British passport or a certificate of entitlement you may face serious delays when returning to the UK.[2]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible) A second mistake is to assume the Home Office can replace any lost certificate. For people who became British citizens on or before 30 September 1986, it cannot. They need a certified copy from the National Archives.[3]GOV.UK, Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate
The bottom line
A certificate of naturalisation is the document granted to an adult who has naturalised as a British citizen, and it is handed over at the citizenship ceremony. It carries the name and details from your application and is useful as evidence. It is not a travel document. Check the details on it as soon as it arrives, because a correction may cost £456. See British citizenship by naturalisation for how Compass can help.
Common questions
No. The Home Office AN guide says you cannot use it to travel. To travel as a British citizen you need a British citizen passport or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode.
GOV.UK shows £456 to replace a lost or damaged certificate if you became a citizen after 30 September 1986. You must tell the police if the certificate was stolen.
Send an application for correction and the original certificate to UKVI. You pay £456 if the mistake was your fault, for example because you gave the wrong details. UKVI writes to tell you if you need to pay.
No. GOV.UK says UKVI cannot replace a certificate if you became a British citizen on or before 30 September 1986. You can search the National Archives and order a certified copy of a naturalisation certificate issued from 1 January 1844 to 30 September 1986.
Sources
We cite the Immigration Rules, legislation and GOV.UK guidance directly. Rules change, so each source shows the date we last checked it.
- legislation.gov.uk. British Nationality Act 1981, section 6: Acquisition by naturalisation. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Home Office. Form AN: guidance (accessible). Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- GOV.UK. Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Home Office. Nationality forms guide (accessible version). Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- GOV.UK. Citizenship ceremonies. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Home Office. Automatic acquisition of British citizenship: caseworker guidance (accessible). Checked 11 November 2026. ↩