British Citizenship Certificate: How to Get or Replace It

What a British citizenship certificate is

A British citizenship certificate is your formal proof that you are a British citizen. If you became a citizen as an adult by naturalisation, you receive a certificate of naturalisation. If you became a citizen by registration, which covers most children and some other cases, you receive a certificate of registration. Both do the same job: they show who you are, the date you became a citizen, and a unique reference number for your record.

The certificate is a legal document. Keep it somewhere safe and do not write on it, change any details, or laminate it, because some organisations will not accept a certificate that has been altered, laminated or damaged. You can read the official guidance on becoming a British citizen on GOV.UK.

When you get your certificate

For most new citizens, the certificate is not something you apply for on its own. You receive it at your citizenship ceremony. Once UK Visas and Immigration approves your naturalisation or registration application, you are sent an invitation to a ceremony, which is arranged by your local council.

At the ceremony you take the oath or affirmation of allegiance and the citizenship pledge, and your certificate is presented to you there. You become a British citizen on the date of the ceremony, not on the date your application was approved, so the ceremony is the step that completes the process. You are normally expected to attend within a set period after your invitation, and the exact window can vary, so check your invitation and GOV.UK for the current timescale. Children under 18 who register as British citizens do not usually attend a ceremony, and the certificate is sent to them instead.

The wait between approval and your ceremony is the part people ask about most, because ceremonies are run locally and the timing varies. We cover the stages qualitatively in our guide to British citizenship processing times. If you are still working through the application, our step-by-step guide to how to apply for British citizenship walks through every stage up to the ceremony.

What the certificate is used for

Your certificate is your proof of British citizenship. The two things people reach for it first are:

• Applying for a British passport. For a first British passport you will usually need to provide your certificate of naturalisation or registration as evidence of your citizenship, so it is the document the Passport Office asks for.
• Registering to vote. As a British citizen you can register on the electoral register and vote in UK elections. You add your details to the register through GOV.UK.

You will also use the certificate to confirm your status to employers checking your right to work, and to banks and other organisations. Treat it like the legal document it is: keep it safe, and do not laminate or alter it, because a damaged certificate can be refused.

Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged certificate

If your certificate is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, you can apply for a replacement through GOV.UK. You do not receive the original back: you are issued a replacement certificate that stands as your proof of citizenship.

You apply online. You give your personal details and, as far as you are able, the details of the original certificate, such as its reference number and the date you became a citizen, and you pay a fee. To find the current route and the exact information you need to supply, search GOV.UK for how to replace a citizenship certificate.

There is a fee to replace a certificate, and citizenship fees are reviewed and change over time, so we do not quote a figure here. Check GOV.UK for the current replacement fee before you apply. You can see the published amounts in the fees for citizenship applications on GOV.UK. For a wider view of what becoming a citizen costs, see our guide to the cost of the Life in the UK Test and citizenship.

Name changes and errors on your certificate

Two issues come up again and again.

The first is a name change after the certificate is issued, for example after marriage. You do not have to change the certificate itself. It records the name you held when you became a citizen, and you can use it alongside your marriage certificate or a change of name document, such as a deed poll, when you need to prove the link between the two names. If you specifically need a certificate in your new name, check GOV.UK for what is possible and what it involves.

The second is an error on the certificate, such as a misspelled name or the wrong date. If you spot a mistake, contact UK Visas and Immigration as soon as you notice it rather than waiting, and do not try to correct the certificate yourself. Check GOV.UK for how to report and fix an incorrect certificate. If you want to confirm your eligibility or the wider rules, our guide to British citizenship requirements explains who qualifies and on what basis.