British Citizenship Priority Service: British nationality applicants may now pay to jump the queue.
Clarkslegal, an immigration law business, issued a notice on 23 July 2026 that the Home Office has introduced a new Priority Service for naturalisation and registration applications at an extra cost of £500.
The program, launched on July 6th, intends to provide a decision within 30 working days following biometric enrolment, shortening the usual six-month wait by over 80%.
There is no super-priority (24 hour) tier as there is for the long standing priority choices for work and settlement visas.
The Home Office said the speedier service does not remove the strict restrictions on residence, good character or absence.
Complicated papers may still miss the 30-day deadline.
“Applicants should be ready to decide, with all documentation in hand.”
The adjustment addresses a big void for corporates.
For families relocating to the UK, and whose assignment is contingent upon how soon they obtain their citizenship, or those whose work requires a British passport to travel smoothly in the EU, the process is now predictable and budgetable.
Mobility teams need to include the £500 price per application in their cost predictions and keep a careful eye on biometrics dates since delays in getting an appointment will affect the 30-day clock.
The move also fits with the Home Office’s broader digital-status revamp of how citizenship is processed.
Successful applicants for the Priority Service will be notified of decisions in electronic format and will be invited to a virtual swearing-in ceremony before applying for their first passport.
This could mean more delays in getting passports issued, so firms with plans for autumn deployments should start early.
Lawyers praise the idea, but warn supply could outpace capacity.
There is no daily limit set by the agency, and earlier premium services had been put on hold during the pandemic’s backlogs.
Companies should designate high-priority instances early and have backup travel paperwork accessible.