The Home Office on 7 July updated multiple guidance notes (Forms MN1, B(OTA) and AN) to launch a paid ‘Priority Service’ for most citizenship registration and naturalisation applications. According to the change logs, applicants can now pay a £500 premium for a decision within 30 working days, compared with the standard six-month timeframe. The guidance also scraps the requirement to post Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) back to the Home Office; successful applicants must instead destroy the BRP after the citizenship ceremony. A new plain-English section clarifies when a child gains British citizenship and whether a ceremony is required. The fast-track option mirrors existing priority processing for skilled-worker visas and is expected to prove popular with senior expatriates and entrepreneurs who are finalising relocation plans on tight schedules. However, the 30-day clock begins only once biometrics have been enrolled, so legal advisers are urging clients to book their UKVCAS appointments promptly to maximise the benefit. Employers sponsoring staff on long-term assignments should budget for the additional fee if early citizenship is part of retention packages, and update global-mobility policies to reflect the new BRP-destruction obligation to avoid inadvertent non-compliance.
