How long must you have lived in the UK to get a British passport?

edmund80

Scrolling down through the requirements in the link below, I cannot find a time requirement for passport eligibility and that would make sense. A person born in the UK, or her colonies, automatically becomes eligible for a passport even though they are less than a day old. Conversely, an illegal alien living in the UK would not be eligible for one no matter how long they had been living there. So, I think the short answer to your question is, it does not matter how long you have lived in the UK. Passport qualifications depend on other matters, mainly citizenship. http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-eligibility-am-i.asp Oct 17 08, 12:10 PM

zbeckabee

The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen depend on whether one is married to a British citizen or not. For those married to a British citizen the applicant must have lived legally in the UK for three years. For those not married to a British citizen the requirements are five years legal residence in the UK. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law#British_citizenship_by_naturalisation Oct 17 08, 5:26 PM