UK Grants 246,000 Citizenships, Indians Top

The UK granted 245,520 citizenships in the year ending June 2026, a 4% fall from the previous year. Indian and Pakistani nationals remained the top recipients, with 24,851 and 18,489 grants respectively, according to Home Office statistics published on 27 August 2026. The rounded total was 246,000 British citizenship grants.

Indians and Pakistanis have held the top positions in the Home Office data since 2005. Most grants to these groups came through naturalisation. The Home Office linked this pattern to established settlement trends, stating the figures are "consistent with longstanding settlement trends."

The overall total, while slightly lower, remains high by historical standards. The department compared the latest figure with data dating back to 2005. This long-term perspective is crucial for understanding the standings of different nationalities in the citizenship queue.

Applications climbed while completed grants edged lower

Just over 315,000 people applied for British citizenship in the year ending June 2026. Applications rose 17% from the preceding year, reaching the highest number on record.

This increase outpaced the movement in completed grants. The figures show a larger pipeline of applicants alongside a modest annual reduction in decisions resulting in citizenship.

The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said non-EU nationals accounted for 234,000 applicants, or 74% of the total. This pattern reflects the continuing role of migrants from outside the European Union in the citizenship system. Many arrived before 2020 and have gradually reached the point where they can seek citizenship after a period of lawful residence and settlement.

Registration accounted for 74,085 of the grants

The Home Office recorded a separate increase in citizenship grants made through registration. That route produced 74,085 grants, up 1% from the year ending June 2025.

Registration is distinct from naturalisation, the route mainly associated with the leading nationality groups. The two routes together make up the published total. The sustained ranking of Indian and Pakistani applicants over more than two decades provides key stats for analysts tracking these trends.

Settlement remains an earlier step for many applicants

A related Home Office release recorded 199,628 grants of settlement in the same year. Settlement often precedes eligibility for citizenship after 12 months.

That sequence helps place the citizenship figures within a longer immigration process. Migrants first build the residence history required for settlement, then may become eligible to apply for nationality if they meet the citizenship rules.

The latest results also show why applications and grants can move in different directions. A record number of applications can enter the system while completed grants decline over the same reporting period. The Home Office published the data in its 'Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026' release, preserving the long-running ranking of Indians and Pakistanis at the top of the nationality table.