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Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, has proposed stricter immigration rules, including extending the timeline for immigrants to qualify for UK citizenship.
In a video posted on her X account on Thursday, Badenoch outlined her party’s immigration policy changes. Under the current system, an immigrant must obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) before applying for British citizenship.
ILR is typically available after five years of residence in the UK, with some visa categories allowing a shorter duration. After obtaining ILR, an immigrant can apply for citizenship after 12 months.
However, Badenoch has proposed increasing the minimum residency requirement for ILR from five to ten years. She also wants to extend the waiting period between obtaining ILR and applying for British citizenship from one year to five years. This means immigrants would need to live in the UK for at least 15 years before being eligible for a British passport.
Additionally, she proposed barring individuals with criminal records or those who have claimed social benefits from ever applying for citizenship.
“Britain is our home, it’s not a hotel. It’s time to tell the truth on immigration and propose real plans,” she said.
“I want to reduce immigration and make living here actually mean something. I’m announcing that the Conservative Party is going to do the following things differently. If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for indefinite leave to remain, the time you have to live here before you apply will increase from five years to 10 years.
“You have to be a net contributor with a high enough salary, especially if you want to bring family members with you. And if you’ve got a criminal record, you are banned. If you’ve claimed benefits or need social housing, you can’t even apply.
“We will increase the time before you can apply for a British passport from 12 months to five years. Meaning it will take a minimum of 15 years to start an application. If you enter this country illegally or outstay your visa, you will be banned from ever gaining leave to remain or a passport.”
The Conservative Party will debate whether these proposed changes should be applied retroactively to 2021 during the parliamentary discussion on the Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill next week.
Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch described the current immigration system as a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, arguing that it places a strain on public services.
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records. They should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities,” she said.
Badenoch, born to Nigerian parents in the UK, became the leader of the Conservative Party in November 2024. Her rise to prominence has been driven by her hardline stance on immigration.
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