British Citizenship Should Take 15 Years – Kemi Badenoch Sets Out Tougher Immigration Plan

Kemi Badenoch has announced a major shift in immigration policy, proposing that immigrants must wait at least 15 years before becoming eligible for British citizenship. The plan, part of her first major policy move as leader of the Conservative Party, aims to tighten the immigration system by extending the timeframe for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and restricting access to citizenship.

Under the new proposal, the period before migrants can apply for ILR would increase from five to ten years. Additionally, the time required before applying for a British passport would extend from 12 months to five years after ILR is granted. This change means that immigrants would need to live in the UK for a minimum of 15 years before applying for citizenship—three times the current six-year requirement.

In a video shared on social media, Badenoch defended the stricter approach. “We would increase the time 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,” she said. She also emphasized that migrants must be “net contributors” with a high enough salary, particularly if they intend to bring family members. She proposed a permanent ban on those with criminal records, visa overstayers, or anyone who enters the UK illegally.

“We need to change the way our immigration system works,” she stated. “We must ensure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK—no criminal records, net contributors to the economy, not reliant on benefits, but people who care about our country and communities.”

The proposal also seeks to restrict welfare access for immigrants. While most migrants on work visas and asylum seekers already face limits under the “no recourse to public funds” rule, Badenoch noted that some exceptions had allowed certain individuals to claim state support. She argued that the current system has created a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, putting pressure on public services.

The Conservative Party plans to introduce these changes through amendments to the upcoming Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, set for parliamentary debate next week. The party also intends to apply the new rules retroactively to 2021.

Badenoch’s proposals come amid ongoing debate over immigration policy in the UK. However, she did not specify how much the changes would reduce migration numbers.