Kemi Badenoch announces a significant immigration policy proposal, requiring immigrants to wait at least 15 years before becoming eligible for British citizenship.
As part of her first major policy statement as Conservative Party leader, she outlines plans to tighten immigration rules by extending the period before migrants can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to ten years. Additionally, she proposes a mandatory five-year wait after obtaining ILR before applying for citizenship, effectively tripling the minimum timeline from six to 15 years.
Badenoch stresses that the immigration system needs reform to ensure that settling in the UK is based on merit and contribution.
“We must change how our immigration system works. If you want to stay permanently and apply for indefinite leave to remain, the required residency period will increase from five years to ten. You will also need to be a net contributor with a sufficient salary, particularly if you plan to bring family members. If you have a criminal record, you will be banned,” she states in a video shared on her social media.
She also proposes stricter rules on welfare access, stating that immigrants who claim benefits, access social housing, or have criminal records will be ineligible for permanent residency.
Furthermore, she announces that the waiting period for a British passport will increase from 12 months to five years after obtaining ILR, making 15 years the minimum requirement to start a citizenship application.
“If you enter the country illegally or overstay your visa, you will be permanently barred from obtaining leave to remain or a British passport,” she adds.
Under the existing immigration framework, most migrants can apply for ILR after five years of work, with some visa holders qualifying in as little as two or three years. ILR provides indefinite rights to live, work, and study in the UK, and after 12 months, holders can apply for British citizenship.
Badenoch’s proposal extends the ILR requirement to ten years and adds a further five-year wait before citizenship applications can be submitted.
The proposal also includes a crackdown on welfare access for immigrants. While many migrants, including asylum seekers and those on work visas, already face restrictions under the “no recourse to public funds” rule, some have been granted exemptions.
Badenoch argues that the current system allows migrants to gain citizenship too quickly, placing pressure on public services.
“We must ensure that those coming to the UK have a genuine and meaningful connection to the country—no criminal records, financial independence, and a commitment to contributing positively to society,” she states.
The Conservative Party is pushing for these reforms to be retroactively applied from 2021 through amendments to the upcoming Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, set for parliamentary debate next week.
However, Badenoch does not specify how much this policy would reduce immigration numbers.