By Kemi Badenoch Proposes 15-Year Wait for British Citizenship, Days after International Students Petition ILR’s Extension
Ghazali Ibrahim
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has proposed plans to overhaul the UK’s immigration system, proposing that immigrants should wait 15 years before applying for British citizenship, instead of the current six years.
This development stems from the major reforms promised by the conservative leader during her campaign to restrict immigrants who have no affiliation with UK to obtain her citizenship.
Kemi, a product of immigrants who went to the UK to gave birth to her a year before the automatic birthright citizenship was abolished is on the frontline in the proposition of long wait for British citizenship for immigrants.
Outlining one of her first major policy positions since becoming leader, Badenoch also said that indefinite leave to remain (ILR) should not be granted to individuals with criminal records or those who have claimed benefits or social housing. She argued that British citizenship is a privilege, not an automatic right, and should be reserved for those with a “meaningful connection” to the UK.
“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 told the BBC.
Currently, immigrants can apply for ILR after living in the UK for five years, with some exceptions allowing applications after two or three years depending on visa type. British citizenship can be sought 12 months after securing ILR.
Under Badenoch’s proposal, the waiting period for ILR would be extended from five to 10 years, followed by an additional five-year wait before applying for citizenship. The Conservatives want these changes to be backdated to 2021 and incorporated into the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, set to be debated in Parliament next week.
Labour minister Angela Eagle dismissed the proposal, saying, “After 14 years of shameful Tory failure, no one will take seriously anything they claim.”
Badenoch argued that the current system creates a “conveyor belt” to citizenship and is putting strain on public services. She also reiterated her call for a hard cap on migration, though she declined to specify a number, stating it would depend on circumstances at the time.
Her proposals come amid growing political pressure on immigration, particularly after the UK recorded a net migration high of 906,000 last year. While Badenoch has acknowledged that the Conservatives “got it wrong” on immigration in the past, she insists her party must now “rebuild trust with the public.”
