Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

Her Majesty's Government whether those EU citizens who have lived in the UK for more than five years, and who have therefore already qualified for permanent residency status, will be treated in the same manner as EU citizens who have not so qualified, for the purpose of applying for any new citizenship status following Brexit.

For the purpose of applying for citizenship, individuals will be required to meet the current eligibility criteria for naturalisation. These include a period of continuous residence, being of good character, and having sufficient knowledge of English and of life in the UK. A person who is married to or the civil partner of a British citizen can apply for naturalisation once settled; others must wait until they have been settled for 12 months.

Those who are already permanently resident in the UK will be able to apply for citizenship if they meet the statutory requirements.

Those who are not permanently resident must first apply for settled status. To do so, they must have been resident in the UK before a specified date and have completed a period of five years’ continuous residence. Once they are settled they can apply for British citizenship, if they meet the other statutory requirements.