Kemi Badenoch proposes 15-year wait for immigrants to gain UK citizenship
By Jeffrey Agbo
Kemi Badenoch has announced a major policy shift, proposing that immigrants must wait at least 15 years before becoming eligible for British citizenship.
As part of her first major announcement as Tory leader, she plans to tighten the immigration system by extending the waiting period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to ten years. Additionally, immigrants must wait another five years before applying for a British passport.
Badenoch also stated that those who claim benefits, access social housing or have criminal records would be barred from settling in the UK permanently.
“I want to reduce immigration and make living here actually mean something. We need to change the way our immigration system works,” she said in a video shared on her social media on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Kemi Badenoch will learn not to disparage her people – Prof. Akinyemi
Under the current system, most migrants can apply for ILR after five years, with some visa holders qualifying in as little as two or three years. After holding ILR for 12 months, they can apply for British citizenship. The proposed changes would extend this timeline to a minimum of 15 years.
Badenoch’s plan also includes stricter welfare restrictions, reinforcing existing policies that prevent most migrants from claiming benefits. She argued that the current system creates a “conveyor belt” to citizenship, placing strain on public services.
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK—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 stated.
The Conservative Party aims to backdate these changes to 2021 by amending the upcoming Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, which is set for parliamentary debate next week.
Badenoch, however, did not specify how much this policy would reduce migration numbers.
