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The short answer
Budget for the application fee, any citizenship test, ceremony or certification fees, document costs and a new passport. Official fees we checked: UK naturalisation £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee, with the Life in the UK test at £50 (from 8 April 2026); Ireland €175 to apply and €950 on approval; US Form N-400 $760, or $380 for eligible lower-income households. A Nigerian citizen by birth does not lose Nigerian citizenship by naturalising elsewhere.
Citizenship is usually the last and most expensive step on the immigration path, and it is often a family decision: two adults, then children, sometimes in the same year. The headline fee is only part of the cost. Planning the whole amount, and the timing, avoids a scramble once you become eligible.
The headline fees
| Country | Fee | Amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Naturalisation, adult | £1,709 | Home Office fees table, 8 April 2026 |
| UK | Citizenship ceremony | £130 (added to the application) | Same |
| UK | Registration of a child as a British citizen | £1,000 | Same |
| UK | Life in the UK test | £50 | Same |
| Ireland | Application fee | €175 | Citizens Information, edited 22 Sep 2026 |
| Ireland | Certification fee on approval (adult) | €950 | Same |
| US | Form N-400 | $760 | 8 CFR 106.2, up to date 22 Oct 2026 |
| US | Form N-400, reduced fee (household income at or below 400% of poverty guidelines) | $380 | Same |
Ireland's certification fee is €200 for minors and widowed spouses or civil partners, and nil for refugees and stateless people, according to Citizens Information. In the US, 8 CFR 106.3 allows a full fee waiver for applicants with household income at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines, those receiving a means-tested benefit, or those in extreme financial hardship.
A worked example
Example only. A UK family: two adults naturalising and two children being registered.
| Item | Cost (example) |
|---|---|
| Adult naturalisation, 2 x (£1,709 + £130) | £3,678 |
| Life in the UK test, 2 x £50 | £100 |
| Child registration, 2 x £1,000 | £2,000 |
| Total official fees | £5,778 |
On top of that come document costs, any English language test if you need one, and British passports for each person once approved. If the family saves over 18 months, £5,778 works out at £321 a month before extras.
Ireland and the US in the same terms
Example only. In Ireland, two adults pay €175 each to apply and €950 each on approval: 2 x €1,125 = €2,250, and the certification fee falls due only when the application succeeds, so the second payment can be saved for while the application is processed. In the US, two adults filing Form N-400 pay 2 x $760 = $1,520, or 2 x $380 = $760 if the household qualifies for the reduced fee. Children who already became citizens automatically through a parent may need a separate certificate or passport application rather than an N-400, which has its own fee; check the USCIS page for the right form before budgeting.
Whichever country you are in, list each person separately. Families often budget for the adults and forget that each child needs their own application, fee and, later, passport.
The extras people forget
- Documents from Nigeria. Full birth certificates, marriage certificates and sometimes evidence of name changes. Getting these issued, certified or authenticated can take months. Our guide to Nigerian documents for citizenship abroad sets out what is usually asked for.
- Authentication by the Nigerian mission. The Nigeria High Commission in London, for example, lists £20 per item plus £20 processing for authenticating Nigerian marriage, birth and death certificates, which must first be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, plus a £20 administration charge for consular services.
- Referees and certified copies, which some countries require.
- Travel records. Most countries count days spent abroad during the qualifying period. Long trips to Nigeria can delay eligibility, so keep flight records.
- New passports. Budget for the new country's passport for each family member, and possibly a renewed Nigerian passport if you plan to keep travelling on both.
What happens to your Nigerian citizenship
Section 28 of the Nigerian Constitution deals with dual citizenship. It provides for loss of Nigerian citizenship where someone who is not a citizen of Nigeria by birth acquires or retains another nationality of which they are not a citizen by birth. A Nigerian citizen by birth who naturalises abroad is not caught by that rule. Some destination countries have their own rules on dual nationality, so check those too. This is information, not legal advice; if your Nigerian citizenship came by registration or naturalisation, get advice before applying elsewhere.
Timing the money
- Find your earliest eligibility date and work backwards.
- Save in a separate pot from your emergency fund; see building a sinking fund for immigration fees.
- Check the fee page again just before applying. Fees change, often each April in the UK.
- Apply for adults and children in the order that makes sense for eligibility, not cost alone.
Some applications ask about assets and income, including property in Nigeria; see declaring Nigerian assets on visa and citizenship forms.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account lets you keep a citizenship fund in pounds, euros or dollars apart from day-to-day money, and pay Nigerian document fees from a naira balance. The Personal Assistant can remind you of the saving date each month; nothing moves without your approval.
Questions people ask
How much does British citizenship cost in 2026?
From 8 April 2026, adult naturalisation is £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee, and the Life in the UK test is £50.
How much is the US citizenship application fee?
Form N-400 is $760, or $380 for eligible lower-income households, under 8 CFR 106.2.
Will I lose my Nigerian citizenship if I become British or American?
A Nigerian citizen by birth is not caught by section 28 of the Constitution. Check the destination country's own rules.
How much is Irish citizenship?
Citizens Information lists a €175 application fee and a €950 certification fee for adults on approval.
Sources
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 8 April 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 8 CFR 106.3 Fee waivers · accessed Oct 2026
- Citizens Information: Becoming an Irish citizen through naturalisation · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 8 CFR 106.2 Fees · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Consular services · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigerian Constitution, section 28: dual citizenship · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.