The UK allows nationals from 19 countries and territories to apply for British citizenship without separately proving their knowledge of English.

The list includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, Ireland, Malta and Jamaica, along with several Caribbean nations.

Other exempt nationalities include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

British overseas territories are also included in the exemption list.

Applicants from countries outside the approved list generally need to demonstrate their English-language knowledge when applying for citizenship or settlement.

There are also separate exemptions for people aged 65 or over and those who cannot meet the requirement because of certain long-term physical or mental conditions.

The UK government has also introduced broader reforms raising English-language standards for many migrants seeking permanent settlement, making the nationality-based exemptions particularly relevant.