How much does it cost to apply for British citizenship?
If you wish to apply for British citizenship, you will need to know how much the application costs are as well as some of the associated expenses.
At Halliday Reeves, we regularly make successful British citizenship applications for our clients. We can advise you as to whether you are eligible to apply, complete the application form on your behalf and compile the paperwork that you will need in support.
We can also discuss the costs with you, to include the application fee payable to the Home Office. If you are considering applying for UK citizenship, please feel free to ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
“I think 5 stars are not enough for the service I got… I got my citizenship certificate in two months and this is amazing…. I’m really thankful to Sabiha for her patience, help , time and availability. She has done a wonderful job. Best immigration lawyer. Thanks very much for everything…”
Applying For British Citizenship
You may be able to apply for British citizenship if you have lived in the UK for five years and you have held either indefinite leave to remain or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme for one year.
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, you only need to have lived in the UK for three years. Provided you hold either indefinite leave to remain or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme you can then apply straightaway, without the need to wait a year.
You may also be eligible to apply because of your background, for example, if you have a British parent or parent with British overseas territories citizenship or you are considered British for another reason, including being a British overseas citizen or British protected person.
Eligibility For British Citizenship
You should check that you are eligible before submitting your application and make sure that you have documentary evidence proving this. Eligibility criteria include:
- You are over 18
- You have the required standard of English
- You have passed the Life in the UK test
- You intend to carry on living in the UK
- You are of good character
- You have not breached any UK immigration laws
You need to have been present in the UK on the date exactly five years before the day on which your application is received by the Home Office.
There are also restrictions on the amount of time you can have spent outside of the UK prior to your application. This must be:
- No more than 450 days during the five years prior to your application or 270 days within the previous 3 years if you are married or in a civil partnership with a British Citizen.
- No more than 90 days in the previous year
British Citizenship Application Fee
The cost to apply for British citizenship is £1,330 if you are applying because you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status.
If you are applying on the basis of your British nationality, the cost is £1,206 for an adult and £1,012 for a child. If a child turns 18 during the application, an additional £80 will be payable for their citizenship ceremony.
If the application is on behalf of someone who is aged under 18, it is possible to apply for a fee waiver in some cases so that they do not have to pay the citizenship application fee if this is not affordable.
To qualify to apply for a fee waiver, the child or young person and their parent or guardian must be unable to pay the fee because:
- They do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
- They cannot afford essentials such as food and heating
- They do not have enough money to pay the application fee after paying for essentials such as accommodation, food and heating
- Paying the fee would mean that the child or young person’s needs cannot be met
It is important to send the correct fee as your application will not be processed if you send the wrong amount and you will need to submit your application again.
Other Costs For British Citizenship Application
You will need to pay for a Life in the UK test, at a cost of £50.
If you need to take a secure English language test (SELT) to prove that you have an adequate knowledge of English, you will need to pay the provider’s fee. This may cost up to £250.
If your application includes any documents that are not in English, you will need to provide a certified translation of them. Costs vary but could be around £30 per page.
“My partner and I had a great experience with this firm. We received excellent service from Sabiha who helped us with our immigration matter. She took time to answer all our questions and help complete our application. Sabina followed up with visa application and queries, this enabled us to get the visa we required to visit the UK granted. We have already recommended Sabiha and the firm to friends and family who require immigration support.”
Contact Our British Citizenship Solicitors
If you are applying for British citizenship, our immigration experts can put together your application to give you the best chance of success.
We have offices in Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Wakefield and Nottingham. To speak to one of our expert UK citizenship lawyers, ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
